Rotor with cast cage and integrated cooling channels, and production process for same

Abstract

The present application relates to a process for forming a rotor assembly, comprising: - heating a laminated rotor core (60) which has a multiplicity of channels (61) for a rotor cage, preferably to a temperature T ≥ 50°C; - forming the rotor assembly by arranging the heated laminated rotor core (60) on a jacket tube (10); - pouring a molten metal, such as copper, having a conductivity greater than 20 x 106 S / m into the channels of the heated laminated rotor core (60); and - cooling the rotor assembly to create a frictional connection between the laminated rotor core and the jacket tube. The present application also relates to a corresponding rotor assembly, comprising: a jacket tube (10) having an inner profile with a multiplicity of longitudinal grooves; and a laminated core (60) having a multiplicity of channels that are encapsulated with a metal having a conductivity greater than 20 x 106 S / m, thereby forming a rotor cage; the laminated core being frictionally connected to the jacket tube.

Description

[0001] Rotor assembly with cast cage and integrated cooling channels and manufacturing method for a rotor assembly

[0002] 1. Technical area

[0003] The present application relates to a rotor assembly for electrical machines with a cast cage and integrated cooling channels for active rotor cooling, as well as to a rotor and an electrical machine with such a rotor.

[0004] 2. State of the art

[0005] In rotating electrical machines, the entire rotating part of the machine is called the rotor, which typically consists of a rotor shaft and a laminated core. A synchronous machine is an electrical machine in which the rotor rotates synchronously with the rotating field of the stator. In this case, the laminated cores are provided with permanent magnets and are typically joined to the rotor shaft.

[0006] An asynchronous machine is a three-phase machine in which the rotor, when operating as an electric motor, runs at a lower speed than the rotating field of the stator. In mass production, the rotor's laminated core is typically provided with grooves or channels, which are then cast with a highly conductive metal such as copper or aluminum. These cast channels form the so-called cage, in which the rotor's magnetic field is generated. The more cleanly the channels in the laminated core are cast (i.e., the lower the porosity), the higher the motor's efficiency, assuming all other properties are equal.

[0007] In a casting process for casting rotors known from EP 3 113 337 Ai in the name of the applicant, a gate is provided on each of the upper and lower short-circuit rings, through which gates liquid metal (e.g. aluminium, copper, silver, their alloys, etc.) is simultaneously introduced into the casting mold. This means that the casting mold can be cast at a lower flow velocity, as a result of which the filling process is less turbulent and reduces pore formation. DE 10 2013 208 151 Ai in the name of the applicant also relates to a casting process for casting copper rotors, in which the molten metal is introduced under pressure at a flow velocity of < 15 m / s at a gate in the casting mold in order to achieve smoother, low-turbulence filling of the casting mold and thus lower porosity of the cast channels. Furthermore, EP 3 866316 Ai in the name of the applicant relates to a process and a casting mold for producing a rotor orRotor for an electric machine, wherein the rotor comprises a metal core, a lower short-circuit ring, an upper short-circuit ring, and lamellar conductors which connect the short-circuit rings, wherein the method is carried out using a casting machine and a casting mold, wherein a molten metal is applied to the metal core in the casting mold, wherein the metal is copper, aluminum or silver, wherein the rotor is formed with its axis of rotation vertical relative to a horizontal plane of the casting mold, wherein the metal is introduced into the casting mold at a gate on the lower short-circuit ring and fills the conductors and the upper short-circuit ring, wherein the metal is introduced into a variable chamber on the upper short-circuit ring, wherein the metal in the chamber is subjected to pressure by means of a plunger and is displaced into the upper short-circuit ring.A similar process for the pore-free casting of lamination packs of squirrel cage rotors is described in EP 3 866315 Ai of the applicant.

[0008] Furthermore, it is known that rotor shafts of rotating electrical machines heat up during use. The resulting heat can, for example, be transferred to the stator and / or rotor windings. This can lead to undesirable material deformation and reduce the efficiency of the electrical machine. To prevent this, the heating can be counteracted through passive or active cooling. One example is air cooling, in which air is directed over and / or through the electrical machine. Another approach is active cooling of the rotor using a liquid cooling medium.

[0009] Attaching the cast laminated cores to a rotor shaft is typically a particular challenge, especially since the strength of the joint and residual imbalance can influence the service life and vibration behavior of the entire motor. For this reason, the cylindrical mating surface of the rotor shaft for the laminated core and, if applicable, the inner surface of the cast laminated core must typically be precision ground prior to assembly to achieve a controlled interference fit. Grinding these areas is one of the major cost drivers in the production of rotors for electrical machines. Summary

[0010] The present application therefore sets itself the task of at least partially improving the manufacturing processes, rotor assemblies, and rotors known from the prior art. This problem is at least partially solved by the subject matter of the independent claims of the present application. Exemplary embodiments are described in the dependent claims. Unless otherwise stated, material properties are to be determined according to the relevant standards. Furthermore, the term "substantially" is to be understood below as "within typical design, measurement, and / or manufacturing tolerances."

[0011] In particular, the present application discloses a rotor assembly for electrical machines with a cast cage and optionally integrated cooling channels for active rotor cooling, as well as an associated manufacturing method, which allow some of the typically necessary, complex, and cost-intensive manufacturing steps to be simplified and / or eliminated. Furthermore, the combination of the pore-free cast laminated cores described here and the actively cooled rotor shafts described here leads to a non-linear improvement in the efficiency and maximum torque or power density of electrical machines equipped therewith due to the temperature dependence of the conductivity of metals.

[0012] A first aspect of the present application relates to a method for forming a rotor assembly, comprising the following steps: heating a rotor laminated core having a plurality of channels for a cage of a squirrel cage rotor, preferably to a temperature T > 50°C, more preferably T > 200°C, and even more preferably T > 500°C, and forming the rotor assembly by arranging the heated rotor laminated core on the casing tube and casting the channels of the heated rotor laminated core with a metal having a conductivity greater than 20 x 106 S / m, and cooling the rotor assembly to form a force-fitting connection between the rotor laminated core and the casing tube.In particular, the heated rotor core arranged on the casing tube can be cast using a casting mold and / or a casting process as described in the above-mentioned applications EP 3 866315 Ai, EP 386 6316 Ai, EP 3 113 337 and DE 10 2013 208 151 Ai of the applicant, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0013] In some implementations, the method described herein may further comprise forming a casing tube having a length L, and forming the casing tube may preferably further comprise the following steps: forming a casing tube blank, determining a calibrated section of the casing tube blank having the length L, wherein along the length L the deviation of the casing surface of the calibrated section of the casing tube blank deviates from the predetermined casing reference surface by less than 0.04 mm, preferably less than 0.02 mm, and severing the calibrated section of the casing tube blank.

[0014] The heat required for arranging the rotor lamination stack on the casing tube can thus also be used for casting the channels of the rotor lamination stack. The warm assembly can therefore be transported directly from the joining process to the casting process. This reduces the energy consumption during casting, as the lamination stack does not need to be heated again or only needs to be partially heated to a casting temperature that may be higher than the joining temperature. A further advantage of the process described here is that the higher mass of the cast lamination stack results in greater shrinkage relative to the casing tube surface during cooling, which improves the force-fit connection between the rotor lamination stack and the casing tube.

[0015] In some implementations, forming the rotor assembly may further include joining one or two end plugs to the casing tube, preferably before casting the channels. In particular, joining may include pressing the one or two end plugs into the casing tube. Pressing the plugs into the casing tube creates an additional force component radially from the inside to the outside, which further increases the holding force of the frictional connection between the laminated core and the casing tube. If the plugs are to be additionally welded after joining, the casing tube may protrude slightly beyond the rotor laminated core in some designs.

[0016] Furthermore, the method described above, and in particular the use of a casing tube with a calibrated outer diameter, eliminates the conventionally required grinding of the rotor shaft's outer surface, or at least replaces it with a more cost-effective method, such as centerless, continuous grinding. Further implementations and advantageous aspects of the method described here are described below with reference to the drawing, Fig. i.

[0017] Another aspect of the present application relates to a rotor assembly comprising: a casing tube having an inner profile with a plurality of longitudinal cracks, and a lamination stack having a plurality of channels encapsulated with a metal having a conductivity greater than 20 x 10 6S / m and thus form a cage of a squirrel-cage rotor, with the laminated core being frictionally connected to the casing tube. For example, such a rotor assembly can be manufactured or formed using a method as described above.

[0018] As described in detail below with reference to the drawings Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 and in the applicant's earlier application PCT / EP2022 / 081331 entitled ROTOR SHAFT WITH INTEGRATED COOLING CHANNELS, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, the inner profile of the jacket tube allows for a simple implementation of efficient active rotor cooling. For example, an inner tube can be arranged in the jacket tube, the outer surface of which, with the longitudinal cracks of the inner profile of the jacket tube, defines a plurality of axial cooling channels. As described above, according to the present application, the outer surface of the jacket tube may not be ground and / or the jacket tube may be a drawn tube, preferably a tube according to DIN 17458 or similar specifications.In some implementations, the cast channels of the rotor assembly described herein may have a porosity of 2% or less, preferably a porosity of 1% or less. The porosity of the cast channels can be determined, for example, using computed tomography or precision conductivity measurements. A porosity of 1% or less can be understood, for example, to mean that the total porosity in a short-circuit ring or a partial conductor of the squirrel-cage rotor may not be greater than 1% of the total volume of the short-circuit ring or the partial conductor.

[0019] As described below with reference to Fig. 5, in some implementations, the rotor assembly may include an inner tube disposed within the shroud tube and capable of forming a plurality of cooling channels with the inner profile of the shroud tube.

[0020] The present application further relates to a rotor comprising a rotor assembly as described herein, as well as first and second end plugs, each of which is positively and non-positively connected to an end of the casing tube by engaging a portion of the plurality of longitudinal grooves and being pressed onto the respective end of the casing tube. The pressing of the end plugs can result in a radially outward-acting force that further improves the non-positive connection between the casing tube and the laminated core.

[0021] As described below with reference to Fig. 5 and in the applicant's application PCT / EP2022 / 081331, the end plugs may each have a cooling medium distribution structure that may be in fluid communication with the plurality of longitudinal grooves. The present application relates, in a first embodiment, to a rotor assembly comprising: a casing tube having an inner profile with a plurality of longitudinal grooves, and a laminated core having a plurality of channels encapsulated with a metal having a conductivity greater than 20 x 10 6S / m and thereby form the cage of a squirrel-cage rotor, wherein the laminated core is force-locked to the casing tube. The processes and rotor assemblies described herein therefore have the following technical advantages, for example: (1) The combination of pore-free casting and active cooling of the rotor shaft leads to a non-linear reduction in power loss due to the temperature dependence of the conductivity and thus to a synergistic increase in the efficiency and / or torque density of the electrical machine. (2) Energy can be saved by combining typically separate work steps. (3) Furthermore, the time-consuming grinding of the outer surface of the rotor shaft, which is typically necessary in conventional manufacturing processes, is no longer necessary because these require, for example, a fully cast laminated core to be assembled with a fully formed rotor shaft. (4) Furthermore, the internal machining of the rotor laminated core can be omitted.(5) In addition to machining, the complex joining of the rotor shaft into the finished cast rotor is also eliminated, which is partly done by nitrogen cooling of the rotor shaft and heating of the cast rotor.

[0022] The methods described herein as well as correspondingly manufactured rotor assemblies and / or rotors can thereby provide, for example, the following additional advantages: rapid assembly of the end plugs and the cooling components, short-term availability of prototypes and small series, many options for design changes (e.g. with regard to defined cooling areas), enlarged inner surface and surface convection in rotor assemblies and / or rotors, optimization of the flows and their turbulence in rotor assemblies and / or rotors, realization of an adjustable oil flow management and / or realization of a cooling effect even without rotation when the electric machine is at a standstill.

[0023] 4. Brief description of the drawings

[0024] The drawings show:

[0025] Figure 1: a flow diagram of an exemplary method for forming a rotor assembly according to a possible implementation of the present application;

[0026] Figure 2: some intermediate products or intermediate steps of the process of Figure 1; Figure 3: two exemplary cross-sectional views of a casing tube with a rotor core stack mounted on the casing tube according to a possible implementation of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4: a cross-sectional view of a rotor according to a possible implementation of the present application comprising a casing tube to which a laminated core is attached and into each of whose ends an end plug is pressed;

[0028] Figure 5: a rotor with active cooling and pore-free cast cage according to a possible implementation of the present application;

[0029] Figure 6: a rotor with active cooling and pore-free cast cage according to a possible implementation of the present application.

[0030] 5. Detailed

[0031] Some exemplary embodiments of the methods and rotor assemblies, or rotors, of the present application are described below using some exemplary rotor assemblies or rotors for electrical machines. Various feature combinations are described with reference to the illustrated embodiments. Naturally, not all features of the described embodiments need to be present to implement the present invention. Furthermore, the embodiments can be modified by combining certain features of one embodiment with one or more features of another embodiment—provided this is technically compatible and expedient—without deviating from the disclosure and scope of the present invention, which is defined by the claims.

[0032] Figure 1 shows a flow diagram of a method 100 for forming a rotor assembly according to the present application. The method 100 may comprise a step 110 of forming a jacket tube with a length L. Step 110 may comprise sub-steps 111, 112, 113. Sub-step 111 may comprise forming a jacket tube blank, e.g., by cold forming. Sub-step 112 may comprise determining a calibrated section of the jacket tube blank with the length L, wherein along the length L, the deviation of the jacket surface of the calibrated section of the jacket tube blank may deviate from the predetermined jacket reference surface by less than 0.04 mm, preferably less than 0.02 mm.

[0033] Substep 113 may include separating the calibrated section of the casing tube blank. This ensures that the casing tube of the rotor shaft complies with the tolerances required for the subsequent manufacturing steps, which, according to the present disclosure, may be less precise than in conventional processes in which a fully cast laminated core is joined to a fully formed rotor shaft.

[0034] Determining the calibrated section of the casing pipe blank may, for example, comprise measuring the deviation of the casing surface of the calibrated section of the casing pipe blank from the predetermined casing reference surface, for example by measuring the surface waviness of the casing pipe blank or its entire 3D shape, for example using 3D triangulation with multiple cameras or laser measuring devices.

[0035] Step 120 includes heating a rotor core having a plurality of channels for a cage of a squirrel-cage rotor (e.g., for lamellar conductors connecting two short-circuit rings of a squirrel-cage rotor). Specifically, the rotor core is heated to a temperature that causes an inner diameter of the rotor core to increase due to thermal expansion (e.g., T > 50°C, preferably T > 200°C, or more preferably T > 500°C). The increased inner diameter facilitates the placement of the rotor assembly on a casing tube of a rotor shaft in step 130.

[0036] Step 130 comprises forming the rotor assembly. Step 130 may comprise sub-steps 131 and 132. Sub-step 131 comprises arranging the heated rotor core on a casing tube of a rotor shaft, and sub-step 132 comprises casting the channels of the heated rotor core with a metal having an IO

[0037] Conductivity greater than 20 x 10 6 S / m. Preferably, the casting is carried out after the rotor laminated core has been arranged on the casing tube. The prior heating of the rotor laminated core makes it easier to arrange the rotor laminated core on the casing tube because of the enlarged inner diameter of the rotor laminated core and is also advantageous for the casting because, for example, thermal stresses are reduced which can occur due to a large temperature difference between the molten metal and the rotor laminated core when casting the channels. In particular, the casting can be carried out using a casting mold and / or a casting process as described in the above-mentioned applications EP 3 866315 Ai, EP 386 6316 Ai, EP 3 113337 and DE 10 2013 208 151 Ai by the applicant.

[0038] In some implementations, a first temperature during the placement of the rotor core on the casing tube may differ from a second temperature during the casting of the channels of the heated rotor core 132 by 20% or less, preferably by 10% or less. Alternatively or additionally, a time interval between the placement of the rotor core and the casting may be 20 minutes or less, preferably 10 minutes or less. This ensures that as much thermal energy as possible can be reused during the casting of the channels.

[0039] For example, the metal (e.g., aluminum, copper, silver) may have a third temperature between 600°C and 1400°C during the casting of the channels of the heated rotor core. Due to the joint or directly consecutive execution of substeps 132 and 133, the method can be carried out such that the rotor core is heated only once before the casting of the channels 132, namely before or during the placement of the rotor assembly on the casing tube.

[0040] Furthermore, the forming of the rotor assembly can comprise joining one or two end plugs to the casing tube, preferably before the casting of the channels 132. Joining the one or two end plugs can, for example, comprise pressing the one or two end plugs into the casing tube. This is shown as an example in Fig. 5. Fig. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a rotor comprising a casing tube 10, to which a laminated core 60 is attached and into each of whose ends an end plug 30, 40 is pressed. After pressing in, the end plugs can optionally be additionally soldered or welded to the casing tube. The order in which the one or two end plugs are pressed into the casing tube is variable and can be selected depending on the manufacturing requirements.

[0041] Step 140 involves cooling the rotor assembly to form a frictional connection between the rotor core and the casing tube. In particular, the cooling leads to a reduction in the inner diameter of the rotor core, which contributes to the formation of the frictional connection.

[0042] Fig. 2 illustrates the method described herein for forming a rotor assembly using four exemplary intermediate results 71, 72, 73, and 74, which are described below. Intermediate result 71 relates to the heating of the rotor core 60, which has a plurality of channels and a central bore. In the example shown, this is done using heating coils that are placed near the rotor core 60 to heat it.

[0043] Intermediate result 72 shows the state after arranging the heated rotor laminated core 60 on the casing tube 10 of the rotor shaft, which has an inner profile with a plurality of longitudinal grooves. In a further sub-step, for example, an inner tube can be inserted into the casing tube 60 and two end plugs can be joined to the casing tube in order to form an actively cooled rotor shaft with a plurality of axial cooling channels, as described in the applicant's application PCT / EP2022 / 081331. Since the laminated core is warm, the inner diameter of the bore has increased due to thermal expansion. Therefore, joining the rotor laminated core 60 and the casing tube 10 of the rotor shaft is possible with little force.

[0044] Intermediate result 73 shows how the pre-assembled assembly is accommodated in a suitable tool of the casting machine or a casting mold in which the channels and, if applicable, the two short-circuit rings of the squirrel-cage rotor can be cast. In the example in Fig. 2, the heated rotor core 6o is positioned on the casing tube io before the channels of the heated rotor core are cast. However, implementations are also possible in which the cast core, not yet completely cooled, is positioned on the casing tube.

[0045] Intermediate result 74 shows a rotor assembly according to the present application during and / or after cooling. This comprises the rotor core 60 with cast channels and short-circuit rings on the casing tube 10 with the inner profile, which has a plurality of longitudinal cracks. The two components mentioned are connected to one another in a force-locking manner after cooling. The longitudinal cracks enable, on the one hand, the formation of a positive and force-locking connection with two correspondingly profiled end plugs and, on the other hand, the formation of axial cooling channels by arranging an inner tube in the casing tube, as described in the applicant's application PCT / EP2022 / 081331.

[0046] Figure 3 shows two exemplary cross-sectional views of a casing tube 10, which comprises an inner profile with a plurality of longitudinal cracks 11, and of a rotor core 60 mounted on the casing tube 10 before the casting of the channels 61 of the squirrel cage rotor.

[0047] Figure 4 shows a rotor for an electric machine (e.g., an asynchronous motor used to drive an electric vehicle). The rotor comprises a rotor assembly as described above and two end plugs 30 and 40 connected to the casing tube, each of which has a coolant distribution structure.

[0048] Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section through a rotor 2 according to a possible implementation of the present application. The rotor 2 comprises a casing tube 10 with a wall thickness, for example, in the range of 2.00 mm to 10.00 mm and with an inner profile having a plurality of longitudinal cracks (cf. Fig. 2, Fig. 3 and Fig. 4). The exemplary rotor 2 also comprises an inner tube 20, for example with a wall thickness of 0.5 mm to 5.00 mm, a first end plug 30, and a second end plug 40. In the example of Fig. 5, the first end plug 30 has an inlet 35 for a cooling medium, which is connected to a cooling medium distribution structure 32 of the first end plug 30. The second end plug 40 has an outlet 45 for the cooling medium, which is connected to the cooling medium distribution structure 42.The flow of the cooling medium through the cooling channels defined between the inner tube 20 and the inner profile of the casing tube 10, and through additional cooling channels 61 in the rotor core 60, is schematically illustrated by the arrows. The cooling medium can flow from the first end plug 30 to the second end plug 40 via the illustrated cooling channels, where it can be received by the cooling medium distribution structure 42 of the second end plug 40 and directed to the outlet 45. Thus, in this possible embodiment, the cooling medium inlet and outlet are located at different end plugs of the rotor.

[0049] As described above, the laminated core 60 can comprise a plurality of channels cast with a metal (e.g., aluminum) to be pore-free. In particular, the porosity of the cast channels can be < 1% in order to keep the electrical resistance of the conductors of the squirrel cage formed by the cast channels as low as possible. The combination of active rotor cooling and pore-free casting of the squirrel cage means that, for given dimensions of the laminated core 60, the maximum torque density and electrical efficiency of the electrical machine (e.g., an asynchronous machine) that can be achieved during operation can be increased to levels that are very difficult or even impossible to achieve with conventional squirrel cages (passive cooling, higher porosity of the cast channels).

[0050] The reason for this is that the electrical power loss PL = R x I 2in the cast conductors and short-circuit rings of the squirrel-cage rotor (shown hatched in Fig. 5) typically contributes substantially to the heating of the rotor 2 during operation. The pore-free casting described above allows the resistance R to be reduced for a given dimensioning of the rotor core 60, thus achieving higher maximum current densities in the rotor core and thus a higher maximum torque density of the electrical machine for a given maximum rotor temperature during operation. The active cooling of the rotor shaft and the rotor core 60 shown allows the current density in the cage of the core 60 to be further increased, since a larger portion of the electrical power loss can be dissipated.Due to the temperature dependence of the specific resistance of metals, which, to a first approximation, increases linearly with the temperature of the metal, the combination of pore-free encapsulation and the active rotor cooling described leads to a non-linear increase in efficiency and the maximum achievable torque density and power density of the electric machine. In particular, the actively cooled squirrel-cage rotors described here can be used to construct compact and powerful asynchronous machines for applications that typically use significantly more complex and expensive rotors with neodymium-iron-boron magnets. Figure 6 shows another possible embodiment of an actively cooled rotor according to the present application, in which the coolant flows in and out at the same end plug.

Claims

Patent claims 1. A method of forming a rotor assembly, comprising: Heating (120) a rotor core (60) having a plurality of channels (61) for a cage of a squirrel cage rotor, preferably to a temperature T > 50°C, more preferably to a temperature T > 200°C, and even more preferably to a temperature T > 500°C; Forming (130) the rotor assembly by arranging (131) the heated rotor core (60) on the casing tube (10); and potting (132) the channels of the heated rotor core with a metal having a conductivity greater than 20 x 10 6 S / m; and Cooling (140) the rotor assembly to form a force-locking connection between the rotor core (60) and the casing tube (10).

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising Forming a casing pipe having a length L, wherein the forming of the casing pipe further preferably comprises the following steps: Forming a casing pipe blank; Determining a calibrated section of the casing pipe blank with the length L, wherein along the length L the deviation of the casing surface of the calibrated section of the casing pipe blank deviates from the predetermined casing reference surface by less than 0.04 mm, preferably less than 0.02 mm; and Cutting off the calibrated section of the casing pipe blank.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the calibrated portion of the casing tube blank comprises measuring the deviation of the casing surface of the calibrated portion of the casing tube blank from the predetermined casing reference surface.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the arrangement of the heated rotor core stack on the casing tube is carried out before the casting of the channels of the heated rotor core stack and / or wherein along the length L a Deviation of the jacket surface of the jacket pipe from a predetermined jacket reference surface by less than 0.04 mm, preferably by less than 0.02 mm.

5. The method according to claims 1 to 4, wherein a first temperature during the arrangement of the rotor laminated core on the casing tube differs from a second temperature during the casting of the channels of the heated rotor laminated core by 20% or less, preferably by 10% or less; and / or wherein a time interval between the arrangement of the rotor laminated core and the casting of the channels is 20 minutes or less, preferably 10 minutes or less; and / or wherein a time interval between the casting of the channels and the cooling of the rotor assembly to room temperature is 4 hours or less, preferably 60 minutes or less.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the metal has a third temperature of between 600°C and 1400°C during casting of the channels of the heated rotor core.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the rotor core is heated only once before the channels are cast.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein forming the rotor assembly further comprises joining one or two end plugs to the casing tube, preferably before casting the channels, wherein joining the one or two end plugs preferably comprises pressing the one or two end plugs into the casing tube.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising welding or soldering the one or two end plugs to the casing tube.

10. A rotor assembly comprising: a casing tube having an inner profile with a plurality of longitudinal grooves; and a lamination stack having a plurality of channels encapsulated with a metal having a conductivity greater than 20 x 10 6 S / m and thereby form a cage of a squirrel cage rotor; wherein the laminated core is force-locked to the casing tube.

11. The rotor assembly of claim 10, wherein the jacket tube has an n-fold rotational symmetry perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, where n is any natural number greater than or equal to 2.

12. Rotor assembly according to one of claims 10 to 11, wherein the jacket tube has an outer surface which is not ground and / or wherein the jacket tube is a drawn tube, preferably a tube according to DIN 17458.

13. The rotor assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein the cast channels of the rotor core have a porosity of 2% or less, preferably 1% or less; and / or further comprising: an inner tube disposed within the jacket tube and forming a plurality of cooling channels with the inner profile of the jacket tube.

14. A rotor for an electric machine, comprising: a rotor assembly according to any one of claims 10 to 13; and first and second end plugs, each positively and non-positively connected to an end of the casing tube by engaging a portion of the plurality of longitudinal grooves and being crimped to the respective end of the casing tube; and wherein the end plugs each have a cooling medium distribution structure in fluid communication with the plurality of longitudinal grooves.

15. An electrical machine comprising a stator and a rotor according to claim 14, which is rotatably mounted within the stator.

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