Paper machines, hydropower plants, and drive technology
The Voith Group
The Voith Group is a global technology corporation based in Heidenheim, Germany. Since its foundation as a metalworking shop in 1867, the company has evolved to become one of the largest family-owned companies in Europe. Today, Voith employs around 22,000 people at sites in more than 60 countries worldwide and generates revenue of €5.2 billion. The Group’s broad portfolio includes systems, products, services and digital applications that set standards in the markets of energy, paper, raw materials and transport & automotive. Voith’s business operations are organized into three Group divisions: Voith Paper, Voith Hydro and Voith Turbo.
As a pioneer in paper manufacturing, Voith develops innovative technologies and services for the entire paper production process chain. Voith is also one of the world’s leading suppliers of hydropower plant technology, offering turbines, generators and other components for large and small hydropower plants. As a specialist in intelligent drive technology, the Group division Voith Turbo develops systems and customized services for rail and commercial vehicles, ship technology and industrial applications. Customers from highly diverse industries such as oil and gas, energy, mining and mechanical engineering rely on Voith Turbo’s cutting-edge technologies and digital solutions.
The Marine Division
With propulsion technologies like the Voith Schneider Propeller (VSP), Voith Turbo plays a leading role in the marine industry. The VSP, developed nearly 100 years ago, is a marine propulsion system whose special design allows high maneuverability and efficiency. It is used primarily in tugs (the Voith water tractor – VWT – is based on this propulsion concept), ferries, offshore and special-purpose vessels and various military applications that require precise dynamic positioning and rapid changes of direction. With the electric Voith Schneider Propeller (eVSP), the company has managed to turn a proven propulsion concept with all its advantages and outstanding features into an electric and thus low-CO2 solution with even better noise characteristics. The eVSP has already proven effective in a wide range of applications. For example, service operation vessels for the offshore wind industry, ferries, research vessels and ships for military use are currently being built that will be powered by eVSPs in future.
The Voith portfolio is rounded out by the Voith Inline Thruster (VIT) and Voith Linear Jet (VLJ). The VLJ in particular was developed for fast ships and can play to its advantages of extremely low noise and vibration emissions in yachts and military applications, for example. This compact propulsion system is also used by fast ferries and wind farm supply ships, i.e., vessels with a mixed operating profile ranging from slow cruising to traveling at speeds of between 25 and 40 knots. Vessels equipped with the Voith Inline Thruster – which has no drive shaft or transmission – as a bow or stern thruster system can be maneuvered very precisely and with extremely low noise and vibrations. Thanks to its design, the input power is transferred directly, which increases thrust and hence efficiency. The VIT is often used as a transverse thruster in offshore and passenger vessels, yachts, and ships with military applications. As a maneuvering aid for easy dynamic positioning, it can also be used as a swing-out, rotatable auxiliary propulsion system (Voith Inline Propulsor – VIP).
www.voith.com/marine
