Improvement Trends in the Development of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines for Automotive Applications

Over the past few years, permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) become real competitors to the dominant induction motor in almost all application fields. Their high efficiency and power/torque density are making the difference. Due to these characteristics PMSMs are very popular in automotive applications as well, whether for traction purposes or auxiliary equipment. Along with their spread, there is a permanent need to improve their performance. But this can only be achieved through painstaking and expensive efforts within actual fabrication techniques and applied materials. Therefore, further development of the field requires a paradigm shift. Additive manufacturing could be the key to future developments, enabling design engineers to dream up innovative and even complex machine topologies through the use of novel advanced materials. This paper is a survey of existing trends to further improve PMSMs by applying new structures, fabrication techniques, and thermal management systems. The most important advantages all these bring are also highlighted.