Electric motor laboratory

Electric motor testing & validation:

Endurance testing in back-to-back configuration:

We have 15 test benches to evaluate the endurance of your electric motors or your electric traction units by means of durability cycles with a wide range of temperatures, with independent control for ambient and for coolant, powerful battery simulators, and humidity control.

• Endurance tests with customer-customized profiles
• 24 / 7 / 365 automatized operation
• Very fast failure reporting as if we were next door to you
• Worldwide OEM standards, i.e. LV124, including parameter tests
• Damage pre-detection system based on vibration analysis
• ISO17025 certification
• Fixtures' design and manufacture
• Tailor-made coolant and oil conditioning

Component testing

We also have 3 climatic chambers equipped with DC and AC power supplies to evaluate any kind of HV component:

• e-motor rotors & stators
• Power electronics: DC/DC converters, OBCs, home chargers …
• HV ancillaries: PTC heaters, heat pumps …

Performance and characterization testing

Through a comprehensive programme of electrical, mechanical and thermal testing we can perform full validation services. At IDIADA, we validate your electric motors or electric drive traction units, assuring they are fit to be marketed through tests adapted to various worldwide standards and regulations.

• Nominal & peak torque/power measurements. R85 certification
• Efficiency map and trend analysis during ageing
• Thermal characterization and derating evaluation
• Dielectric strength, isolation resistance, equipotential bonding and quiescent current tests
• Back electromagnetic force, locked rotor, park lock actuation tests
• Cooling circuit leak and pressure drop tests
• Vibration characterization

Full design validation plan generation and execution (DVP)

We generate a full design validation plan (DVP) for the electric traction unit as a system and for each of its subsystems (e-motor, inverter & transmission) based on product philosophy and specifications, market and user requirements and legal and certification requirements.

• Simulation, test, and homologation plan
• Prototype list and configuration
• DVP execution in our facilities

Other electric motor tests:

• Vibration tests under climatic conditions
• Environmental: Water, Dust, Damp heat
• Mechanical shocks, thermal shocks…

Facility specifications

IDIADA is well-equipped with cutting-edge facilities designed to perform various types of tests of electric motors and traction units:

• Climatic chambers from -40ºC up to 120ºC. with 1,400 x 1,400 x 1,000 mm dimensions and up to 1,000 kg. Possibility for humidity control in some benches
• Coolant conditioner of 25kW @ -20ºC cooling power with independent flow and temperature control
• Battery simulators up to 400kW / 1000V / 1400A
• Damage pre-detection systems
• High precision sensor for all the mechanical, electrical and thermal parameters
• State-of-the-art CAN communication and control equipment

Electric motor engineering services

The electric motor or traction unit engineering services, combined with our complementary services in the electric (EV) and hybrid (HEV, PHEV) vehicle field, place IDIADA in a leading position to support your component or systems development, from concept to full vehicle validation.

IDIADA unifies multidisciplinary virtual development working groups in areas such as: Electronics, electrical, mechanical, rigid body and NVH.

• 1D Electronic drive unit simulation for obtaining current patterns (AMESIM & SIMULINK)
• 1D & 3D Thermal simulation for the evaluation of the heat distribution over the machine (STARCCM+)
• 3D Structural simulation to determine the forces applied to the motor (SIMCENTER 3D)
• 3D Electromagnetic simulation to calculate the flux and the torque response (PLM MAGNET)
• NVH analysis for the determination of the acoustical response of the machine (SIMCENTER 3D)

Main simulation activities

Troubleshooting

Electric motors can be replicated into a magnetic model in order to emulate its electromagnetic behaviour. This model can help to identify possible flaws of design, such as hot spots, flux leakages, electromagnetic forces imbalances, etc.

Optimization

Parallelly, the electromagnetic model can be used for design optimization, modifying its own parameters to produce improved performance. This can be achieved by increasing air gap magnetic flux density, reduction of Eddy current losses, end ring copper losses reduction, etc.