R & D

Continual technological development and innovation have been key to Ingeteam's strategy throughout its history.

They are essential to compete in an ever-changing world. As a result of its efforts, the company offers power and control electronic products and rotating electrical machinery in all the sectors in which it operates.
The role played by R&D at the company is evidenced by the scale of its R&D investment each year: accounting for around 5% of turnover, developing new R&D projects that we convert into products that are used by our customers.
To implement such developments we have pioneering laboratories at our facilities in Zamudio and Beasain. These laboratories validate the latest power electronics, automation and rotating electric machine technologies. They enable us to work with power and voltage levels comparable to those encountered in the field and optimise our results.
Activity at these laboratories produces results that can be immediately applied in the sectors in which we operate, and produce doctoral theses, studies, publications and patents. Ingeteam's approach to R&D is shown in the creation of its Ingeteam Research Institute (IRI) technology centre, which has been created to be a leading R&D Unit for power electronics, regulation and control technologies with applications in the renewable generation, grid power electronics, industrial automation and marine and rail transport sectors.
IRI's activity focuses on research and the provision of innovative technological services mainly to companies in the energy sector, contributing to their technological development and competitiveness through the sustainable generation, capture, adaptation and transfer of innovative technologies within a framework of collaboration with other R&D agents.

R&D Investment

Thousands euros

2020
35,200
2021
36,400
2022
39,600

Laboratories

Power Electronics Laboratory

Focuses on the characterisation of the key elements in a converter and the testing of power converter power modules, by experimenting based on inductive loads and power input from the grid, solely for system losses. These facilities make it possible to work with power and voltage levels equal to those existing in real applications and optimise the results achieved.


Power Electronics Laboratory Ingeteam

Cybersecurity Laboratory

Ingeteam has a laboratory that is focused on the identification, assessment and mitigation of risks associated with security vulnerabilities. This laboratory provides industrial cybersecurity services to the different business units, conducts audits of the equipment developed by Ingeteam, provides cybersecurity strategies, installed equipment monitoring, and cybersecurity certification and training. Our experts work to evaluate and apply the latest cybersecurity technologies to the products we sell and help our customers protect themselves against potential threats. Given the sharp increase in attacks on the industrial world, cybersecurity must be applied to the entire product life cycle, from design to operation and subsequent maintenance.


Cybersecurity Laboratory Ingeteam

EMC & Safety Laboratory

The Electromagnetic Compatibility and Electrical Safety laboratory is one of Ingeteam's facilities for the development, verification and validation of the electronics designed by the company. This laboratory serves all business units. Pre-certification processes are conducted here making use of available resources, to subsequently tackle the certification process with greater assurance and speed. It also covers the resolution of any EMC incidents that may arise during equipment operation at the customer's premises, thanks to the equipment available at this laboratory. Joint lab (110). Furthermore, the Power Grid Automation EMC & Safety laboratory also conducts immunity and insulation testing per the regulations applicable to our products. The facilities include different brand generator blocks that enable us to compare performance, conduct parallel testing and send units for calibration without stopping our work.

Electromobility Laboratory

Most railway traction projects are conducted here; traction system combination testing (motors, converters, transformers) is performed following regulations (IEC 61377). In addition, research testing is conducted to validate new control algorithms or measurement methods and to verify the aspects that we have simulated.

 


Electromobility Laboratory Ingeteam

Laboratory 4.0

This space is dedicated to the study, design and validation of 4.0 technologies such as Big Data, advanced digitalisation, AI or augmented reality for subsequent application in the marine and industrial sectors. Advanced control systems are developed for integration in a wide range of projects: from classic control systems (propulsion control, power plant management and monitoring, etc.) to specific control systems (anti-heeling, dredging system, topside, EMS, AGP, etc.). Such facilities, equipped with the latest technologies, enable us to develop highly complex virtual projects that simulate real environments, and thereby optimise every process.

 


Laboratory 4.0 Ingeteam

Automation and Control Laboratory

Power grid automation projects are developed at the Power Grid Automation Laboratory. The functional testing area plays a key role as a preliminary step before equipment certification at independent laboratories, and the sale of our solutions with maximum guarantees. We can conduct regulatory EMC and climate HW testing. We also have a high voltage sensors laboratory and a communications laboratory that enable us to validate centralised control solutions in an environment similar to that of a substation. We have possessed a real-time RTDS simulator since 2007 for Hardware in the loop (HIL) testing, which has been joined by a second and more complete unit to enable the testing of protection and control designs for different network topologies as if the equipment were installed in the field.


Combined Power Electronics and INDAR Electrical Machinery Laboratory

Ingeteam's pioneering combined laboratory is dedicated to working with large electrical machines and converters, of up to 30 MW. This lab makes it possible to see how electrical machines will operate when installed at their final destination and perform testing under different environmental conditions. We also subject our products to more exhaustive methods, which simulate the full life cycle of an electrical machine at an accelerated rate to ensure that the product's life expectancy matches the customer's order.

Characteristics

  • Full load tests up to 8 MW.
  • Back to back test configuration up to 65 MW.
  • LVRT (Low Voltage Ride Through) testing capability.
  • 50/60 Hz 20 MVA self-generating network.
  • Combined electrical and thermal insulation testing.
  • Climatic chamber (-30ºC to 80ºC) for extreme environmental conditions (component testing).
  • TEA furnace, insulation testing and trials, etc.
Combined Power Electronics and INDAR Electrical Machinery Laboratory