New equipment has been installed at the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) which will put the UK at the forefront of future hybrid and electric propulsion.

The AMRC is now home to an open-access rotor spin test capability, first-of-its-kind in the UK, for high-performance electrical machines and rotating machinery.

The equipment has been made possible by funding from UKRI’s Driving the Electric Revolution (DER) Challenge, delivered by Innovate UK, secured by UK-based manufacturing innovation network, Driving the Electric Revolution Industrial Centres (DER-IC) to support the industry in developing the manufacturing technology needed to reach net zero.

£1.2 million of this funding 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, will allow component-level testing at speed and elevated temperatures to simulate in-service conditions.

Together with the other capabilities at the AMRC, part of the High Value Manufacturing Catapult, it will enable the ability to quickly manufacture, test and iterate design and processes for high-performance electrical machines and rotating machinery - closing the loop between design, manufacturing and performance.

DER-IC is a UK-wide network of more than 30 university and research and technology organisations (RTOs) aiming to grow UK manufacturing capability in Power Electronics, Machines and Drives (PEMD) by providing open-access to expertise and state-of-the-art manufacturing, test and validation equipment.

Geraint Jewell, professor of electrical engineering, said: "This £1.2 million 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 which 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.

He added: "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 towards net zero."

High demand for the facility is expected from the growing UK aerospace economy due to its requirement for high-power and high-speed rotors, along with demand from the motorsport sector and mainstream automotive in the future.

Lloyd adds: “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 to support commercial, collaborative and board-directed research projects from April 2025 following the commission process.