Zikodrive's Design team started 2026 in a new, larger facility on the Topland Country Business Park, with a dedicated motor controller test lab at its heart.
Demand for custom motor controllers has grown steadily, and so has the team that designs them. We needed more lab space to design and test, and better facilities to support customers through development. Working with our landlord on the Topland Country Business Park, we found a unit close to our existing site, so projects carried on with minimal disruption.
For customers, the move means more thorough testing, faster design iterations and a proper place to meet the engineers working on your project.
A dedicated test facility
The biggest change is a purpose-built test facility for developing and validating motor controllers as they move through design.
At its core is a Magtrol dynamometer paired with a ZES ZIMMER LMG671 precision power analyser. Together they measure the electrical input and mechanical output of a motor and controller at the same moment. That lets us:
- map efficiency across the full torque and speed range
- characterise torque ripple, which is key to smooth low-speed running and reliable startup
- compare control strategies and tuning settings on real hardware, not just in simulation
- give customers measured performance data for their motor and application
This kind of testing is how we optimise controllers to remove problems such as the startup judder described in our article on brushless DC motor cogging.
Space to design together
A larger open-plan office brings our hardware and firmware engineers together, so design questions get answered across the desk rather than in a queue. Separate offices for the management and engineering teams give each room to focus when heads-down time is needed.
We have also set aside a dedicated meeting room for design reviews, project discussions and customer meetings, away from the lab and office floor. Customers are welcome to visit for design reviews or to see their controller tested on the bench.
A growing team in the Calder Valley
The Calder Valley has a long history of manufacturing, and we want to be part of its future. The new facility gives us room to keep growing our engineering team locally, with skilled jobs designing and building motor controllers right here in West Yorkshire.
Interested in joining us? See our current vacancies.
Thank you
A big thank you to our staff, who helped with the move and set up the equipment so we were ready to go at the start of the year. Thanks also to Thornber's on-site maintenance team for decorating the building and making it feel brand new.
Talk to our design team
If you're developing a product that needs a custom motor controller, we'd be happy to talk it through or show you around.
Find out about our custom motor controller design service or get in touch with our team.