Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X), located at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Greifswald, Germany, is the world’s largest stellarator fusion experiment. The facility is designed to demonstrate that stellarators are a viable concept for future fusion power plants by testing an optimized magnetic field capable of confining high-temperature plasma with exceptional stability. Its core consists of 50 uniquely shaped superconducting, non-planar magnet coils that generate the complex magnetic fields required for plasma confinement. Unlike tokamaks, stellarators do not rely on a large plasma current, allowing W7-X to investigate long-duration plasma discharges of up to 30 minutes—a key step toward continuous fusion power generation. The main assembly of W7-X was completed in 2014, with the first plasma achieved in December 2015 and scientific operations beginning in 2016.
PSL's Contributions
PSL supported the Wendelstein 7-X project by providing engineering and manufacturing expertise for specialized components used in the experiment. Drawing on decades of experience in precision fabrication and scientific instrumentation, PSL collaborated with project partners to produce hardware that met the demanding mechanical and dimensional requirements of one of the world’s most complex fusion research facilities.
Learn more on the W7-X website!