Women's Power Convinces At UFES Solar Project

Over the past few months, more than 20 female students from the Femtec career network have dealt with the question of how the light detection of the already established ABB UFES electronics (UFES: Ultrafast Earthing Switch) can be implemented with the help of solar cells. They now presented the results of their UFES solar project to management at the ABB site in Ratingen. These included suggestions that the technology company now plans to pursue.

Light detection using solar cells

UFES is a combination of devices that protects people and systems should an arcing fault occur - the most serious fault within a switchgear. The system is currently working with lens sensors. "UFES Solar", ie the light detection using solar cells, is an idea that has already been patented by ABB. Since September last year, the Femtec students from various technical universities and various courses of study have been dealing with technical issues, feasibility and market launch all around “UFES Solar”.

Fortunately, there is functional safety

Ideas we didn't expect

After an introduction to the current state of the art, the participants of the innovation workshop were able to let their ideas run free and decide which sub-aspects of the task they want to deal with more intensively. "We were impressed by how quickly the students got to grips with the technical issues and which well-founded solutions they worked out in the short time," says Ansgar Müller-Pleuss, location manager of the ABB unit in Ratingen. “The students showed us aspects and ideas for the technical implementation and market launch that we did not expect. We will certainly be able to take up and implement some suggestions.”

Hannover tradefair

ABB has smart products in its luggage

research

ABB and KIT expand cooperation

After an interim presentation at the end of November, the participants were able to continue working - inspired by the feedback from their supervisors. Now there was a final presentation of the innovation workshop at ABB in Ratingen.

University career center for women

ABB has been a cooperation partner of Femtec, the university career center for women, since the beginning of 2011. The company thus supports future engineers and scientists from ten leading technical universities in Germany and Switzerland. The goal of Femtec is not only to get young women enthusiastic about the relevant industries, but also to show them the best possible entry and promotion opportunities - at ABB, for example, in the form of internships, theses and career starts. (sh)