LORD Corporation Fine-Tunes Steering System for Volvo Penta

Customer
Marine engine manufacturer Volvo Penta, for its Inboard Performance System (IPS).

Challenge
During development of the IPS, Volvo Penta realized that the steer-by-wire system needed high-quality tactile feedback to the steering wheel to meet safety requirements. However, conventional motors were too large in size and weight, consumed too much energy and were not cost-effective.

Solution
A LORD Tactile Feedback Device (TFD) was incorporated into the console design to provide haptic feedback to the operator, The TFD is CANbus-enabled and is in communication with critical vehicle systems, providing a high level of safety through electrical redundancy.

Results
IPS provides electronic control of a boat’s propulsion units, allowing the craft to turn rapidly and easily — even at low speeds — and making it very easy to maneuver. The addition of LORD Corporation’s TFD technology allows more precise and safer operation of this system.

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