Thursday, April 15, 2010
A team of five engineers from Volvo Grou CPAC Systems and Volvo Penta received the 2010 Volvo Technology Award for its work in developing Volvo Penta’s Dynamic Positioning System – a system that maintains the boat in its current position. The award was presented by Volvo Group CEO Leif Johansson at the Volvo Group AGM on April 14.
The 2010 Volvo Technology Award recognizes some of the comprehensive
further development work carried out by Volvo Penta since the initial
introduction of EVC (Electronic Vessel Control), the electronic platform
for leisure craft, in 1999, and the introduction of IPS (Inboard
Performance System), its unique propulsion system, in 2005.
DPS (Dynamic Positioning System), the innovation which has earned this
year’s award, enables the driver to maintain the boat’s current position
and compass heading to within a couple of metres with just fingertip
control. This is a very useful function, for example when queuing to
refuel, or waiting at locks or opening bridges.
DPS is controlled by a special program integrated in Volvo Penta’s
electronic platform, EVC. An antenna with twin GPS receivers provides
the system with precise position and course information. The software
uses this information to control the engine speed, gear selection and
slip functions, as well as the drive units.
“It is five years since i presented the Volvo Technology Award for the
development of IPS, and I now have the pleasure of presenting it once
again to two of the winners on that occasion,” says Leif Johansson,
president and CEO of the Volvo Group.
“Success breeds success when it comes to ongoing and innovative
engineering development. The recipients of this year’s award also
include a number of young engineers from the Volvo subsidiary, CPAC
Systems, in recognition of their contribution to the DPS project.”
The development of DPS included every aspect of the drive system,
from engine and transmission to control system and HMI (Human-Machine
Interface), in which real-time synchronisation between the different
elements is essential. One major challenge for the engineers was the
requirement that the system should be equally suitable for boats of all
types, since Volvo Penta works exclusively with independent
boatbuilders. In addition to being intuitive and offering a high level
of safety, the system also had to be error-tolerant and easy to install.
Following the major interest aroused by the IPS drive system and the
resultant high demand for it on the world market, Volvo Penta engineers,
together with colleagues from other units of the Volvo Group, continued
their intensive development work on the drive itself, as well as on
various other accessories.
A ‘joystick’ for manoeuvring boats was introduced early in 2006 and has
become one of the most appreciated products in the boating world in
recent years. Autumn 2006 saw the launch of multiple installations of
both three and four IPS units in large yachts. A special sport fishing
function appeared in 2007 followed, in 2009, by the introduction of a
large IPS drive offering even higher power.
Drawn from different Volvo Group companies, the five engineers that
formed the DPS development team were:
Lennart Arvidsson (project manager and transmission specialist, Volvo
Penta, winner in 2005)
Oddbjörn Hallenstvedt (transmission specialist, Volvo Powertrain, winner
in 2005)
Caroline Henriksson (system development and technical project manager,
CPAC Systems)
Anders Gunne (boat control algorithms, CPAC Systems)
Marcus Brorsson (driveline control, CPAC Systems)
Modified: Thursday, April 15, 2010, 10:34 by System administrator
Monday, April 19, 2010
Celebrating fame and fortune!
Here is the team that was awarded Volvo Technology Award 2010.
Read more »