At Woodruff Engineering, we design and manufacture high-performance magnets and power supply systems for the fusion and advanced industrial sectors. From our new headquarters at the Midtown Innovation Campus in Santa Fe, we’ve spent nearly two decades evolving from a boutique scientific instrumentation provider into a critical supplier for next-generation fusion power initiatives, supporting both U.S. and international projects.
A Two-Decade Foundation in Magnetics and Power Systems
We began with a simple mission: to do something useful in fusion. Since then, we’ve developed advanced power supplies and magnetic systems for scientific and industrial customers, delivering megajoule-class capacitor banks, high-field water-cooled magnets, and custom power systems, all fully integrated from design through delivery.
Our products are built for demanding environments, from laboratory plasma devices to industrial testing setups, and are now being scaled for the commercial fusion energy market. Many of our engineers trained at Lawrence Livermore and Los Alamos National Laboratories and at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority. Across the team, we apply rigorous ISO-based risk mitigation processes and precision engineering standards to every project.
Our long-standing professional relationships have built a cohesive team, led by CTO Bill Huang, power engineering lead Paul Sieck, and program manager Alberto Castro, who have collaborated together for more than a decade.
Growth in Fusion Markets
In recent years, our client base has expanded dramatically as private fusion companies have moved into advanced prototype stages. We’re now seeing a surge in demand for multi-meter-scale magnets and modular megajoule pulsed-power systems, with each commercial reactor expected to use dozens of custom units.
This growth represents a turning point for us – moving from niche scientific applications to providing the core infrastructure for the world’s emerging fusion energy industry.
Technology, Partnerships, and Future Focus
Our next major focus is the fusion confinement magnet market, particularly high-temperature superconducting (HTS) systems. These magnets, such as those used in stellarators, require intricate 3D coil geometries, cryogenic cooling, and nuclear shielding optimization.
To tackle this design complexity, we’re partnering with nTtau Digital to integrate AI-driven simulation and design optimization tools capable of modelling full electromagnetic, thermal, and nuclear performance in a single platform.
We’re also applying these computational capabilities to our power supply development – allowing faster iteration, automated design synthesis, and reduced engineering costs for complex pulsed-power architectures. Alongside partners like FusionTech Robotics, we’re exploring automated assembly and production-line robotics to enhance throughput at our new 20,000 sq. ft. Midtown facility.
Building for Scale and Workforce Development
As the fusion sector scales rapidly, we’re growing alongside it, organically and sustainably.
We’re also committed to developing the next generation of engineers through collaborations with Santa Fe Community College and national internship programs, helping to train and inspire local talent. At the same time, we continue to hire nationally, bringing in skilled engineers and specialists from across the U.S. to join our growing team.
Challenges and Resilience
Like many advanced manufacturers, we’ve faced supply chain and tariff challenges in recent years. Experiences like these have strengthened our commitment to developing robust domestic manufacturing capabilities to mitigate future risks.
Outlook
With fusion entering a period of exponential growth, we’re proud to be part of building the critical infrastructure – magnets, power systems, and automation – that will enable commercial reactor deployment. From our new base in Santa Fe, we’re expanding production capacity, deepening technical partnerships, and investing in workforce development to meet the scale of the global fusion revolution.
After twenty years of building a foundation in precision engineering, we’re entering an exciting new phase. The fusion industry is growing faster than ever, and we’re ready to grow with it.
“We’ve been building for 20 years,” Simon Woodruff says, “and now fusion is building us.”