News and Community Engagement
07-02-2025: Plant an olive tree and restore a farming family’s income: “In Gaza, beyond the devastated streets, are razed olive trees, orchards, and farmland, destroyed by bulldozers and bombs. There is only soil now, leaving farmers and their families without any means to make a living.” . . . . During 2025, to mark our 10 years in business, and as a sign of peace in contrast to recent world events, HFDE will fund the provision of 100 olive trees. Please consider contributing if you are able, at https://humanappeal.org.uk/appeals/olive-tree
20-01-2025: Work has begun on developing our UHF signal simulator app for GIS, based on the theory first outlined in the 1996 IEEE paper, "The Excitation of UHF Signals by Partial Discharge in GIS." Our hope is to make this available as an Open Source tool for use in studying the practical challenges of detecting PD in the larger EHV GIS.
19-12-2024: Temporary (2 months) monitoring and diagnosis of intermittent PD in 33 kV switchgear has just been completed using our new weatherproof monitoring unit. This system can be deployed outdoors or indoors, with up to 12 PD monitoring sensors (UHF, HF, ultrasonic) controlled and monitored continuously from our Glasgow headquarters.
12-12-2024: We've sponsored the creation of a ‘Careers in Technology’ poster for schools as part of an initiative by the Centre for Computing History (CCH). Hoping this will inspire potential tech innovators by illustrating different career paths beyond the usual stereotypes. CCH is an interactive museum and educational charity with a strong emphasis on learning. The museum offers immersive, hands-on experiences that allow children to explore how computers became an inextricable part of our lives and changed the world.
15-11-2024: An interesting 10 days in China during November included technical discussions with utilities in several regions about challenges that must be addressed by the next generation of PD monitoring systems for GIS. Of particular interest was the perceived requirement to lower detection frequencies to include VHF as well as UHF signals within the larger 1000 kV GIS tanks.
05-11-2024: HFDE was represented at the Polaris 2024 Technical Exhibition on the ITL stand on 5 & 6 November at the Marriott Hotel, Glasgow. Martin Judd delivered a presentation, "Autonomous Sensors for Overhead Line Monitoring" in collaboration with engineers from AVJU Solutions, a start-up based near the northern tip of Norway.
01-09-2024: We received copies of the latest Insulation Magazine that includes our review paper on trends in diagnostics and monitoring, prepared by the IEEE Diagnostics Technical Committee led by Prof. Marek Florkowski.
01-08-2024: HFDE has joined forces with local partners Instrument Transformers Ltd (ITL) and Smart Diagnostic Monitoring Technology (SDMT), offering a unique range of hardware and technical services to owners and operators of HV equipment and networks.
01-07-2024: HFDE isn’t usually represented at the CIGRE Paris Session, but Martin Judd will be participating in the full conference during August 2024.
19-03-2024: After 5 years of working in partnership remotely, it was great to meet the AVJU Solutions team recently in Alta, Norway. Capabilities of their Observer and Defender units for power lines are developing in very interesting directions, while HFDE continues to be closely involved with the power module design. Pictured below: Martin with Andreas Haugen CEO, co-founder of AVJU with his brother Magnus.
01-03-2024: We are initiating a partnership agreement with the Centre for Computing History (CCH) to support students considering a career in STEM following their participation in computing workshops at the Centre. What has this got to do with our core business activities (Partial Discharge surveys / HV monitoring / UHF sensors)? Very little - but if computer game development had been regarded as a ‘proper’ career back in the 1980s, maybe things could have worked out differently. The photos below are from a 40 years of Space Invaders event held at the Centre for Computing History in 2018, at which 40 versions of Invaders were running simultaneously on 40 different machines. And for good measure, a small excerpt of Martin's handwritten Z80 machine code for 'Lynx Invaders'.
15-11-2023: Due to our expanding stock of components and test equipment, we have leased a third room for use as a storage facility - before and after photos below. This complements our exsiting office and workshop rooms within Clydeway House.
05-01-2023: HFDE is pleased to be supporting the work of Tools with a Mission (TWAM), a charity which sends trade tool kits to recipients in the developing world to support the creation of sustainable livelihoods. Kits cover important trade skills such as Carpentry, Electrician, Sewing, Plumbing, Building, Knitting, Agriculture, etc.
01-12-2022: Martin Judd: "I had the pleasure of chairing Early Career presentation competition sessions at Polaris 2022 and hearing a first-hand account by Ranulph Fiennes of his life adventures (astonishing, shocking at times, and full of understated humour). Thanks to Ian Hunter and team at Polaris Diagnostics for all the effort that went into making the event a great success, and to all exhibiting companies for their support. Most importantly, congratulations to the 5 excellent finalists in the Early Career Competition, pictured here with Sir Ranulph."
30-09-2022: We are supporting the vision of PACE Theatre Company to establish a new venue in Scotland dedicated to delivering better access to theatrical productions for young people and families, as well as promoting participation by young people in performance and creative learning activities in a professional environment. The building being renovated to create the Exchange Theatre is where Paisley’s first purpose-built theatre The Abercorn was situated until it was destroyed by fire in 1889. The current building was constructed in 1932 and has served as a dance hall, telephone exchange and night club, but has lain empty since 2004. PACE Theatre Company was formed in 1988 and is a registered charity specialising in work with children and young people. PACE Youth Theatre is the largest youth theatre of its kind in the UK, working with around 1000 young people aged 3-21 every week.
07-09-2022: Our visibility to clients as a provider of partial discharge (PD) monitoring equipment and services has been enhanced through updates made to our profile on the Achilles Supply Chain Management Network:
03-03-2022: HFDE is pleased to continue its sponsorship of Renfrew Football Club's 2005 Youth Team for a 4th year. New home strip with HFDE logo has just been received by the players.
25-02-2022: Great to see that AVJU Solutions AS has begun field trials in Norway of its Electronic Gravitational Gyro, which incorporates HFDE energy harvesting technology. As well as providing monitoring and line stabilisation function, the unit performs de-icing of power lines to prevent outages during severe weather.
18-01-2021: HFDE's re-engineered GTEM system for calibrating UHF PD sensors is now available to purchase in modular form or to hire for use in sensor testing, design and development. Please contact us for further details.
26-10-2020: Martin Judd of HFDE will be a guest on IPEC's 'Ask the Expert' Webinar series on 18 November 2020. We will be discussing a range of topics focusing on partial discharge detection in EHV networks, followed by a Q&A session open to participants.
20-10-2020: Webinar: Technical Assessment of Cable Asset Management Approaches (TACAMA). HFDE recently completed a study of testing methods for HVAC transmission cables in partnership with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN). We have been invited by SSEN to present a technical summary of the project that will cover HV commissioning tests as well as cable diagnostics. This presentation will take place on 10 November 2020, followed by a Q&A session with the project team.
24-02-2020: Martin Judd has been invited as keynote speaker for the 6th International Conference on Electric Power and Energy Conversion Systems being hosted in Istanbul in October 2020. The topic of his presentation will be "Condition Monitoring of HV Insulation Systems: Expectation vs Reality". [update: Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic came along and this event ended up being a virtual - no chance to visit the historic city of Istanbul . . .]
02-08-2019: Our first demonstration of remote-access UHF monitoring and PD location is now operational on a 275 / 132 kV power transformer. 4G modem on the EE network provides a local ethernet connection, with SDMT hardware/software in a custom housing and HFDE PD sensors. The system is accessed using TeamViewer software for monitoring, control and data transfer.
29-06-2019: HFDE has become a supporter of Tools with a Mission - we can take for granted our ready access to tools for tasks like carpentry, repairs and sewing without appreciating what a difference this makes to our lives. TWAM tool kits and training enable people with great ideas in developing nations to turn their livelihood-creating project concepts into reality.
28-06-2019: Yesterday we took delivery of a batch of beautiful handcrafted walnut boxes from Sloyd Woodcraft in Glasgow. These are used to store and protect the electric field probe sensors used in our calibration systems for UHF partial discharge sensors.
21-06-2019: Please see our blog contributions on IPEC's website, based on 3 weeks' overseas PD survey work during 2018.
10-05-2019: HFDE sponsors Renfrew Youth Football Club's 2005s team: A great opportunity to be involved with our community and support volunteer coaches who arrange regular training sessions and matches, allowing the boys to develop their fitness & teamwork skills, as well as a fantastic team spirit!
18-03-2019: Following the success of our first Special Issue of MDPI's Sensors journal, the same Guest Editors (Albarracin, Judd, Robles, Lazaridis) are pleased to announce a new Call for Papers for the next Special Issue on an expanded theme, "Acoustic, UHF and RF Sensor Technology for Partial Discharge Detection". The 20 papers published in the 2018 issue can be can be downloaded at this link, while details of the latest call can be found here.
05-06-2018: CIGRE UK's June Technical Webinar will be presented by Martin Judd on the topic "Transformer monitoring and defect location using UHF PD sensors." This free Webinar begins at 12:30 BST on Wednesday June 13 - please register at Eventbrite to take part.
06-02-2018: HFDE's founder Martin Judd is one of the Guest Editors for a Special Issue of MDPI’s open-access journal Sensors. The topic will be UHF and RF Sensor Technology for Partial Discharge Detection and the deadline for manuscript submissions is 31 December 2018.
11-01-2018: UPEC 2018 - HFDE is among the official supporters of the 53rd International Universities Power Engineering Conference when it returns to Glasgow in September 2018, hosted by Glasgow Caledonian University. Martin Judd will open the conference as Keynote Speaker.
04-11-2017: We will be presenting at Euro TechCon 2017 on the topic of "Condition Monitoring Facilities for Transformers". The paper has been jointly authored with Ian Hunter, Technical Director of Polaris Diagnostics, one of the UK's leading authorities on power transformers. Euro TechCon is returning to Glasgow this year - the venue is conveniently just a few miles from the HFDE office.
25-10-2017: A very productive meeting of CIGRE Joint Working Group A2/D1.51, "Improvement to Partial Discharge Measurements for Factory and Site Acceptance Tests of Power Transformers" in Budapest. We are close to standardising requirements for calibration of UHF sensors using a GTEM cell to measure either "effective height" or "antenna factor." The frequency range for PD detection in transformers is being narrowed down and there is general agreement on the minimum required level of sensor response that is necessary.
06-12-2016: HFDE is pleased to be among the sponsors of UHVnet 2017, “Challenges and opportunities in HV future networks,” to be hosted by Glasgow Caledonian University on 19 Jan 2017. This Colloquium provides an ideal platform for postgraduate students and early career researchers or engineers to present their work to others within the UK's high voltage engineering community.
05-12-2016: Thanks to TJ|H2b Analytical Services for another engaging Euro TechCon held in Bristol last week, with the theme “Primary Asset Life Management”. HFDE presented a paper on the Role of Condition Monitoring in Asset Management of HV Electrical Equipment. The presentation gave an overview of some topics on which HFDE can provide in-depth Continuing Professional Development training in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde, which is particularly suitable for graduate engineers and those new to the industry.
05-09-2016: An interesting meeting today with Dr Hans Schantz of Q-Track Corporation about his interpretation of ‘Energy Flow in Reactive Fields,’ appropriately held at the James Clerk Maxwell Foundation, 14 India Street, Edinburgh – the birthplace and childhood home of Maxwell himself. Fascinating to be reminded of some of the fundamental philosophical issues that still remain concerning the radiation of electromagnetic waves.
25-08-2016: HFDE was involved in the Paris meeting of CIGRE Joint Working Group A2/D1.51, "Improvement to Partial Discharge Measurements for Factory and Site Acceptance Tests of Power Transformers." Calibration of UHF sensors using GTEM cells was discussed, together with the more challenging problem of performing a sensitivity check on the installed UHF PD detection system before it is applied in support of FAT/SAT tests.
03-05-2016: The 44th Glasgow Company of the Boys' Brigade, sponsored by High Frequency Diagnostics, won their playoff match on Saturday to claim the league trophy for the second year running. Well done boys!
24-09-2015: High Frequency Diagnostics and Polaris Diagnostics have formed an Alliance to Provide Specialist Investigation Services for Power Transformers with Partial Discharge & Discharge Conditions.
23-09-2015: High Frequency Diagnostics is proud to support The Maxwell at Glenlair Trust, which was established to conserve and preserve for the benefit of the public Glenlair House, the family home of James Clerk Maxwell.
01-10-2014: High Frequency Diagnostics opens for business.