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Kronosport, Inc., a
Philadelphia-based electric vehicle start up company, contracted ASI to
redesign the electric drive system and the controls for their hybrid
utility vehicle. ASI worked together with the Delaware Valley Industrial
Research Center to measure and specify required loads, and then engineer
a drive system to meet the requirements. Especially challenging was the
interface between the electric drive and the pedal drive so that the
operator can use either the electric or pedal drive to move the vehicle.
ASI and DVIRC jointly redesigned the entire vehicle using 3-D modeling
software to facilitate the seamless exchange of different component
files.
The chassis supports three types of vehicles - a flat bed truck, an
enclosed van, and a pedi-cab. For more information about the vehicle, go
to www.kronosport.com
One of the largest manufacturers
of residential lawn equipment retained ASI to convert Internal Combustion
Engine(ICE) to electric. The goal was to substantially reduce airborne
noise and pollution without sacrificing any performance. The client
provided two identical 38"cut lawn tractors to ASI. One tractor was
completely stripped of all ICE components, and then fitted with
batteries, charger, controller, drive system and blade motor. ASI was
tasked with fitting the new components into the tractor with minimal
interference to existing tooled components such as the chassis, wheels,
and hood. After the conversion was complete, the tractor had virtually
the same footprint and envelope as the original ICE tractor.
 Included in ASI's scope was to gather
comparative data from both the tractor and the electric tractor to
compare their performance. The 36V electric tractor had an effective cut
time of about 1.5 hours between charges, and the airborne noise was
reduced so much that a normal conversation could be carried on while
cutting the grass.
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Electric Tool Storage Chest
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Large tool storage chests when
fully loaded with tools can weigh up to 6000 pounds.  Obviously, they
become quite difficult to move. ASI designed a retrofit kit that includes
a DC motor, transaxle, brake, battery charger, and controls. The kit,
which is under evaluation by the major tool chest manufacturers, can be
mounted easily onto a tool chest at the manufacturer's factory, or sold
as a field retrofit kit installed by the mechanic who owns the chest.
The tool chest pictured here has a capacity of about 3000 pounds, travels
2.0 mph, and has a 2-hour range.
Commercial gas-powered go-carts
have a limited season in cold climates because they cannot be used
indoors.  Therefore there
is a move toward battery-powered go-carts to allow year round use
indoors, as well as simplified, reliable operation. Pictured here is a
child size go-cart driven by an ASI drive package. The commercial go-cart
company manufactures complete go cart packages that include 6 to 8 carts,
the track, fencing, and controls all contained inside a trailer. It can
be set up as a fixed base, or a mobile unit included with other traveling
carnival rides.
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Self-contained Catering Cart
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Conventional catering operations require as much running
back and forth from the van to the party as actually cooking the food. ASI was hired to
design a complete catering cart that was large enough to serve 150 to 200
meals in a self-contained mobile platform to eliminate that problem. The
end product, pictured here, is a catering cart that contains both hot and
cold chaffing dishes, hot and cold food and beverage storage areas, plus
storage for plates, napkins, utensils etc. The most amazing feature is a
hydraulic lift system capable of lifting the 2000-pound cart in and out
of a van while maintaining a perfectly horizontal position to avoid
spilling any food. All of the drives, controls, hydraulic system, and
operator interface were designed, sourced and assembled by ASI within a
very tight time frame.
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