Let‘s Get Real: How to Improve Motor Performance by Starting with Magnets
Honestly, if you‘ve been working in motor design for a while, you‘ll inevitably hit a performance plateau. It feels like you‘ve tried almost everything in topology optimization and control algorithms, but clients always want smaller sizes and greater power—what we often refer to as higher power density and torque.
At times like this, instead of struggling endlessly with software, it‘s worth revisiting the most critical component in the motor: the magnets.
I know what you‘re thinking: "It‘s all about the grades, right? If N52 isn‘t enough, just go for N55." But the truth is, the real cutting-edge approach isn‘t just about chasing incremental improvements in grade numbers. The world of magnets runs deeper than we often realize.
The two "hidden attributes" of magnets that truly impact motor performance
But many people overlook another, perhaps even more important attribute: coercivity. This is the magnet‘s "resilience"—its ability to resist being demagnetized by high temperatures or reverse magnetic fields. Think about it: when the motor is running under heavy loads, it gets hot inside, and the current is high. Ordinary magnets might not "hold up," leading to a drop in magnetic performance and, consequently, torque output. High-coercivity magnets are specifically designed for such harsh operating conditions.
So, what tangible benefits can using better magnets bring to our motor designs?
Let me give you an example. Take electric vehicle traction motors, where high temperatures are a major headache. Ordinary magnets see their coercivity drop at elevated temperatures, which might make you hesitant to push the motor to its maximum torque continuously for fear of demagnetization. But if you use specialized magnets with high coercivity and high operating temperatures, you can run the motor more aggressively, naturally boosting its continuous power output. It‘s like unlocking a performance constraint.
Another example is applications with extremely strict size and weight requirements, like drones. By using magnets with ultra-high remanence, you can make the magnets thinner while maintaining the same magnetic flux, or design a more compact rotor, freeing up valuable space and weight for other components. Isn‘t this exactly how "power density" is improved?
So, you see, the next time you talk to your magnet supplier, don‘t just ask, "Do you have N55?" Instead, try asking, "What does the demagnetization curve of this material look like at 150°C?" or "Can you help customize a formulation with more stable performance at high temperatures?"
Sometimes, the breakthrough in motor performance lies in these seemingly basic conversations about raw materials. Have you recently encountered any performance bottlenecks in your projects? Are you also stuck with size and torque challenges?
Email
WhatsApp
