Geopolitics meets engineering - effects of supply and export restrictions

In January 2024, the Department of Electrical Engineering of the University of Malta, started work on the project SGdrive, funded by Xjenza Malta.

The project’s full title is High Reliability and High Power Density Starter/Generator System for MEA (SGdrive) and is headed by Prof. Inġ Michael Galea. The project aimed to address technical challenges in designing starter-generator systems for More Electric Aircraft (MEA). Key technical achievements include lightweight design, high-efficiency thermal management, modular high-fault-tolerant systems, and high-reliability operation control strategies. The University of Malta's focus was on novel lifetime modeling and prediction techniques, contributing to advancements in aviation electrification technologies.

A key challenge faced by the SGdrive project came not from engineering complexity, but from global supply realities. The system relies on high-performance permanent magnets made from rare-earth materials which are critical components for achieving the compact size and efficiency required in advanced aerospace electrical machines. However, the escalating geopolitical tensions of 2024-25, between two global superpowers. resulted in severe export restrictions from the main rare-earth material supplier, which ultimately disrupted the global supply chain.

These constraints led to unexpected delays in obtaining essential components, affecting the pace of manufacturing and testing activities. For a project operating at the cutting edge of technology, where precise material specifications are crucial, substituting or sourcing alternatives is not straightforward. As a result, the project investigators had to adapt timelines and work around extended lead times, highlighting how even the most advanced research efforts remain closely tied to global economic and political developments.

Despite these setbacks, the experience offered an important takeaway. It underscored the growing need for supply chain awareness in engineering design, particularly for technologies that depend on scarce or strategically controlled resources. In this sense, the challenge became part of the learning process, reinforcing the importance of resilience, flexibility, and forward planning in future innovation projects.

For more information, please contact the principal investigator Prof Inġ M. Galea or the Department of Electrical Engineering via email.