AGENDA
FEMM Hub Conference 2024
Wednesday 20th November
IET AUSTIN COURT, Birmingham
Welcome to our fifth annual FEMM Hub conference. The FEMM Hub conference has evolved from being almost entirely focussed on reporting research outcomes from within the Hub to acting a forum for dissemination of wider research activities in electrical machine manufacture, including several projects funded by the Hub across the UK. Details of the research undertaken by the Hub team features in the numerous posters which will be on display throughout the day. Finally, I’d like to acknowledge the long-term support from EPSRC for the Hub and the many colleagues whose efforts have again facilitated this opportunity to showcase UK research in electrical machine manufacture.
Professor Geraint Jewell, FEMM Hub Director
If you have any questions during the conference, please contact either the FEMM Hub Manager (Dr Laura O’Keefe) or Hub Administrator (Lindsey Farnsworth).
Asking Questions: There will be the opportunity to ask questions at the end of each presention. In line with the FEMM Hub Code of Conduct, we ask that, regardless of how loudly you can project your voice, please use a microphone when asking questions to ensure the event is as inclusive as possible.
Quiet Room/ Prayer Room: We have a dedicated quiet room located in the Brindley room which is available for any of our conference delegates.
Presentations: We are recording presentations which will be available on our website in due course.
Registration will be open from 9am - tea/coffee/pastries will be available at this time.
10.00
Welcome and highlights from FEMM Hub
Professor Geraint Jewell, FEMM Hub Director
10:15
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Professor John Erkoyuncu
Digital Twinning: a through-life engineering perspective on emerging use cases, challenges
and future directions
Overview: This talk will provide an overview of digital twinning by giving a series of examples across manufacturing processes taking a throughlife perspective. The use cases will demonstrate how it is possible to enhance the life cycle of complex engineered assets. The talk will also offer insights into better human-machine collaboration through integrated visualisation approaches such as augmented reality.
John Erkoyuncu is Professor in Digital Engineering and Head of the Centre for Digital Engineering and Manufacturing at Cranfield University. His research interests include: digital twin, augmented reality, and digitalisation of through-life support. He has a track record in leading research worth over £12M through EPSRC (most recent – PI: EP/R013950/1, Co-I: EP/R032718/1), Innovate UK, and industry. He has published over 160 scientific papers. John is Co-Chair of the Through-life Engineering Services Council, Community Council Member of the Digital Twin Hub, Chartered Engineer with IET, Fellow of HEA, and Associate Fellow of CIRP. John is the Course Director for the MSc in Digital and Technology Solutions.
11:15
Session 1: Electrical Machines Manufacture
This session is being chaired by Dr Lloyd Tinkler, Senior Technical Fellow at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre. Lloyd holds a MEng in electronic engineering from the University of Hull, and a PhD from the University of Sheffield for his research on the optical nonlinearities of semiconductor waveguides. He is registered as a Chartered Engineer with the IET.
Lloyd leads work at the AMRC developing novel processes for the manufacture of electrical machines in demanding applications such as aerospace, heavy- and niche-automotive, etc. He leads a portfolio of collaborative R&D projects and the AMRC’s research activity in the FEMM Hub.
Additive manufacturing of stator winding for cryogenically cooled axial flux motors
Professor Xiaoze Pei
Xiaoze Pei is Professor of Transport Electrification and IAAPS Deputy Academic Director at University of Bath. She holds UK EPSRC Open Fellowship and is leading the Applied Superconductivity and Cryogenic Propulsion Laboratory. Prof Pei received her PhD from University of Manchester in 2012. She joined the University of Bath in 2017 and was promoted to Professor in 2023. Her research interests include cryogenic and superconducting powertrain and novel electrical machine design.
Blanking induced defect in thin sheet lamination: Mechanical damage characterisation at micro and macro scales
Professor Hassan Ghadbeigi
12:15
Professor Ghadbeigi obtained his BSc in Manufacturing Engineering and MSc in Mechanical Engineering in Iran, Sharif University of Tech, before joining The University of Sheffield in 2006 where he obtained his PhD and then became a member of academic staff in 2013. His research interest covers experimental investigation of materials deformation and failure mechanisms during thermo-mechanical loads and manufacturing processes, using experimental methods such as full field deformation characterisation and bespoke experimental design, as well as developing predictive analytical and numerical tools to simulate functional performance of materials and components.
LUNCH
Please join us in the Riverside room for a buffet lunch (45 minutes).
13:00
Session 2: SUSTAINABLE MANUFACTURE OF ELECTRICAL MACHINES
This session is being chaired by Hassan Ghadbeigi, Professor of Structural Integrity in Manufacturing, School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering at The University of Sheffield. Within the FEMM Hub, Professor Ghadbeigi leads the project titled “Cut edge characterisation in advanced electrical alloy”.
Robotising the disassembly of electric motors
Dr Yongjing Wang
Dr Yongjing Wang is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Birmingham. Wang has over 50 publications in the area of robotics for sustainable manufacturing. He is also a funding reviewer for research councils in the UK, Switzerland and the US, and an editor for world-leading journals and conferences (e.g. the IEEE, Nature and Royal Society series). Wang is on the advisory board of the United Nations Higher Education Sustainability Initiative, an editor of the United Nations guidelines on artificial intelligence for sustainability and an invited member of a standard committee with the British Standards Institution (BSI), UK. He is a Chartered Engineer with the IET and a senior member of IEEE. Wang is the Principal Investigator of the three major EPSRC grants in the area of smart robotics for sustainable manufacturing with a total value of £3.5M (ie. ATARI, STAMAN and RoboTriage). Wang is also a co-investigator and a theme lead in the £35M EPSRC national hub in robotics for circular economy (RESCUE-M).
On the Design and Optimisation of Wind Turbine Electrical Generator Supporting Structures Following an Integrated Approach
Dr Pablo Sola
Dr Pablo Jaen Sola is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering in the School of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment at Edinburgh Napier University. Pablo received his PhD in 2017 from the UK EPSRC Wind and Marine Energy Systems Doctoral Training Centre and worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate in the Wind Energy Research Group of the University of Strathclyde for two years before joining Napier. His research is centred on wind and marine energy engineering with a focus on machine powertrain optimisation and design. Other areas of interest include sustainable ocean engineering and the use of advanced materials and manufacturing techniques in the design of renewable energy applications.
14:30 15:15 15:25
The circular economy of rare earth magnets
Professor Allan Walton
Professor Allan Walton has expertise in processing of permanent magnetic materials, solid state hydrogen storage materials, hydrogen processing of materials, coating technologies, hydrogen purification membranes and recycling of rare earth materials. Allan is Professor of Critical and Magnetic Materials and is the ex-chair of the UK Magnetics Society. He has published over 35 papers in scientific journals and has contributed to 4 patents held by the University of Birmingham.
POSTER SESSION
Our poster session is taking place in the Riverside Room. Refreshments will be served during this time.
Comfort Break
E-motors value chains and manufacturing cost model: enabling a resilient supply chain and cross-sector collaboration
Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh, Head of Technology Trends - APC
Dr Hadi Moztarzadeh is a technology innovation specialist, with over 20 years’ experience in both academia and industry. As the Head to Technology Trends at the APC UK, Hadi oversees the technology strategy and a portfolio of insights and foresights as well as the Automotive Council Roadmaps.
Dr Moztarzadeh has recently led the development and refresh process of the Automotive Council UK roadmaps 2024, across two system-level and six technology roadmaps, focussing on strategic technologies and trends and drives from the global industry perspective, working closely with the Automotive ecosystem, industry and research and innovation ecosystem. Hadi is a Chartered Engineer (CEng) and a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (FIMechE), and the vice-chair of the IMechE Midland region.
15:55
Session 3: Emerging Technologies
This session is being chaired by Dr Glynn Atkinson, Reader in Electrical Machines at Newcastle University. Glynn is the Head of the Electrical Power Research Group a leading research group for Electrical Machines, Electrical Drives and Power Systems research. His research focusses on industrially led research into electrical machine design and manufacture covering the process from initial design, 3DFE simulation, and design for manufacture. Glynn leads FEMM Hub project Modular design and advanced thermal management of electrical machines.
In-Situ Lamination during 3D printing of high Silicon Non-Oriented Electric Steel
Babak Haghighat Shishavan
Babak Haghighat Shishavan is a 3rd year PhD student from Mechanical and Design School, University of Portsmouth. He is working on Selective Laser Melting additive manufacturing of high-Silicon NOES magnetic steels under the supervision of Prof. Soran Birosca. He graduated with a M.Sc. in Materials ScienceCorrosion and Surface Engineering from Sahand University of Technology (Tabriz, Iran) and my B.Sc. was in Materials ScienceIndustrial Metallurgy at the same University (SUT). His area of expertise are: Additive Manufacturing, Magnetic, Physical and Mechanical properties of metals, Corrosion and Surface engineering, Coating, Composites and multifunction materials.
Aerosol deposition of ceramic coatings for high performance machine insulation
Dr David Hall
David Hall is a Reader in Materials Science (Ceramics) in the Department of Materials at The University of Manchester. His research interests include nonlinear dielectric and piezoelectric properties of ferroelectric ceramics, in-situ diffraction techniques for determination of electro-mechanical actuation mechanisms, high temperature lead-free ferroelectrics, energy storage dielectrics, and the manufacture of both protective and functional ceramic coatings by powder aerosol deposition.
Superconducting electrical machines
Dr Mark Ainslie
Dr Mark Ainslie is Head of the Superconducting Technology and Cryogenics Research Group in the Department of Engineering, King’s College London. Prior to joining King’s College, he was a Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow (2012-2017), then EPSRC Early Career Fellow (2017-2022), at the University of Cambridge. His research covers a broad range of aspects of applied superconductivity, primarily focused on solving technical challenges related to high-field magnets and superconducting electrical machines.
17:25
Concluding remarks
Professor Geraint Jewell
17:30
Drinks Reception
We hope you can join us for drinks in the Riverside Room.
18:30
Event close
Thank you for joining us for the 5th Annual FEMM Hub conference - we hope to see you at our final conference taking place in Sheffield, December 2025.
