The EMCEM test facility (ElectroMagnetic Characterization of Electrical Motor) is designed to characterize an electric vehicle motor in terms of electromagnetic compatibility. It is the fruit of the know-how of the various subsidiaries that make up the Emitech Group. EMC, one of the operational branches, works on current and future mobility solutions. Its expertise in the design and validation of electric, hybrid and conventional powertrains has led to the development of highly dynamic benches that simulate the entire powertrain chain, as well as the road profiles required for the various design and validation stages. The Group's second operational branch consists of various laboratories and engineering services designed to qualify equipment in relation to its expected life profile, or to certify it. One of these areas of expertise is EMC or electromagnetic compatibility. The synergies between these areas of expertise have given rise to the new EMCEM test facility, the only one of its kind in Europe.
On-board electronics and power electronics are two major components in the mobility sector. The electrification of powertrains is evolving rapidly, and technical advances as well as environmental and economic challenges are creating strong dynamics. This development is reflected in a strong demand for electric motor expertise and testing in the automotive and aerospace industries. The Emitech group is supporting this demand through a number of investments, including this state-of-the-art facility integrated into the Montigny Le Bretonneux automotive laboratory. The EMCEM facility enables comprehensive EMC test campaigns to be carried out on high-power direct-coupled electric motors. The system is used to characterize the EMC compatibility of an electric motor in operation, or more precisely in the operating mode a customer wishes to explore. The purpose of this characterization is to ensure that, in its various operating modes, at low or high speed, the motor does not contribute to the deterioration of the electromagnetic environment characteristic of a vehicle, and, conversely, that this same electromagnetic environment does not influence the expected operation of the motor and its control systems.
An in-house test facility
The system consists of an EMC-neutral and transparent rotating engine test bench, installed in an automotive Faraday cage in compliance with CISPR25. The dyno is capable of reaching 21,000 rpm at 510 nm torque. A filtered power supply is provided in the cage.
On the outside, a high-power battery simulator (250kW - 1000V max - 1000A max), a filtered data acquisition bay, two 11 kW water/glycol and oil cooling units for thermal regulation of the engine under test, and communication systems (CAN HS / FD / Flexray) between the control panel and the engine under test via optical converter complete the system.
Pulsar control and acquisition software, Pulsar Vibe vibration supervision software and Emitech's dedicated EMC test control system enable the laboratory to provide complete supervision of key motor parameters in correlation with applied or measured EMC test parameters.
Julien Floch, EMC - Electrical - Lightning Engineer / BU R&D Innovations at Emitech, explains: "One of our challenges was to build a fully adaptive test zone around the customer's motor to be tested, whatever its dimensions, in order to comply with normative constraints. Our system makes it possible to radially test the different sides of a customer's product without having to use a turntable. The fact that we can carry out tests on a rotating motor, under load and on all its sides, gives us a better representation of the real case".
An opening for the automotive and aeronautics markets
The high performance of the engine test bed and the test zone environment open up new prospects for test campaigns as described in the specifications of automakers and parts manufacturers. These requirements are similar to those of the aerospace industry. This is why the EMCEM installation is also an asset for the future green aircraft, due to take off in 2035. More broadly, this new test bench is aimed at all companies with new EMC characterization requirements for their electric motors.
This ambitious project is supported by the French government through its France Relance program, and required an investment of €1.3 million as well as nine months of design and installation time. It mobilized the synergies of personnel and resources in all areas of the Emitech group.
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www.emitech.fr/emcem