TECNALIA and VIRLAB join forces to launch seismic and electrical tests for power and high-voltage equipment
- The TECNALIA applied research and technology development centre and the Gipuzkoa-based laboratory VIRLAB, a leader in shock and vibration testing, will combine their abilities to provide technological solutions in strategic sectors such as the nuclear, railway and wind energy sectors
- To this end, they will provide a comprehensive offering, including electrical and seismic testing, to enhance and certify the reliability and safety of equipment and structures under extreme conditions, thereby preventing failures and improving the durability and performance of products
Bilbao. January 14, 2025. The TECNALIA applied research and technology development centre and the Gipuzkoa-based laboratory VIRLAB, a leader in shock and vibration testing, have joined forces to provide the first combined seismic and electrical tests for industry. They will combine their expertise and laboratory resources to provide a comprehensive service for power, medium and high voltage equipment, and technological solutions in sectors such as the nuclear, rail and wind power sectors. These sectors are where the requirements for electrical testing combined with seismic, vibration and shock tests are more restrictive and where there is greater investment in resilient infrastructure.
Electrical testing is used to check that equipment is properly designed to withstand service conditions, including short circuits, lightning, voltage and current surges and other incidents that could cause equipment and, therefore, the power supply to be damaged or disconnected. Vibration tests are used to make sure that equipment can withstand vibration stresses during transportation or operation without affecting its reliability. In the most extreme case, these tests must demonstrate the ability of equipment to perform its safety function in the event of an earthquake. These new combined tests make it possible to enhance and certify the reliability and safety of equipment and structures under extreme conditions, thereby preventing failures and improving the durability and performance of products.
Technological and industrial development
VIRLAB, which is part of the Gipuzkoa-based URBAR group, is a leading dynamic vibration and shock tests laboratory in Europe. It was created in 1976 and develops accredited tests for equipment that may be subjected to earthquakes or other types of vibrations and shocks, for sectors such as the nuclear, railway, wind and automotive industries. More than 3,500 vibration and shock tests have been carried out at its facilities in Asteasu (Gipuzkoa) since it started to operate.
Meanwhile, TECNALIA has an electrical equipment laboratory for smart grids, known as InGRID, facilities that are unique in Europe with their own power, high-voltage and medium-voltage laboratories. These facilities meet the current and future needs of electricity distribution and transmission grids, particularly the development of smart grids, making TECNALIA an international leader in the development and certification of electrical equipment, with more than 35 years of experience.
For Aitor Kortajarena, Director of TECNALIA's Electrical Labs, “this agreement further strengthens our commitment to safety and quality in the electrical industry and in critical sectors such as the nuclear industry, by providing manufacturers with a complete, reliable solution. It is a comprehensive value proposition that provides companies with a complete, high quality specialised testing service through a single entry point, resulting in more efficient management for the customer”.
Francisco Martín Morales de Castilla, URBAR's Executive Chairman, pointed out that “the market is demanding more and more seismic and electrical tests to ensure that medium- and high-voltage electrical equipment is safe and reliable, and this agreement with TECNALIA puts us at the forefront to meet this growing need, given the complementary nature of the tests we can carry out in our respective laboratories”.
