Kato Engineering - AC Generators (Alternators), Motor-Generator Sets and Controls

Kato Engineering (Mankato, MN: US) designs and manufactures AC generators (alternators), motor-generator sets and controls for prime, standby and peak-shaving power. Our generators are purchased by OEMs or end users who package them with an engine or turbine. Kato makes standard and configurable designs as well as designs and manufactures to unique customer requirements.

Concentrating on the 200kW to 18MW range, Kato generators are used in a variety of applications, including oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, transportation, co-generation, computers and telecommunications. We have an 80-year tradition of design and manufacturing excellence and innovations:

• Kato was an early user of vacuum-pressure impregnation for coil protection
• Kato was a pioneer in the use of split bearings on rotor shafts
• Kato was an early user of permanent magnet excitation
• Kato was one of the first generator manufacturers to use brushless excitation
• Kato is a preferred supplier to the US Navy, with hundreds of generators on board

Kato's ruggedly constructed generators have survived the harshest environments, and our commitment to meeting customer needs has made the Kato name synonymous with dependable power generation worldwide.

Turbine generator applications

Kato Engineering turbine generators are designed for efficiency and durability for use in demanding industrial and oil and gas applications. They operate with extremely low levels of vibration, can be easily sound-attenuated and require minimal maintenance.

For high efficiency, Kato turbine generators are constructed with special magnetic steel. The turbine designs also emphasize reduction of losses from friction and windage. An extremely stiff construction and special bearings help meet low vibration requirements. Kato Engineering also has a pair of state-of-the-industry seismic test bases and monitoring equipment to ensure low vibration levels. Sleeve bearings and a circulating oil system boost Kato turbine generator reliability. In hazardous locations, Kato can meet Class 1, Division 2 or Zone 2 per North America or European (ATEX) standards. For petroleum applications, Kato Engineering can meet API 546 standards.

Diesel and gas engine applications

From continuous power for data centers and ore mines to emergency backup power in hospitals to peak shaving and cogeneration plants at major universities, factories and cities. Kato Engineering is helping meet this demand with reliable generators for diesel and gas engines. Nowhere is Kato reliability appreciated more than in the remote communities where engine-generator sets with Kato generators are the sole source of electrical power. Alaskan villages, Pacific islands and isolated towns in the deserts of the Middle East all survive their difficult environments thanks to Kato generators.

Oil and gas applications

In the oil and gas industry, the conditions are tough and the stakes are high. That is why this industry needs reliable equipment backed by years of experience. Used in exploration, drilling, transportation and production, Kato generators are among the most reliable in the world. They have been proving it day after day since the 1950s in land and offshore oil and gas applications around the globe.

Traction alternators

Kato traction alternators are the premiere choice for mine-haul trucks and locomotive applications. These traction alternators provide high voltage rectified dc power to run traction motors, which turn the vehicle's wheels. Built smaller and lighter, Kato's traction alternators help reduce vehicle payload. But rugged construction and superior insulation ensure they can handle bumpy, grimy conditions as well as the thermal cycling caused by the constant acceleration and deceleration mine haul trucks and locomotives must endure.

Marine applications

Kato's marine applications run the gamut from standby units for critical shipboard power to supplying complete vessel power, from power for commercial ships to power for the US Navy and other naval vessels. Kato shipboard generators can feature high-shock bearings and a rugged frame to absorb and dissipate the sea's punishing forces.

Investing in the future

To continue to meet customers' demand for up-to-date designs, of the highest quality, at the lowest cost and with the shortest manufacturing time, we have installed state-of-the-art equipment in our factory. This equipment includes the latest design tools, precision machining equipment and state-of-the-art coil manufacturing machines. We continue to invest in our employees and with new equipment and products to meet the world's power needs.