The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has installed new equipment that enables cutting-edge hybrid and electric propulsion testing capabilities. This includes what is stated to be the UK’s first open-access rotor spin test facility for high-performance electrical machines and rotating machinery.
The equipment was purchased with funding from the UKRI’s Driving the Electric Revolution (DER) Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK and secured by the UK-based manufacturing innovation network Driving the Electric Revolution Industrialisation Centres (DER-IC), a nationwide network of over 30 universities and research organizations focused on boosting UK manufacturing in power electronics, machines and drives (PEMD).
Of this funding, £1.2m (US$1.5m) has been allocated to help establish a world-class spin testing capability to support the design, manufacture and validation of electrical machine rotors and other rotating components.
The Schenck Centrio 100 test system, installed at the AMRC’s flagship Factory 2050 facility, part of the DER-IC network, enables component-level testing at speed and elevated temperatures to simulate in-service conditions.
Along with the other capabilities at the AMRC, this will enable rapid manufacturing, testing and iteration of designs and processes for high-performance electrical machines and rotating machinery, effectively closing the loop between design, manufacturing and performance.
Geraint Jewell, professor of electrical engineering at the University of Sheffield, said, “This £1.2m investment in the UK’s first open-access, high-speed rotor spin test capability at the AMRC is a major boost for UK manufacturing and our drive to net zero.
“The combination of the size of rotors that can be tested and the state-of-the-art instrumentation will accelerate the development of next-generation hybrid and electric propulsion, strengthening our global competitiveness and reinforcing the UK’s leadership in green technologies.”
Professor Mike Capaldi, chair of DER-IC, added, “Due to the lack of a UK-based open-access facility for high-speed rotor spin testing and certification, UK manufacturers are often compelled to offshore essential testing such as product certification – facing long lead-times and limited availability. This reduces the overall access to testing during process and product development, making advanced rotor testing rare despite the benefits and cost savings it could yield. The installation of this equipment is a significant milestone in our mission to grow UK manufacturing in PEMD to power net zero.”
Lloyd Tinkler, AMRC’s senior technical fellow for electrical machines, said that rotating electrical machines are key to net zero, and the ability to design and manufacture high-integrity and reliable high-speed rotors is a key differentiator in many high-value and power-dense applications, such as future propulsion systems.
“The new spin test capability and the insight from the data-rich testing will be a key tool for us in advancing the performance of these key components – offering a unique and exciting opportunity to close the loop on the manufacturing research we are doing at the AMRC to support UK industry in developing high-performance electrical machines that are key to the transition toward net zero,” he said.
The facility is expected to see high demand from the growing UK aerospace industry, which requires high-power and high-speed rotors, as well as from the motorsport sector and mainstream automotive in the future.
Lloyd continued, “While it will greatly benefit various sectors using high-speed rotors, the facility also has the sensitivity to measure rotor-dynamic and structural phenomena in medium speed rotors which will open up further opportunities across a broader range of sectors and applications. We’re looking forward to the innovations and ideas from the PEMD manufacturing sector and the future we can create together.”
The rotor spin tester will be available at the AMRC site starting in April 2025, after the commissioning process, to support commercial, collaborative and board-directed research projects.