Rectifier Board PCB Busbars for Rotor Centrifugal Durability
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process for rectifier boards for electrically excited rotors is costly and time-consuming, and the end-products are sensitive to centrifugal forces, making them less durable and more challenging to produce.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing a rectifier board with busbars embedded directly into the board, involving a copper clad board with a conductive layer, trace routing, and attaching switching and control components, followed by adapting the edge portions of the conductive layer to serve as busbars.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If separate busbars are attached to the rectifier board, then electrical connection is achieved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The busbar function is merged with the PCB by creating conductive traces on the PCB substrate itself. The copper layers and traces on the PCB serve dual purposes: as circuit pathways and as busbars for electrical connections to the rotor windings, eliminating the need for separate busbar components and their attachment processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The PCB conductive layers are designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: they provide signal routing, power distribution, and act as busbars for high-current connections. This multi-functionality reduces the overall component count and simplifies the manufacturing process.
2Productivity
If multiple separate components are assembled, then functionality is achieved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the busbar functionality into the PCB structure itself, the manufacturing process eliminates multiple separate assembly steps. The conductive traces are created during standard PCB fabrication, and the edge portions serve directly as busbars, reducing assembly operations and increasing production speed.
3Reliability
If traditional rectifier board assembly is used, then electrical connections are established, but durability under centrifugal force decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The busbar function is integrated into the PCB structure through conductive traces and edge portions, creating a monolithic structure that eliminates weak attachment points. The conductive paths are permanently bonded to the PCB substrate through standard PCB fabrication processes, providing superior resistance to centrifugal forces compared to mechanically attached separate busbars.
4Ease of manufacture
If separate busbars are attached, then electrical connection is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The busbar functionality is merged with the PCB conductive layers, eliminating the need for separate busbar purchases and attachment operations. This integration reduces component count, material costs, and assembly costs, making the manufacturing process more cost-effective.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a rectifier board (1) arranged to provide DC current to windings (240) of a rotor (200), the rectifier board (1) comprising a first substrate (5), a trace routed conductive layer (3) positioned at a first surface (5a) of said first substrate (5), switching and control components (6) arranged to rectify AC power to DC power. Further, a first and a second edge portion (3a, 3b) of said conductive layer (3) are adapted, thereby being prepared to be electrically in contact with a transformer device (7) or a rotor winding (240), each edge portion (3a, 3b) being arranged to serve as a first and a second busbar. The disclosure further relates to methods related to such a rectifier board and a rotor comprising such a rectifier board.