Case Study: Protronic achieves faster, lower-cost switched reluctance motor development with MathWorks Simulink

Protronic Develops and Optimizes Complex Switched Reluctance Motors

Protronic, the technologies division of the Picanol Group, develops mechatronic drives for high‑precision weaving machines and needed to optimize complex switched reluctance motors (SRMs) without building costly prototypes while meeting a tight, weeks‑long deadline. To do this they relied on MathWorks tools—primarily Simulink—together with CEDRAT’s FLUX finite element analysis to capture electromagnetic effects within the full machine system.

Using MathWorks’ Simulink with FLUX-to-Simulink transient cosimulation, Protronic modeled loads, controls, and SRM electromagnetics, iteratively optimizing motor configurations and validating performance in software instead of hardware. The solution reduced development time and costs, delivered the project on schedule, established a reusable modeling platform for future projects, and produced measurable impact—about a 50% reduction in the typical simulation phase and support for an installed base of more than 150,000 units over the past decade.

Protronic

Ludo Faes

Research and Development Manager