The SPEED Consortium
SPEED (Scottish Power Electronics and Electric Drives) is a consortium of industrial companies with a common interest
in power electronics and motor drive technology. By means of an annual subscription they support a range of R&D projects
in the Power Electronics Laboratory at the University of Glasgow, focused in the area of motor drives.
Since its inception in 1987, the SPEED Laboratory has become known for its
electric motor design software which is used by
many leading companies.
The University of Glasgow's Department of Electronics and Electrical Engineering is a Grade-5 (top-grade) SHEFC-rated
department with international-class research in several areas of electronics and electrical engineering. The SPEED
Consortium has the following specially attractive features for company interaction :
- SPEED software is the industry's leading software tool for electric motor design.
- The SPEED software is backed up by a technical enquiry service staffed by a team of experts in electric motor design,
electromagnetic analysis and motor control.
- We have R & D projects in all areas of motor drives, not confined to a single technology.
- We combine advanced research with practical applications, and we even build prototype motors and electronic
controllers under contract to SPEED companies.
- We assist companies in building their own expertise; we are not in the business of technology-licensing.
- We try to be responsive to real-world needs, and to be accessible. Glasgow is easy to reach by air from Europe, the
USA and other parts of the UK.
- PC-SRD, PC-BDC, PC-DCM and PC-IMD software for
designing switched-reluctance, brushless-DC, DC and induction motor drives
and controls, complete with extensive manuals. These programs are heavily
used by leading companies all over the world. They are continually updated
and improved by interaction with SPEED companies and through development and
test projects in our laboratories. (For other motor types, contact the Lab).
An important function of the SPEED Laboratory is the validation of the SPEED software by detailed hardware testing
of motors and controllers. This process goes on continuously, and we frequently provide confidential test and
validation reports for SPEED companies on their current products or planned products.
- Technical Enquiry Service. The SPEED Lab. maintains a staff of experts who are involved in all aspects of the
software development and validation as well as motor design and analysis by finite elements. SPEED member
companies have extensive but confidential interaction with the Lab. on their specific problems. This service is
available to extended support members. Technical enquiries frequently result in custom versions of SPEED software
to meet specific needs of individual companies.
- The SPEED Newsletter issued about 8 times a year contains update information on SPEED software, technical articles
and an events calendar.
- Training on the use of SPEED software can be provided at a company's own site. In addition SPEED staff try to visit
each company at least once a year.
- The SPEED Annual Meeting has grown into an international specialist conference attended by SPEED companies.
Presentations and workshops cover SPEED's software, projects and research. In addition, invited topical
presentations from experts or specialist suppliers are featured. The SPEED Annual Meeting is also a time for private
company consultations with individuals or groups of SPEED staff. Usually the SPEED Annual Meeting is in
September at the University of Glasgow. On alternate years a smaller version is held at the IEEE Industry
Applications Society Annual Meeting in the USA.
- Special projects are usually confidential
and separately costed, with complete proposals and negotiated IPR arrangements.The
main types of special projects are custom software, prototype hardware, and
legal expert witness.
- Opportunity to participate in patents taken out under general (non-proprietary) SPEED Laboratory R&D projects.
- The SPEED Annual Report includes preprints of our research papers and other interesting articles. Sometimes we
also publish jointly authored papers with colleagues from member companies.
- Information about developments in motors, power electronics and drive systems. SPEED has proved itself to be a
useful forum for interaction between subscribing companies, often on a vendor/purchaser basis or as a means of
developing technical or commercial collaboration.
- Interaction with our research programmes, including projects funded by national or international agencies and
individual Ph.D. projects in motors, power electronics, control, etc.
- Recruitment of graduates and postgraduates. All students have experience of company-related projects especially at
the M.Sc. and Ph.D. level, and some Ph.D. students are full-time employees of SPEED companies.
SPEED membership is governed by a Memorandum Agreement. For an information pack, including details of membership
and multiple licences, please fill out the form below. The membership structure is designed to protect confidential and
proprietary company information and to regulate the use of SPEED software.
Membership is open to companies in the UK, Europe, USA, Japan and elsewhere but the University reserves the right to decline membership on reasonable grounds or where there
may be issues of national security, protection of intellectual or commercial property or other considerations. The SPEED Laboratory programme is pre-competitive or scientific and
exclusion of competitors is not normally considered except in clear cases of conflict of interest. Note that special projects have completely separate IPR arrangements that are always
confidential and exclusive to the individual company.
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