• • • TEST & MEASUREMENT • • •
INSIDE WEG’S NEW SANTO TIRSO HIGH-VOLTAGE TEST LABORATORY
BY PEDRO APÓSTOLO, TEST SPECIALIST, WEG
W
EG has opened a high-voltage testing laboratory in Santo Tirso, Portugal. As standards for electric motors grow
more complex, driven by regulatory pressure, higher power densities and proliferation of variable-speed drive systems, conventional routine testing is no longer sufficient on its own. Here, Pedro Apóstolo, WEG Test Specialist, explores how the facility will support modern system-level motor testing and why advanced validation capabilities are essential.
A shifting testing landscape Nikola Tesla once criticised Edison’s purely empirical method, famously observing that he would examine every straw in a haystack one by one rather than apply theory to find the needle faster. That critique still resonates. In an era of accelerating electrification, industrial sectors cannot afford to rely on trial and error when specifying high-performance motors. Today, engineers need to understand how a motor behaves as part of a complete electrical chain, under consistent thermal and mechanical conditions, before it reaches a site. High-voltage load testing facilities can address this gap directly. Rather than estimating real-world field conditions, they replicate them, allowing individual components to be gauged against controlled metrics. This represents a shift from component verification to system-level validation.
Three platforms,
distinct capabilities At Santo Tirso, WEG Euro’s laboratory operates three separate test platforms, each of which has
10 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING •MARCH 2026
been rated to 15,000V and designed for different categories of application. Platform A04 is the highest-capacity installation, with 12 MVA installed power. It can perform direct load testing up to 7.5 MW and can reach up to 16MW using superposition tests (combined power injection). The largest brake has a rating of 48 kNm at 1,500 rpm. This system supports regenerative, directional, bidirectional and dual frequency test configurations, making it suitable for large industrial motors and inverters operating in demanding applications.
Platform A05 mirrors many of A04’s capabilities but at a lower level, with a 3 MW direct load. It has a 6.5 MW with superposition and a medium- voltage current capability of 550 A, with additional inverter-driven test modes. Platform A06 handles lower-power development work and prototypes, with a direct load rating of 1 MW and a brake torque of 8 kNm at 1,500 rpm.
Combined, these platforms have the capability to test motors with shaft heights ranging from 315mm to 1400mm, and inverters up to 18m long. To mimic site conditions, water and oil distribution points are available on each platform, allowing for the cooling and lubrication of these special machines. With dielectric testing of up to 40 kV AC and DC insulation, safety is assured on each product.
What the tests measure Routine testing encompasses the typical range: winding resistance, insulation resistance, AC and DC high-voltage tests, no-load characteristics, vibration measurement and polarisation index. Type testing further extends to heat runs by direct or simulated loading through dual-frequency methods as well as superposition. On each of these tests, thermal performance data of up to sixty temperature probes is measured simultaneously as well as electrical input characteristics, mechanical output torque and speed.
Speed and torque are applied according to requirements and monitored and controlled through the test. Special tests include vibration measurements as per API standards, online and offline partial discharge, oscillography and analysis of vibration, sound, voltage and current, and pull out torque measurement.
The facility also has capacity to perform sound power measurement, overspeed and overvoltage tests, moment of inertia calculation and efficiency measurement across all four operational quadrants. System level testing evaluates the full chain of transformer, variable speed drive and motor together, also including efficiency and performance calculations for the entire system.
Energy recovery and certification Across all three platforms, a closed-loop architecture is underpinned. During regenerative loading, energy is recirculated, reducing external energy consumption by up to eighty-five per cent compared to conventional load-bank arrangements. Test procedures occur in accordance with recognised international standards, regulations and certifications from independent authorised bodies. Remote witnessing is also supported, while full data traceability is maintained throughout.
The case for investment For OEMs under pressure to demonstrate performance against tightening standards, having access to a facility that allows testing under real world conditions can both shorten development cycles and reduce commissioning risk. As power ratings increase and drive integration becomes more widely adopted, this capability will become more relevant.
https://www.weg.net
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
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