Topological Optimization for Loss Reduction in Additively Manufactured Soft Magnetic Materials

Abstract

Although metal additive manufacturing has matured into a technology offering significant design freedom, it is still finding its place in the field of electrical machines. Its great potential lies in printing atypical electrical machines, such as transverse flux motors. Numerous successful attempts to print various soft magnetic materials can be found in the literature; however, high eddy current iron losses remain challenging. While there are several methods to reduce these losses, they often do not account for the part’s shape or the operating frequencies. To address this, we propose using topological optimization methods to find new structures that effectively reduce losses. The resulting designs must then be evaluated not only in terms of specific loss but also with respect to the input power required to achieve the desired magnetic induction.