efa’s Frequently Asked Questions

 

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Would you like to find out more about efa, our activities, our expertise or our services?
In this FAQ, you’ll find answers to the most frequently asked questions about our company.

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About efa

1. Who is efa, and what solutions do you offer for mobile machinery?
efa is a French equipment manufacturer and systems integrator specialising in electrical, electronic and electromechanical solutions for commercial vehicles, mobile machinery and specialised machinery.
efa supports OEMs, system integrators and operators in the design and integration of innovative solutions. Its expertise covers, in particular, electrification, power management, control systems, radio control, remote operation, sensing, on-board vision and autonomous navigation.
2. What types of mobile machinery and industrial vehicles does efa supply?

efa solutions can be integrated into many types of machinery and vehicles, including:

  • forklift trucks and material-handling equipment;
  • aerial work platforms, cranes and lifting machinery;
  • construction machinery and off-highway vehicles;
  • agricultural vehicles and equipment;
  • airport and railway equipment;
  • machinery and equipment for urban cleaning, as well as for the maintenance of
  • green spaces and forestry equipment;
  • machinery and equipment for energy recovery units (ERUs);
  • autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) and AGVs;
  • machinery, vehicles and equipment for defence applications;
  • special-purpose machines and autonomous industrial vehicles.
3. Which industrial sectors does efa support?

efa supports the following sectors in particular:

  • material handling and logistics;
  • civil engineering and construction;
  • agriculture;
  • rail;
  • airports and ports;
  • lifting equipment;
  • defence;
  • the environment;
  • industrial robotics;
  • electric mobility;
  • autonomous and off-road vehicles.
4. What does efa do?
The company selects and distributes electrical, electronic and electromechanical components from recognised manufacturers, designs and manufactures bespoke sub-assemblies, and also carries out system integration.
Depending on the project, efa can be involved from the initial definition of requirements and selection of components right through to cabling, integration, testing and commissioning.

Electrification and motorisation

5. What is the electrification of a mobile machine?
The electrification of a mobile machine involves replacing an internal combustion engine, either fully or partially, with an electric powertrain.
This powertrain may include, in particular, an electric motor, a drive controller, a battery, a power distribution system, protective devices and control electronics.
efa supports projects involving the full or partial electrification of mobile machines and commercial vehicles.
6. How do you electrify a commercial vehicle or a construction machine?
An electrification project begins with an analysis of the vehicle’s requirements: power, torque, range, operating cycles, environment, mechanical constraints and the functions to be electrified.
The architecture can then incorporate a battery, a power management and distribution system, an inverter, an electric motor, high-voltage safety systems and control and command components.
efa supports manufacturers and integrators in defining and integrating this electrical architecture.
7. What is an axial-flow motor?
An axial-flux motor is an electric motor in which the magnetic flux flows mainly in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation, unlike conventional radial-flux motors.
This design can offer advantages in terms of compactness, power density and mechanical integration, depending on the application.
The axial-flux motor can therefore be an attractive solution for certain applications involving the electrification of industrial vehicles, mobile machinery and specialised machinery.
8. What is an electric powertrain?
The electric powertrain comprises the main components required to generate and transmit the power needed to propel a vehicle or machine.
In particular, it may include the battery, the power distribution system, the inverter, the electric motor, the control systems and the high-voltage safety devices.
efa can assist with the integration of these various components into an architecture tailored to the machine’s specific requirements.
9. Do you offer electrical conversion or retrofit solutions?
Yes. efa can support projects aimed at electrifying or modernising existing machinery.
Depending on the project, electrification may involve the entire powertrain or just certain functions of the machine, such as a pump, a bucket, an auxiliary system or on-board equipment.

Batteries, power and high voltage

10. What is a PDU for an electric vehicle?
A PDU (Power Distribution Unit) is a power distribution unit that distributes, protects and, depending on its design, monitors the power flow between the battery and the vehicle’s various pieces of equipment.
In an industrial electrical system, the PDU can incorporate switching, protection, measurement and power distribution functions.
efa develops and integrates PDUs tailored to the specific requirements of industrial vehicles and mobile machinery.
11. What is the HVIL (High Voltage Interlock Loop)?
The HVIL (High Voltage Interlock Loop) is a safety loop used in high-voltage electrical architectures.
In particular, it monitors the continuity of a safety circuit associated with high-voltage components. Should a monitored component open or become disconnected, the system can detect the situation and trigger the safety measures specified by the vehicle’s architecture.
The HVIL thus helps to ensure the safety of high-voltage systems found, in particular, in electric vehicles and electrified mobile machinery.
12. Why use an HVIL in an electric vehicle or machine?
In a high-voltage system, the HVIL enables the monitoring of certain components of the electrical circuit and the detection of any open circuits or disconnections that may pose a risk.
In particular, it can be integrated with high-voltage connectors, electrical enclosures, batteries or power distribution units.
Its integration must be defined in accordance with the vehicle’s electrical architecture and safety functions.
13. Do you offer power management and distribution solutions?
Yes. efa provides power distribution and management solutions for commercial vehicles and mobile machinery.
Depending on requirements, the architectures may include PDUs, protection and switching components, battery management systems, high-voltage components and monitoring devices such as the HVIL.

Control and command systems and interfaces

14. What control systems does efa offer for mobile machinery?
efa offers a range of control and command solutions tailored to industrial vehicles and mobile machinery:
  • joysticks and multi-axis controls;
  • buttons and push-buttons;
  • pedals and handles;
  • radio controls;
  • control stations;
  • human-machine interfaces (HMIs);
  • remote operation solutions.

Components can be selected and configured according to the mechanical, electrical, ergonomic and functional requirements of the application.

15. What is an industrial joystick, and can it be customised?
An industrial joystick enables various functions of a vehicle or machine to be controlled via an ergonomic interface.
Depending on the application, a joystick can be configured with multiple axes, buttons, proportional functions, connectors and communication protocols such as the CAN bus.
efa provides support with the selection and integration of joysticks tailored to the specific requirements of mobile machinery.
16. Are efa control systems CAN Bus-compatible?
Yes. Many efa control solutions are compatible with the CAN bus architectures commonly used in commercial vehicles and mobile machinery.
In particular, the CAN bus enables the various control units, sensors and actuators to communicate within the vehicle’s electronic architecture.
17. What is a mobile device user interface?
A HMI (Human-Machine Interface) enables the operator to monitor and control the functions of a vehicle or machine.
It may incorporate a screen, buttons, touch controls, indicators and various components for communicating with on-board electronic systems.
efa offers HMI solutions tailored to the requirements of mobile industrial applications.

Radio control and wireless communication

18. What is an industrial radio control system?
An industrial radio control system enables an operator to remotely control the functions of a machine or mobile equipment.
It can be used, in particular, for cranes, lifting equipment, industrial machinery, mobile machinery, railway applications or vehicles where the operator needs to be some distance away from the machine.
efa offers AUTEC radio control solutions. AUTEC is an Italian manufacturer of industrial radio control systems, recognised worldwide for the quality of its products, available as handheld remote controls or control panels.
19. What is FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) in a radio control system?
FHSS (Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum) is a radio transmission technique that involves varying the communication frequency according to a defined sequence.
In particular, this technology improves the reliability of wireless communication in industrial environments where several pieces of radio equipment may be operating simultaneously, or where the radio spectrum is subject to interference.
FHSS can therefore be used in certain industrial radio control and remote control systems.

Remote operation

20. What is the remote operation of an industrial machine?
Teleoperation enables an operator to control a machine or vehicle remotely using a combination of controls, communications and video feedback.
It allows the operator to maintain precise control of the machine whilst keeping them away from its immediate surroundings.
21. What are the benefits of remote operation for mobile machinery?

Remote operation can, in particular, enable:

  • the operator to be kept away from hazardous areas;
  • machines to be controlled in hard-to-access environments;
    exposure to risks to be minimised;
  • remote intervention during specific operations;
  • the autonomous functions of a vehicle to be supplemented;
  • the flexibility of industrial operations to be improved.
22. What is the latency of the efa remote operation solution?
The efa remote operation solution offers ultra-low latency of around 65 ms.
Low latency is essential to ensure a good response time between the operator’s actions, the commands sent to the vehicle and the feedback received from the machine.

Detection, Vision and Security

23. What detection and anti-collision solutions does efa offer?

efa offers and integrates a range of technologies designed to improve the environmental awareness of mobile machinery:

  • pedestrian detection;
  • anti-collision systems;
  • smart cameras;
  • on-board vision;
  • light signalling;
  • detection systems incorporating artificial intelligence.

These solutions can be tailored to the specific requirements of each machine and working environment.

24. How does intelligent pedestrian detection work on a mobile vehicle?

Sensors and vision systems analyse the environment around the vehicle to identify people in the monitored areas.

Depending on the configuration, the system can generate visual or audible alerts to draw the operator’s attention and help prevent collisions.

25. What is the 2DKIT and what are its variants?

The 2DKIT is a detection solution designed specifically to identify people in the vicinity of a vehicle and to generate alerts.

The range includes, in particular:

  • 2DKIT Wireless, an easily removable wireless solution, particularly suited to vehicles that are hired out or require flexible installation;
  • 2DKIT Horizon, a long-range detection solution, with a range of over 50 metres, incorporating infrared technology.

Range and Navigation

26. Do you offer autonomous navigation solutions for AGVs and AMRs?

Yes. efa develops and integrates modular solutions for AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles), AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) and autonomous industrial vehicles.

These systems can incorporate various perception, localisation, navigation and control functions to meet the requirements of the application.

27. Can remote control complement a vehicle’s autonomous navigation?

Yes. Remote operation can complement autonomous functions.

When an autonomous vehicle encounters a complex, unforeseen or exceptional situation, an operator may, depending on the system’s architecture, intervene remotely to take control or assist the vehicle.

This approach combines the advantages of autonomy with remote human intervention.

Engineering, Safety and Support

28. Can efa support a project right from the design stage of the electrical and electronic architecture?

Yes. efa teams can get involved right from the early stages of a project to analyse requirements and define a suitable architecture.

Support can cover, in particular, the selection of components, electrification, power distribution, control and command systems, operator interfaces, CAN communication, safety functions, detection and remote operation.

29. Do efa solutions meet the safety requirements and standards applicable to mobile machinery?

efa develops its solutions whilst taking into account safety and reliability constraints, as well as the regulatory and standard requirements applicable to the projects in question.

efa is ISO 9001 certified and operates in accordance with a quality management system. Depending on the products and applications, projects may, in particular, take into account the requirements of the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230, the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) and the specific requirements of the railway sector, including MT1332.

The applicable standards and safety levels are determined based on the product, its architecture and its intended use.

30. How can I contact efa regarding a project or a technical enquiry?

You can contact efa by telephone on 02 47 61 78 50, by email at sales@efa-france.com or via the contact form available on the website.

Our sales and technical teams can assist you with enquiries, quotations, component selection or the planning of an integration or electrification project.

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