Roller-Cast Spiral Coils for Complex Electric Machine Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing spiral structures for electric machines are complex, inefficient, and do not effectively utilize available installation space, leading to lower power or torque density due to the difficulty in shaping coils with complex three-dimensional geometries.
Innovation Solution
A roller casting method where a melt is shaped between two rotating rollers with gearwheel-like elements having cavities, allowing for continuous production of spiral structures with variable cross-sections and alignment, enabling efficient formation of coils with high precision and scalability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If permanent molds or lost molds with cores are used to shape coils, then the complex three-dimensional geometry can be achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes technically complex and discontinuous
Solution Approach 1:
The mold is segmented into two separate rollers, each with teeth having cavities for receiving melt. This segmentation simplifies the tool structure compared to a single complex permanent mold, while still enabling formation of complex three-dimensional spiral structures through the interaction of the two rollers.
Solution Approach 2:
The roller casting process enables continuous production of spiral structures, eliminating the discontinuous nature of traditional permanent mold or lost mold methods. The rollers continuously receive melt and produce shaped portions along their length, achieving uninterrupted manufacturing.
2Shape
If permanent molds or lost molds with cores are used to shape coils, then the complex three-dimensional geometry can be achieved, but the production speed and efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The roller casting process enables continuous production of spiral structures, eliminating the discontinuous nature of traditional permanent mold or lost mold methods. The rollers continuously receive melt and produce shaped portions along their length, achieving uninterrupted manufacturing and higher production speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The cavities in the roller teeth are pre-formed to match the desired spiral structure geometry. This preliminary preparation of the mold cavities allows the melt to be directly shaped into the final complex three-dimensional form without requiring subsequent processing steps, thereby increasing production efficiency.
3Ease of manufacture
If wound coils are used in electric machines, then the installation is simple, but the filling degree and power density are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The roller casting process produces coils with variable cross-sections by varying the cavity dimensions along the roller length and around the circumference. This enables optimization of the coil geometry to achieve better filling degree and higher power density while maintaining the simplicity of having pre-formed coils ready for installation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables rapid, economical, and high-volume production of spiral structures for electric machines, improving power density and efficiency by simplifying the coil shaping process and allowing for continuous production with reduced tool complexity and increased design freedom.
Implementation Method 1
the supplied melt is shaped between the teeth as it cools into a portion, for example a pitch portion, of the spiral structure
Implementation Method 2
the supplied melt is shaped between the teeth as it cools into a portion
Data Source
AI summary
A roller casting method produces a spiral structure, in particular a spiral structure for use in electric machines. Molten metal is supplied between a first roller and a second roller miming opposite thereto, wherein the first roller has first teeth, and the second roller has second teeth, said first and/or second teeth having tooth flanks with cavities for receiving the supplied molten metal. The teeth are designed and aligned such that the cavity of at least one tooth is at least temporarily delimited by the surface of a tooth of the other roller when the rollers are rotating such that the supplied molten metal is molded between the teeth while cooling and is molded into a section of the spiral structure.