Projects / Programmes
Development of complex shape multicomponent permanent magnets with the use of advanced 3D printing technology.
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 2.04.02 |
Engineering sciences and technologies |
Materials science and technology |
Metallic materials |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| T152 |
Technological sciences |
Composite materials |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 2.05 |
Engineering and Technology |
Materials engineering |
Aditive manufacturing, permanent magnets, high energy magnets, energy, environment, rare earth
Researchers (12)
Organisations (3)
Abstract
With the transfer to renewable energy and electric mobility, especially for motors of hybrid electric vehicles (HEV) and electric vehicles (EV), permanent magnets (PM), especially Nd-Fe-B magnets, are one of the most crucial raw materials necessary for modern Europe, as they are integral to energy conversion in electric motors and generators. Because of the demand for better efficiency, lower costs and the classification of the raw materials as critical for the EU, there is an ever-increasing industrial and scientific effort to design a new generation, in shape and composition, of Nd-Fe-B magnets. Today’s research is focused on finding new magnetic materials and magnetic materials with no heavy rare-earth elements, but still, no suitable replacement could be found for the Nd-Fe-B magnets with a high Dysprosium content. It was shown that changing the design of a magnet (“V” shape geometry) could increase the efficiency by 50% in a traction motor, but producing complex net shape parts by direct sintering is still not practically feasible, as it requires energy and resource intensive post-machining.
The objective of the proposed project is the development of a new type of magnet that will have a lower heavy rare-earth content and increased efficiency by applying design changes, like replacing “V-type” magnets by a single magnetic body of a curved shape, or introducing cooling structures and small laminations/segments to reduce eddy current losses. This will be achieved with the use of advanced 3D printing technology, which is a hot topic in today’s manufacturing process, but still have not been applied in the magnet production. Simulations will be developed to achieve the best design concepts for magnets in a traction motor. These new design concepts will be printed in a modified fused deposition modelling (FDM) printer. The printer will use specially made filaments, prepared in a modified extruder where the polymer/magnet powder mix will be extruded through a magnetic field, to achieve aligned particles, for highest magnetic properties. Different filaments will be prepared with different heavy rare-earth content and printed simultaneously to develop multicomponent magnets with high magnetic properties only in regions where the magnet feels the highest demagnetization load. To achieve good magnetic properties after printing, the polymer will be removed with a debinding step and the green body will be sintered to get a dense magnet. Because this has never been done on multicomponent magnets, special care has to be taken on the debinding and sintering step, because of the different sintering temperatures of the materials. A thorough LCA and LCC will be conducted to evaluate the economic and environmental aspect of the proposed production process compared to the classical sintering with post-machining.
The available high level of interdisciplinary scientific and technical expertise within the project group from JSI, CEM, and Kolektor d.o.o. offers unique opportunities to develop a full corpus of knowledge regarding opportunities, both in scientific excellence and exploitation, including advanced technologies that are the key to solving the strategically essential questions about critical raw materials. The development of a complex shape multicomponent permanent magnet could improve Kolektor’s strategic position on the global market as a producer of magnets with an increased material efficiency by at least 30% during manufacturing, and by reducing the need of heavy rare-earth elements below 1% used in electric mobility. On the short and medium time frame, the proposed new technology will increase the demand, production and the number of jobs in Kolektor d.o.o. This novel technology would, in general, protect Kolektor d.o.o., from unstable supplies, leading to stronger high-tech material sector within Slovenia and the EU.
Significance for science
The additive manufacturing technology is a relatively young science, and in the field of indirect polymer-based magnetic prints, there are no published papers. This is why this project is ideal for developing a new scientific field where Slovenia could have a leading role. Permanent-magnets (PM) based research has a long and strong tradition in Slovenia. The group at JSI has made many vital contributions in Nd-Fe-B field of research in the past 25 years with more than 100 publications and several successful projects on recycling of PMs. We have five registered patents (2 European) and 2 patent applications. Besides, Kolektor d.o.o., with a history of 50 years being one of Europe’s leading highly specialized industrial producers, is a leading global supplier to worldwide producers of automotive systems in the field of commutators, rotors, electronic, magnetic and hybrid components based on modern magnets. CEM is an expert in the field of polymers, composites, polymer melts, suspensions, and related applications; together with CEM these three partners have all the expertise required to innovate a new production technology that will make Kolektor d.o.o. more competitive in the harsh magnet market, and will lead to significant scientific breakthroughs for the research team as a whole. The most important breakthroughs that we can expect include: (i) the successful development of magnetic filled filament with aligned particles suitable for printing in a FDM printer, (ii) development of a 3D printer capable of printing multiple magnetic filled filaments with aligned particles, (iii) and the first printed complex magnetic multicomponent part. The produced multicomponent piece will increase material efficiency by at least 30% during manufacturing and reduce needed heavy rare-earth elements below 1%.
These scientific developments will lead to important publications in prestigious scientific and technology journals (2-4 per year in the second, third and +1 years of the project, with publications in open source journals), patentable materials and technologies that will benefit all of the members of the research team (1-3 in total, relating to the separation technique, the sintering technique and the industrial upscaling). We expect a successful application for future scientific funds for related projects that will benefit Slovenian scientists working in this field at all levels. The research team will also be open to the potential for licensing technological developments patented in the course of the project to companies in Slovenia, Europe, and throughout the world.
Significance for the country
The direct impacts of the project are potentially substantial concerning the area of the industry to which it applies. These impacts can be broken down into the following areas:
a) The economic benefits for the company Kolektor d.o.o., as well as for the Slovenian and EU economies in more general terms. At present no 3D printed magnets exist, but there is already strong market interest based on the desperate need for better magnets and new form factors and more efficient methods of production, creating strong interest in additive manufactured magnets. With their higher efficiency in traction motors, they will gain more and more use in the electric vehicle market, which is already expanding rapidly. Electric vehicles contain vast amounts of RE-TM magnets in each vehicle (?10kg). Also, reduction of the heavy rare-earth content in high energy product magnets will also reduce the cost of such magnets, and the company will not be exposed to high fluctuations in their price. With the ability to produce magnets more efficiently than the competition, it will increase Kolektors’s competitiveness and market share. Perhaps most importantly, they will have unique new types of magnets made quickly in complex bespoke shapes, offering access to emerging applications and uses. The project would have the following direct economic effects: an increase in Kolektor’s profit, as it would start selling products with a higher added value; a growth in sales for Kolektor of 10-20% in the next 5 years as a result of the realised project; a significant contribution to the Slovenian national economy, related to the economic success of the project; a market share of up to 50% for EU producers, in relation to the other world producers, over the next 10 years as a result of sales from Kolektor d.o.o. and company partnerships with other Slovenian and EU producers.
b) Employment at Kolektor d.o.o. The expected economic success will also be reflected in increased employment at Kolektor: an estimated 10-20 more people will be employed over the next five years, because of the new additive manufacturing line, which will also benefit to society as a whole.
c) The environment and energy efficiency. The benefits to the environment will come from two sources. Directly, through zero waste production, as it will employ a net-shape process. No waste in grinding or cutting will occur. Besides, this will also reduce the amount of rare-earth raw materials, as mining is one of the ecologically damaging activities in the world. All this will improve the local conditions for employees through more pleasant working conditions as well as a cleaner environment in Slovenia and the world. Indirectly, the environment benefits through the improved and new applications made possible by the introduction of additive manufactured magnets, enabling cleaner, more-energy-efficient technologies. This applies most notably to the applications in transport, by the faster implementation of EVs and HEVs.
Most important scientific results
Interim report
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Interim report
