What Problem does Insumo Solve?

Researchers and engineers worldwide have been working on rim-drive technology solutions for over 20 years. This kind of solution is complicated, and the final build is potentially vulnerable since it comes with considerable wear and tear. This affects the lifetime of these rim-drives and limits broad applicability in the shipping industry.

To overcome these limitations, Insumo has been:

Analyzing all known vulnerabilities regarding
rim-drive technology

Exploring ways
to find the root causes, and

Researching solutions
to overcome these

This resulted in a fundamental overhaul in the technology used to build rim-drives.

Insumo rim-drive technology innovations

  • All Insumo rim-drive designs are shaftless with an optimized tunnel design, which reduces cavitation. It ensures that the thruster is not at risk with dirt in the water.
  • The materials used for axial bearings (propeller thrust direction) are usually vulnerable. To support a long life-time of the rim-drive, Insumo has implemented a different solution based on combining hard and soft materials.
  • For the radial bearings (control the spinning electro motor), Insumo created a solution on the basis of magnetic levitation. It applies magnetic forces to keep the rotor in its position, making it a very energy efficient, stable and wear-free solution.
  • The design is compact, modular, simple, and low on maintenance.
  • The electric motor design ensures that the rim drive is silent and in comparison to other solutions the magnetic force fields are low.
  • The combined technology is scalable, and as a result, it makes very powerful rim-drives possible, while still allowing for the benefits listed above.

About Us

In 2015, Insumo started its journey of researching sustainable alternatives for petrol-based engines with the vision to make shipping more environmentally friendly through clean and silent propulsions. Cleantech, like the rim-drive technology Insumo is working on, can benefit all

We started small and did numerous experiments - some that worked and some that did not, but they definitely taught us a lot and inspired us to become determined. Over the years, the group has grown from 2 members to a team of 9 persons with a wide range of skills that enable Insumo to engineer fundamental, deep-tech solutions. The team employs people with unique skills in fields such as electric motor design, mechanical engineering and control algorithms.

Moreover, Insumo has capabilities to build prototypes. We also handover the designs and instructions to a manufacturing operation.

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