MANUFACTURING
Manufacturing across borders
Local specialties combine for international engineering excellence W
hen European collaboration is critical for security and technological progress, drawing on knowledge and engineering skills from continental partners can enrich British companies’ offerings and enhance their capabilities. Here, Ryan Kavanagh, director at excitation control specialist Excitation Engineering Services (EES) explains why it manufactured a static excitation control system in two sections; one in Harrogate, Yorkshire and one in Zagreb, Croatia. EES recently supplied an excitation system for a steam turbine generator at a UK power station after the previous system’s OEM withdrew technical support. The generator in question produces 120 MW of power with static excitation, so an enormous current is needed
The excitation system consists of two cubicles; a high-power unit to manage the amperage and a low-power control panel. Designers separate the two so that operators and engineers can safely work on the control equipment while the high-power section continues to run.
While EES has the capability and facilities to assemble and test the voltage control cubicle in the UK, high-power testing requires a specially designed environment.
Cooperation across borders and building high-power equipment required for static excitation systems utilised in power generation. Even so, it is the ability to rigorously test the high-power cubicle on site before shipping it to the UK that is the most valuable asset to EES.
rather than a British company, is that the control system, including the low-power section built in Harrogate. EES is the only between the two companies. Customers have commented on the EES brings expert knowledge and experience in excitation engineering in situ with the
This mitigates concerns about future troubleshooting, replacement parts and obsolescence.
The potential cost of obsolescence cannot be underestimated. The process of replacing an excitation control system of this size takes roughly 12 months. If a failure occurs on obsolete and unsupported equipment and the generator becomes unavailable, this can mean a huge loss of revenue.
Consider a typical energy price of £70 per MWh; this could cost an operator up to £73 million in lost income for continuous operation. There are challenges associated with this international approach, of course. Many meetings, design reviews and detailed conversations went into the planning of assembly and testing. Managing these interfaces was crucial to avoid any mistakes or project delays.
Shipping intricately designed electronics is stripped back wiring on the high-power cubicle for transport, meaning some testing had to be redone in the UK. However, the Croatian facilities and expertise far outweigh this inconvenience.
Manufacturing for customers One popular approach that manufacturers use, in parallel with strong relationships with specialist component providers, is incorporating standard control equipment.
Bought from UK distributors and widely available, asset owners can easily access technical support and replace and maintain parts, such as relays or power supply units. Similarly, electrical and electronics borders be a barrier to delivering the best solutions for their customers. The more complex and technical the application, the more important it is to search for the right logistics afterward.
This is not always easy. Modern
communications technology and engineering software enable this kind of international cooperation where it would have been less feasible even ten years ago.
In the case of the steam turbine generator, conference calls and EPLAN, the electrical engineering CAD software, to stay on track. The ability to manage electrical schematics, parts lists and procurement from one PDFs, was invaluable for quick cooperation. To ensure Europe’s energy security, knowledge sharing and cohesive technical developments will be more important than ever in the next decade. By establishing partnerships with international counterparts, electrical and electronic engineers can improve their offerings and deliver top value for customers.
DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025 | ELECTRONICS FOR ENGINEERS 31
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54
