Alternative Fabrication Strategies for the Production of Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors for Enhanced Performance Characteristics

Axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) motors, also known as disc type or pancake motors, offer many advantageous characteristics like high power density, compact design and diverse possibilities of motor design. Although distinctly better in few aspects compared to radial flux motors, there are definite reasons why axial flux motors have not been able to dominate the market, e.g, difficulties in part fabrication and motor assembly. In the wake of the development of new materials, it is possible to partly overcome these difficulties and simultaneously increase the power/torque density of the axial flux machine. This paper focuses on the identification of nonmagnetic components in an axial flux permanent magnet motor and the fabrication of these nonmagnetic parts using alternative materials and new fabrication technologies. For this purpose, the important motor parts like stator, rotor and housing are theoretically analyzed and the possibility of using nonmagnetic materials to manufacture them is verified. This will help in reducing the weight of the motor, offering enhancement of torque and power density. Less magnetic parts may also lead to better efficiency, as the losses due to induced currents are reduced.