A number of Etanorm pumps after manufacturing
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Etanorm: 90 years of efficiency and versatility

 

Role models don’t have it easy. They must always perform at their best and be prepared to continuously improve. To a certain extent, this can also be said of KSB's Eta family of pumps. The origins of the type series can be traced back to 1935/36. Since then, more than 2.7 million of these pumps have been sold, making it the most successful standardised water pump on the market worldwide.

Eta's success is largely thanks to the wide range of variants and the resulting number of possible applications. The Eta product portfolio comprises conventionally sealed standardised water pumps in a wide variety of designs ranging from variable speed models to zero-leakage variants. Etanorm, for example, offers the ideal solution for a wide range of applications. 

In the mid-1930s, KSB decided to try a new approach. The young Dr Fritz Krisam, who later went on to head Design/Engineering at KSB, reorganised the company's various single-stage centrifugal pumps and combined them into a single type series. He called them Eta pumps after the Greek letter that signifies efficiency in engineering. The new pump type series set the benchmark for efficiency. At the beginning of the 1950s, the Eta range was technically revised. The primary aim of this further development was once again to improve efficiency. This was also the objective of the next generation, which was introduced to the pump world in 1968. 

In the 1970s, the type series' selection chart served as a model for the newly created standard for water pumps and for many manufacturers internationally. KSB named this successful pump type series Etanorm – "-norm" translating as standard – based on the EN 733 standard for water with a pressure of 10 bar. Etanorm became the best-selling standardised water pump in the world.

Development of the Eta family

An Eta pump from 1937

1935  
KSB introduces the Eta type series – energy-efficient, single-stage pumps for industrial applications.

Etanorm pump from 1968

1968
The standardised Etanorm series combines standardisation with efficiency and reliability.

The first Etanorm fitted with MyFlowDrive 1

2017
The first Etanorm with the MyFlowDrive 1 is launched on the market.

A pump from the EtaLine Pro type series

2023 
The EtaLine Pro type series combines maximum efficiency with unprecedented flexibility and sustainable production.

The word “standardised” in standardised water pump is somewhat misleading. After all, Etanorm is one of the pumps with the greatest wealth of variants. The batch size of all pumps of this type series sold is around 1.4. However, the wide range of sizes and materials ensures that the user gets a pump that is ideally suited for their particular conditions of use. A pump with an impeller trimmed to match the operating point also guarantees low-wear operation. 
The challenge faced by the team of development engineers for the current generation of the classic best-seller began with a simple question: How can we set new standards with a pump that already impresses with its low energy consumption, reliability and durability? After much debate, there were two aspects that provided a reason for a renewed technical overhaul and optimisation of the Etanorm.

The hydraulic system is key to efficiency

A pump's hydraulic system remains the key to ensuring high efficiency and low energy consumption. Generally speaking, Etanorm pumps continue to impress with their optimised hydraulic systems. Thanks to their closely-spaced selection chart, it is almost always possible to select a size whose operating point is close to the best efficiency point. In addition to the hydraulic system and trimmed impeller, variable speed operation combined with a highly efficient drive are instrumental in keeping down energy and operating costs.
Production line from 1955 for machining Eta components

In 1955, the first automatic production line for machining Eta components went into operation in Frankenthal.


A total of 62 sizes is available. The finite element method (FEM) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) were used for the hydraulic optimisation of individual sizes. Engineers used these tools to create the hydraulic contours and verified them in comprehensive tests.
Etanorm is a classic clean water pump that is not normally used to transport abrasive media. However, as solids were increasingly playing a role, the shaft seal chamber was therefore designed to be more compatible with solids than the previous version. To adapt the pump to the fluid handled, users can choose from various materials for the casing and impellers as well as for the mechanical seals. 

Global production to uniform quality standards

Today, Etanorm is manufactured to the same quality standards in all factories worldwide. In addition to EN flanges, the pumps are also available with ASME flanges. Users receive a pump that is manufactured to the same quality and development specifications at all production locations in Germany, China, Turkey, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and South Africa. This has made global procurement considerably easier and increased the availability of pumps and spare parts. For example, an Etanorm pump can be easily installed in pipelines requiring an EN-type or ANSI-type flange.
Although quality standards are the same everywhere, it is as important that each pump is individually tailored to match local conditions. Pumps and accessories have to be capable of being adjusted to regional requirements quickly, easily and reliably. Thanks to KSB’s close-knit global sales and service networks, spare parts quickly reach their point of use. 

Virtual impeller trimming enables maximum flexibility

The next step in Etanorm’s evolution was to combine it with the Industry 4.0-compatible MyFlowDrive 2, which allows a desired fixed speed to be set individually on the motor using virtual impeller trimming. This provides the user with planning reliability as the flow rate of the pumps can be increased or decreased quickly and easily. The conventional approach for fixed speed pumps is to match the flow rate and head to the calculated design point by trimming the impeller. However, this is done during the manufacturing process of the pump and can only be corrected later with substantial effort. 
As the supply voltage of the synchronous motor is modulated by the motor-mounted frequency inverter, the motor can be operated on almost any power grid worldwide. For global engineering contractors in particular this is a huge advantage because it means they no longer need to consider the local mains voltage when selecting pumps. 
Production sites for the KSB Etanorm and Etabloc types series

Worldwide production sites for the KSB Etanorm and Etabloc type series

Due to its wide-ranging selection chart and numerous material and mechanical seal variants, Etanorm will remain the first choice in many industries and applications when it comes to cost-effective fluid transport. 

KSB invests in modernising Eta production

To ensure that its Frankenthal location remains competitive in future, KSB is comprehensively modernising its Eta production facility by 2029 in line with the latest technological and energy standards. From 2026, the Eta production facility at KSB’s headquarters in Frankenthal will be expanded to become the competence centre for the latest generation of electronically controlled pumps in Europe. KSB will be investing around 70 million euros in this over the next few years – one of the largest single investments the company has ever made. 
The new buildings will create sufficient space to restructure the machining, assembly and logistics areas and to completely refurbish older parts of the production hall before they are used again. The plans for the energy-efficient redesign of production also include connecting the drying system of a new paint shop to the local heating network of the new heating station located at the headquarters and installing photovoltaic systems on the roofs. KSB is already manufacturing the new, energy-efficient and sustainably produced EtaLine Pro pump generation for building services applications at its Frankenthal-based Eta production facility. 

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