High performance electric motors enabled by additive manufacturing
Project challenges
Improving the power-density and efficiency of electric machines is seen as a key enabler for the successful adoption of low-carbon transportation and wider Net Zero targets. These improvements need to take place whilst remaining economically competitive in a supply chain which has increasingly levels of demand and volatility.
Business challenge
Process Innovation
Sector
Electrification
Technology or capability
Additive Manufacturing
Digital Manufacturing
Materials Engineering
Project Challenges
Improving the power-density and efficiency of electric machines is seen as a key enabler for the successful adoption of low-carbon transportation and wider Net Zero targets. These improvements need to take place whilst remaining economically competitive in a supply chain which has increasingly levels of demand and volatility.
Additive manufacturing is a process which provides unparalleled design freedoms and agility – allowing for better products, improved tooling for automation, or even the acceleration of prototypes of new technology.
In this project, the MTC team challenged themselves to consider additive manufacturing for the motor windings in an electric machine.
MTC's Solution
The MTC designed a prototype electric motor using the toolsets provided from Siemens Digital Industries. A manufacturing plan allowed the team to identify key technology risks.
AM process parameter sets were optimised to maximise material conductivity. Meanwhile process simulations lead to a reduction in residual stresses and informed an efficient post-processing strategy.
Experimental trials identified a robust, high temperature dielectric insulation with support from the supply chain and academic partners.
An iterative prototyping approach considered the termination and joining of coils to form a complete electro-magnetic circuit.
A study was conducted to enable a production-ready manufacturing process when considering economic and sustainability.
Additive Manufacturing is revolutionising products by enabling complex geometries, enhancing performance, and providing agility to the supply chain. This innovative approach offers a significant opportunity to providing a step-change improvement to electric motors to meet the growing demands of industry.
Dan Walton, Technology Manager - MTC
The Outcome
Additive manufacturing of motor windings represents a far greater opportunity for improving the performance of electric machines than lightweighting approaches. This is owed to the system-level performance improvements leading to significant economic and environmental benefits across the life-cycle of the electric motor.
The MTC has been able to define a robust method for producing additive manufactured motor windings at a prototype scale. This includes the acquisition of bespoke manufacturing capabilities, such as the AMCM M290-2 FLX System which can process the most demanding materials.
The next steps are to work with academia and industry to develop the manufacturing process at scale.
Benefits to the Client
Additive Manufacturing for motor windings provides the following functional benefits:
- Maximised electrical performance due to the freedom to individually control the shape and position of the conductor along its path.
- Improved thermal performance as pre-formed windings give opportunity for new, high temperature materials and better inter-turn contact.
- System-level performance and environmental improvement through product miniaturisation
- Opportunity for integrated functionality such as termination to bus bars, cooling, or sculpting of end windings.
