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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/T02125X/1
Title Additive Manufacturing of High Performance Shaped-Profile Electrical Machine Windings
Status Completed
Energy Categories Energy Efficiency(Transport) 10%;
Other Power and Storage Technologies 80%;
Energy Efficiency(Industry) 10%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 50%;
Applied Research and Development 50%;
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Metallurgy and Materials) 20%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) 40%;
ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 40%;
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr N Simpson
No email address given
Electrical and Electronic Engineering
University of Bristol
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 22 June 2020
End Date 21 June 2023
Duration 36 months
Total Grant Value £332,913
Industrial Sectors Electronics; Manufacturing
Region South West
Programme Manufacturing : Manufacturing, NC : Engineering
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr N Simpson , Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bristol (99.999%)
  Other Investigator Professor SNB Hodgson , The Vice Chancellor's Office, Teesside University (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , Renishaw PLC (Old Town) (0.000%)
Project Contact , Motor Design Ltd (0.000%)
Project Contact , 3T Additive Manufacturing Ltd (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract Performance improvement of electrical machines in terms of power-density and efficiency is central to the success of hybrid- and electric- vehicles and more- or all- electric aircraft, as indicated by the UK Advanced Propulsion Centre and the Aerospace Technology Institute. Efficiency and packaging volume of conventional electrical machines are limited by the method used to manufacture electrical windings, i.e. using pre-insulated conductors of uniform cross-section wound around the teeth of the stator. Here, we propose the use of metal additive manufacturing (3d printing), in which feedstock or powdered material is selectively bonded in a succession of 2D layers to incrementally form a compact 3D winding. The geometric freedom offered by additive manufacturing allows the simultaneous minimisation of end-winding volume and individual shaping of conductor profiles to optimise efficiency all while acting as a substrate for high performance inorganic electrical insulation materials. The technology could address the increasing drive to low batch size, flexibility and customisation in design for high integrity and high value electrical machines for the aerospace, energy and high value automotive sectors while enabling CO2 reductions demanded by legislation and market sentiment.Specifically, I will lead this multidisciplinary project exploring the potential benefits of Additive Manufacturing of High Performance Shaped Profile Electrical Machine windings leveraging expertise from industrial and academic partners Renishaw, 3TAM, Motor Design Ltd and Teesside University. The partners represent leading electrical machine design (Motor Design Ltd, University of Bristol), electrical insulation materials (Teesside University), UK additive manufacturing supply chain (Renishaw) and end-use additive manufacturing part production (3TAM). This range of partners cover the necessary skills and capability to go from theoretical winding design to manufactured, insulated prototype windings. As such, the project will result in a significant growth in the UK's knowledge and skills base in this area and develop a technology demonstrator to illustrate the quantitative benefit of such windings to industry and academia. This will allow new cross-sector relationships and collaborations to be cultivated with a view to perpetuate the research beyond the project period, ultimately leading to industrial adoption and further poising the UK as a centre for excellence in high value electrical machine technologies.
Publications (none)
Final Report (none)
Added to Database 23/11/21