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NRC researchers develop additive manufacturing process for fabrication of permanent magnets for electric motors

National Research Council of Canada (NRC) researchers Fabrice Bernier and Jean-Michel Lamarre have developed a cold-spray additive-manufacturing process to fabricate permanent magnets for electric motors.

Currently, high-performance magnets used in electric motors are typically made using processes such as powder compaction (for sintered magnets) or injection moulding (for bonded magnets). In these processes, magnets must first be fabricated and then shaped and assembled into a final product. The NRC’s cold spray technology combines all the steps into one.

This new technology not only leads to significant cost reductions, it also opens up a world of design possibilities that were inconceivable with the traditional manufacturing processes.

Cold spray additive manufacturing is a process in which a material in fine powder form is accelerated in a high-velocity compressed gas jet. A stream of powder impacts a target at great speed where it starts building up layer upon layer. To control the process, an industrial robot is used to perform rapid and precise 3D movements, allowing the creation of complex shapes.

In comparison to other additive manufacturing technologies, the cold spray technique has the advantage of very high buildup rates that allow the production of several kilograms of magnets per hour.

The NRC cold-sprayed magnets offer excellent mechanical and thermal properties. The high velocities used in the deposition of the material and the absence of polymer in the material matrix combine to give the magnet intrinsic mechanical properties that are superior to conventional magnets, the researchers said.

The adhesion of the magnetic material to the surface of the part is exceptional, since neither glue nor assembly is used. Magnets created using cold spray additive manufacturing are easy to machine when compared to the more brittle sintered magnets. The NRC technology also offers magnets with increased thermal conductivity which allows for better temperature control. These magnets are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant and will therefore have a longer lifespan.

NRC has constructed prototypes using this new hard magnetic material and tested the with success. The NRC’s researchers are already looking into new ways to use cold spray additive manufacturing to enhance motor designs. They are actively working on the development of soft magnetic materials to complete the range of available resources.

This technology will allow the creation of more compact, better performing motors for the future and could pave the way for building entire motors using cold spray technology, offering significant advantages such as cost reduction, better thermal management and more complex geometries and functionalities.

—Fabrice Bernier

Because of the importance of reducing CO2 emissions in the next generation of vehicles, much of the NRC’s development efforts have focused on electric motors for that purpose. However, some other industries could greatly benefit from this new technology. Key future applications include magnetic cooling, wind turbines and telecommunication devices.

Comments

Paroway

Another great step forward in EV development.

HarveyD

Would also apply to FCEVs?

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