Yanmar Shows Prototype Electric Machine
Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. has unveiled a prototype electric work machine with advanced force control. The company showed its prototype at the Construction DX Challenge 2023, organized by the Japanese Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism.
Yanmar says the implementation of an articulated motor, not a conventional electric cylinder, will help expand the range of motion through electrification, enabling high-altitude work like ceiling operations.
Developed in collaboration with JAXA’s Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center, the large Series Elastic Actuator (SEA) was part of a prototype for the next-generation work machine under the Moonshot Research and Development Program. Yanmar successfully implemented force control capabilities, a challenge for conventional hydraulic systems. Using the SEA composed of an electric motor, reducer, and spring, the functionality was implemented in an electric mini-excavator.
This technology aims to automate fine manual tasks, addressing labor shortages at construction sites. Moving forward, the company plans to conduct further verification to realize the practical applications of next-generation work machines in construction sites and similar environments.
