Portworx > Case Studies > Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency with IoT: A Case Study on Software Motor Company

Revolutionizing Energy Efficiency with IoT: A Case Study on Software Motor Company

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Middleware & Microservices
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Virtual Private Cloud

Applicable Industries

Buildings
Electronics

Applicable Functions

Maintenance
Product Research & Development

Use Cases

Smart Campus
Time Sensitive Networking

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
System Integration

About The Customer

Software Motor Company (SMC) is a pioneering firm that aims to revolutionize the electric motor industry. Founded in 2013, SMC has been dedicated to leveraging the Internet of Things (IoT) to optimize energy savings and the overall performance of electric motors. The company has patented and developed the next generation of electric motors, which they market as the 'LED of motors'. This comparison to LEDs helps to explain the uniqueness of their product, as LEDs represent the peak of energy efficiency in lighting. SMC's innovative motor is designed to be more efficient, reliable, and intelligent than traditional induction motors, offering significant energy savings. The company's mission is to make a global impact by drastically reducing energy consumption through their advanced motor technology.

The Challenge

Software Motor Company (SMC) was founded in 2013 with the mission to bring the benefits of the Internet of Things (IoT) to electric motors. The company developed a radically more efficient electric motor that could save enormous amounts of energy globally. However, the company faced several challenges. The electric motor industry had seen little innovation over the past 40 years, with induction motors being the standard. These motors were inefficient in terms of energy consumption and often ran at a fixed speed, consuming 100% electricity even when they only needed 20% to generate the right amount of torque. Variable frequency drive (VFD) motors managed to consume electricity more intelligently, but the components involved in VFDs were expensive, inefficient, and often broke. This forced buyers to choose between energy efficiency, upfront cost, reliability, and ongoing maintenance cost. SMC needed a solution that would address these issues and deliver multiple related benefits.

The Solution

SMC developed a motor that turns more electricity into mechanical energy, similar to how an LED converts more electrical energy into light. The motor intelligently consumes the exact amount of energy required to drive connected equipment, making it more reliable than induction motors. The motor's efficiency is due to its core architecture and the intelligent controls attached to it. Additionally, the motor is connected to the cloud, providing full data on its operation. This allows SMC to predict motor or equipment failure before it happens, which is critical for many industry sectors. SMC also developed digital twins for their motors and connected equipment. These models are used to run simulations that streamline design, manufacturing, and operation, optimizing performance, improving reliability, and reducing cost. To ensure application portability and data security, SMC uses Kubernetes to manage their microservices and Portworx for data storage.

Operational Impact

SMC's innovative motor and its use of IoT technology have resulted in a product that is not only more efficient but also more reliable and intelligent than traditional induction motors. The motor's ability to intelligently consume only the required amount of energy reduces energy waste and offers significant energy savings. The use of digital twins for simulations has streamlined the design, manufacturing, and operation processes, leading to optimized performance and reduced costs. Furthermore, the motor's connection to the cloud allows for predictive maintenance, reducing downtime and associated costs. This has significant implications for industries where maintaining specific conditions is critical, such as pharmaceuticals. Overall, SMC's solution has revolutionized the electric motor industry by offering a product that combines energy efficiency, reliability, and intelligent operation.

Quantitative Benefit

SMC's motor is more efficient, converting more electricity into mechanical energy.
The motor intelligently consumes only the required amount of energy, reducing energy waste.
The use of digital twins for simulations streamlines design, manufacturing, and operation, reducing costs.