Breakthroughs in Motor Materials Propel the Industry Toward Greater Efficiency

The performance of electric motors-the heart of modern industrial systems - is primarily affected by electric motor design and fabrication methods; however, increasingly, innovations in materials technology have made the performance of electric motors – and more broadly, motor systems like electric vehicles – possible.    The demand for energy efficient, lightweight, and durable motors is driving excessive demand for innovations in motor materials, which will drive the next wave of technological change.

Key Material Innovation Trends:

Efficiency: High-Performance Magnetic Materials

The most common high-performance magnetic material is neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets which have high magnetic performance.  To circumvent problems of thermal demagnetization, codependency on rare elements, and discharge from rare elements being ecofriendly, research is focused on high-temperature-resistant compounds from NdFeB and developing heavy rare earth doped (e.g., dysprosium, terbium) and rare-earth-free new magnets.

Efficiency: Low-Loss Electrical Steel

Motor cores are made from global ultra-thin, high magnetic flux density, and low-loss sheets of electrical steel. High-grade grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) and non-grain-oriented electrical steel (NOES) have minimized energy loss from eddy currents that make systems more efficient to propel electric vehicles and best quality industrial motors.

Efficiency: Lightweight high-strength composites

To minimize motor weight and improve power density and efficiency, engineers are beginning to utilize carbon fiber composites and engineering plastics and resins for rotor supports, end shields, and housing. The new designs would combine the unique strength with very low weight which would drastically improve motor performance and energy savings.

Durability: Advanced Insulation Materials

Modern motors are subjected to increasingly high frequency and high voltage frequencies, which require superior insulation. Recent innovations and developments in polymer based insulation such as regular and nano-composite coatings and flexible heat resistant films have provided extreme dielectric strength which has dramatically prolonged motor life.

Industry Impact

End-user manufacturing companies are improving and expanding material technologies that are being developed to allow greater combinations of smaller sizes, less weights, greater efficiency, and greater durability. These next generation motors are being utilized in areas like electric vehicles, wind energy, and high-end CNC equipment or environment and those end-user companies are improving their competitiveness.

In the near future in the global shift toward intelligent and low-carbon development, new motor products will emerge as the commercialization from advancing green manufacture and recyclable materials and extreme performance motor capabilities arrive in the marketplace.