A Review of Soft Magnetic Composite Materials and Applications

Past decade has seen significant development in the field of Soft magnetic composite (SMC) materials and their application in electrical machines. This is due to their advantageous nature, isotropic magnetic and thermal properties as well as low eddy current loss specifically at medium and higher frequencies. SMC has opened the arena for innovative electrical machine designs with three-dimensional flux paths for mass production. The powder metallurgy process is cost effective, reduces post-production processes and drastically reduces yield losses in manufacturing. The process also has a lower energy consumption in comparison to other production technologies. The SMC materials are suitable for large-scale mass production of complex components with good tolerances, smooth surfaces, no secondary operations and almost no material waste. This paper reviews the material, its production, its application in electrical machines, discussing the existing advantages and difficulties while shedding light on the commercial success of SMC machines in industry.