Electric Machine Stator Lamination via 3D Printed Conductive Traces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric machines face inefficiencies due to eddy current losses in stator cores and limitations in maximizing slot fill, which affect performance and cost, particularly in radial flux machines.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the application and orientation of magnetically conductive layers using 3D printing techniques to form components like stator and rotor laminations, allowing for optimized magnetic field direction and reduced eddy current losses, while also enabling more efficient wire placement and assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If traditional stamped laminations are used to form the stator core, then eddy current losses are reduced through lamination, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to stacking and joining multiple rigid hollow laminations
Solution Approach 1:
The stator core is divided into multiple thin laminations stacked together, with each lamination having slots for windings. This segmentation reduces eddy current losses by breaking up continuous conductive paths while maintaining the magnetic circuit integrity through stacking and joining of individual laminations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical winding methods with a printed circuit board (PCB)-based stator core where conductive traces are directly printed onto the lamination surfaces. This substitution eliminates the need for separate winding operations, needle insertion, and complex coil assembly, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity.
2Power
If more wire is positioned about the stationary assembly to maximize slot fill, then power output increases, but manufacturing difficulty increases due to needle insertion requirements and winding complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical winding processes with a printing process where conductive traces are directly deposited onto the stator lamination slots. This allows for higher wire density and more complex winding patterns to be achieved through automated printing, significantly improving power output while reducing manufacturing difficulty.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing parameter from mechanical winding (requiring needle insertion and manual/coil placement) to a printing process that can directly deposit conductive materials in precise patterns. This parameter change enables higher trace density and more efficient slot fill without increasing manufacturing complexity.
3Loss of energy
If grain orientation in steel laminations is optimized for magnetic field direction, then machine efficiency improves, but manufacturing complexity increases due to orientation control requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material form from traditional oriented steel laminations to printed conductive traces on non-magnetic or magnetically conductive substrates. This parameter change allows for precise control of current path orientation to match magnetic flux patterns without requiring complex grain orientation processes, maintaining efficiency while simplifying manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite structures where conductive traces (printed circuits) are applied onto lamination substrates. This composite approach allows the substrate to provide structural support and magnetic properties while the printed traces provide optimized current paths, achieving efficient magnetic field utilization without the complexity of grain-oriented steel manufacturing.
4Strength
If rigid hollow laminations are stacked and joined to form the stator core, then structural integrity is maintained, but production time and labor costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the multi-step process of stacking and joining rigid hollow laminations with a printing process where the entire stator core structure is built layer by layer or where conductive traces are printed directly onto flat laminations. This substitution significantly reduces production time and eliminates labor-intensive joining operations while maintaining structural integrity through alternative bonding or support methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies conductive traces and winding patterns directly onto the lamination surfaces during the manufacturing process itself, rather than requiring separate winding operations after core assembly. This preliminary action integrates multiple manufacturing steps into a single process, reducing overall production time while maintaining structural requirements.
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 approach enhances the efficiency and performance of electric machines by reducing noise and vibration, lowering manufacturing costs, and improving capacity, while allowing for more complex magnetic flux patterns and increased wire density without the need for traditional winding methods.
Implementation Method 1
Grains in the steel used to make such laminations may be oriented in a desired direction to assist in improving the magnetic field, and the efficiency of the electric machine
Data Source
AI summary
A method for making a component for use in an electric machine is provided. The method includes applying first and second portions of a first material to a first surface, applying a second material to the first portion of first material; bonding the second material to the first portion of the first material, removing the second portion of the first material to form a void defined by the first portion of the first material, applying a conductive material in the void, and applying an insulating layer to the second material, wherein the process for preparing the component further comprising the steps of: applying first and second portions of a third material to the insulating layer; applying a fourth material to the first portion of third material, and bonding the fourth material to the first portion of the third material.