Additive Manufacturing of Low Loss Electrical Steel Sheets for High Efficiency Electrical Devices

The selection of the specific electrical steel type is one of the most important decisions for electric motor design as it influences power density and efficiency of the machine strongly. Usually, the choice is limited to standard grades where a tradeoff between price, lowest losses, and high induction is made. Additive manufacturing gives the opportunity to print sheets with lowest losses as thinner sheets as well as higher alloying contents can be fabricated. Processing into end geometry ensures maximum materials utilization. Electric motor design becomes more flexible and current limitations can be eliminated. Here, the results of additively manufactured Fe-6.5Si electrical steel sheets illustrate new paths opening a variety of possibilities as losses can be decreased and mechanical robustness is increased which is ultimately made for the application in higher frequency motors.