ECM PCB Stator Technology has opened offices in London, England, and Barcelona, Spain, signaling the next stage of growth for its electric motor design business and the upcoming global SaaS release of its PrintStator CAD platform. The expansion is timed to address rising demand for electric motors across multiple industries, according to the engineering and software business.
“ECM has seen tremendous demand for our PrintStator-designed PCB Stator electric motor technology across Europe. The opening of branches in Barcelona and London will enable ECM to better serve that demand,” stated James McMullan, newly named Director of European Operations.
ECM is the Needham, Mass., business that works with machinery and electric motor builders to optimize electric motor designs by replacing copper windings found in conventional motor stators with a much lighter, printed circuit board. When energized via a DC supply and through the motor’s controller, these stators spin the motor shaft to add a specific speed and torque that powers the machine.
This innovation by ECM makes the PCB stator the central component for harnessing electric energy efficiently, to create a highly predictable magnetic field that generates the precise torque and horsepower required at the motor shaft, within a fully integrated rotor magnet assembly optimized for specified end use applications.
A second critical initiative for the business is its PrintStator software that makes it possible to quickly design, model, and prototype optimized PCB stator electric motors that are lighter, faster, quieter, and more energy-efficient and space-conserving than off-the-shelf motors. In Q4 2022 ECM staged a beta release of the PrintStator Software-as-a-Service product with selected partners, and the full SaaS release is expected later this year.
The European expansion follows ECM’s corporate headquarters relocation last fall, and expansion of its Bozeman, Mont., operation. Both locations offer enhanced engineering capabilities including a lab dedicated to advanced integration of ECM’s PrintStator motor CAD software into client design, prototyping, and manufacturing processes.
ECM said its expansion in the U.S. and Europe, along with the upcoming global SaaS release, will support its efforts to support rising demand from an expanding electric motor design and software segment. It cited one estimate for electric motor demand to top one billion units/year.
“The new European presence, along with James’ leadership, will greatly augment ECM’s existing business and upcoming SaaS launch. This further enables ECM’s mission to extend the efficiency and sustainability benefits of PCB Stator, axial flux electric motor technology at scale across the world,” stated ECM CEO Brian Casey.
