Engineers’ Hub for Electric Motor Efficiency

Electric motor design is about more than just reducing cost -- it’s about the chance to get innovative and exceed performance expectations.

If you’re already experimenting with new electric motor solutions that are a little "different,” consider incorporating powder metallurgy (PM) into your plan. Whether you’re looking for electric motor efficiency or cost reduction, chances are a PM solution exists.

Use this hub as a resource for understanding the advantages of powder metallurgy for motor applications vs. competing technologies like electrical steel laminations. Below you can learn more about the untapped potential powder metallurgy holds for motor makers -- and how you can use it to push the boundaries of your design.

Electric Motor Efficiency Through Materials & Processes

Using powder metal parts to cut costs is nothing new. Using powder metal components to further the “electrification” of transportation and other electromagnetic applications is the new frontier for driving performance and cost-efficiency to new heights.

In the case of transportation, these opportunities go far beyond the traditional automobile. Powder metallurgy processes and materials are seeing more use in:

E-bikes
E-scooters
E-motorcycles

Powder metal materials and processes can optimize both AC and DC motors -- everything from axial flux motors to magnetic torque tunnels. Basically, anything that needs to be small and efficient needs to include metal powder parts.

Resource: 3 Trends in Manufacturing Auto Parts: Does Powder Metal Have a Place?

Design Flexibility

A powder metal part is born when premixed iron alloy is pressed into a desired shape to produce 3D structures. Because it’s a material-efficient, net-shape process, it’s dramatically easier and more efficient to design with powder metal vs. machining or another subtractive process.

Think about how engineers place electric car motors on the front or rear axle -- space is at a premium. Today it’s possible to redesign the motor with powdered metal components to use space more efficiently. You can use the extra space to include other components or just make the entire product smaller and lighter!

Advanced powder metallurgy manufacturers are here to help e-motor designers meet the increasing demand for smaller electric and hybrid motors.

Resource: Electric Motor Efficiency & 4 Other Uses for Soft Magnetic Composite

Cost Reduction

Cutting costs for a growing variety of pressed and sintered motor components remains the heart of powder metallurgy.

If your current design is cumbersome and producing excessive scrap, consider a redesign with powder metal. PM produces a more compact design with virtually no leftover material -- scrap waste rarely exceeds 3%.

Sometimes powder metallurgy can even reduce the number of parts needed in an assembly traditionally made with electrical lamination steel.

Resource: Soft Magnetic Composites: A Visual Crash Course on Improving Motor Efficiency

MEET YOUR CONSULTANTS

Fran Hanejko is an industry-leading expert who works with Horizon as our Senior Advanced Materials Engineer. Fran has decades of experience in powder metallurgy, including managing customer applications for a world-leading raw material supplier. He graduated from Drexel University in 1974 with a master’s degree in materials engineering.

Contact Fran with your materials questions by filling out the form on this page.

Tom Freemer, our Director of Technology & Business Development, has worked as a design and material development expert for a world-leading raw material supplier. Today, Tom collaborates with design engineers across several industries to create innovative PM solutions, whether it’s through an advanced manufacturing technique or a unique material alloy. He graduated from Penn State University in 2000 with a degree in materials engineering.

If you have questions relating to the PM manufacturing process, fill out the form and get in touch with Tom.

Powder Metallurgy Vs. Stamping: Advantages & Disadvantages

Stamping has produced pieces from cold sheet metal for hundreds of years. In contrast, the powder metallurgy process is even older and involves temperatures that reach well into the four-digit range.

Skipping Steps: Sinter Hardening vs. Conventional Sintering Processes

A discussion about the efficiency and performance possibilities of modern metal manufacturing is incomplete without the concept of sintering in powder metallurgy.

Powder Metallurgy Vs. Machining: Advantages & Disadvantages

All manufacturing processes and technologies have their share of pros and cons. Yet, when it comes to powder metallurgy, few processes have changed for the better in a relatively short period of time.

Today, the advantages of powder metallurgy rival many conventional manufacturing technologies -- even machining -- when it comes to the production of high quantities.

COMPONENT SPOTLIGHT: Engine Mounting System

Powder metal parts have been synonymous with the automotive industry for decades. Still, manufacturers continue to unearth new uses for powder metallurgy in the auto. Car companies can thank the many recent advances in powder materials -- especially those that improve magnetic performance.

Decoding Hysteresis Loss in DC Motors With the BH Magnetization Curve

Looking for the right material and process for your metal project? You can learn a great deal about the properties of a ferromagnetic material by studying its magnetic hysteresis loop. You can also learn how to minimize losses in DC machines (and maybe even ACs too!).

Electric Vehicle Trends Are Moving Forward Despite COVID

If there are any positives that have come out of the COVID-19 pandemic, one of them is unquestionably the reduction in pollution and climate change-causing carbon monoxide. According to the Wall Street Journal, in just one week in March, New York City's carbon monoxide levels decreased by more than 50% after the government enacted the city's stay-home order. New York City is hardly alone -- the smog that normally hangs above Los Angeles has largely dissipated, and China has seen a major decline in pollution after Wuhan and other parts of the country were temporarily shut down.

Engineers’ Hub for Electric Motor Efficiency

Electric Motor Efficiency Through Materials & Processes

Design Flexibility

Lighter Weight

Rapid-Response Applications

Magnetic Performance