Electric Motor Validation System

The 4-quadrant dyno provides expanded testing flexibility compared to conventional braking dynos, enabling high-precision validation of electric motor and drive performance in both motoring and regenerative operating states. The system simultaneously measures electrical power at the drive and motor, and mechanical torque and speed at the motor shaft, enabling full electrical-to-mechanical efficiency analysis across the entire operating range.

The platform is fully customizable to user requirements, supporting motor types ranging from small fractional-horsepower (HP) devices to industrial-grade machines, and scaling from benchtop development systems to fully automated production test cells. When paired with application-specific control software and industry-leading Yokogawa instrumentation, the 4-quadrant motor dyno delivers a complete solution for motor, drive, and system-level testing.

Electrical Power Validation

Accurate power measurement at the inverter output and motor terminals is essential for validating system efficiency and control performance. This system enables:

• High-precision measurement of voltage, current, and electrical power 
• Efficiency analysis across speed, torque, and load conditions
• Real-time monitoring of transient and steady-state behavior

These measurements allow engineers to directly correlate inverter performance with motor response rather than relying on calculated or assumed values

Mechanical Output Validation

At the mechanical output, the system delivers direct, traceable measurement of shaft torque and rotational speed, forming the basis for true mechanical power calculation. This enables:

• High-accuracy torque and speed measurement across all operating speeds
• Generation of torque-speed curves and efficiency maps
• Verification of rated output, overload capability, and dynamic response
• Detection of mechanical losses independent of electrical effects

Together with electrical measurements, this creates a complete picture of system performance.

4-Quadrant (Regenerative) Testing

4-quadrant operation enables controlled back-drive and regenerative testing by allowing bi-directional torque and speed with full power flow control. By externally driving the motor, the system supports back EMF characterization while capturing and managing regenerated energy.

This testing capability allows engineers to:

• Measure induced voltage during back-drive operation to evaluate back EMF characteristics
• Verify winding integrity, magnet polarity, spacing, and consistency
• Detect mechanical misalignment, binding, or excessive friction
• Validate regenerative behavior during deceleration or braking events
• Measure energy recovery efficiency and power flow back to the grid or load bank
• Establish baseline electrical and mechanical performance data for predictive maintenance

Automated Testing and Data Analysis

The motor dyno system supports fully automated test sequences with configurable pass/fail thresholds, enabling repeatable and production-ready testing.

Key capabilities include:

• Real-time data acquisition and analysis for process optimization
• Long-term data logging for trend analysis and predictive maintenance
• Custom fixtures and safety guarding to accommodate a wide range of motor sizes
• Scalable automation from R&D validation to end-of-line testing