ELECTRIC MOTOR MANUFACTURING

JOE TURNER | MANUFACTURING STRATEGY | E-DRIVES MANAGER

IBON TERRAZAS | TECHNICAL LEAD| E-DRIVES & BATTERIES

YOUR TRAINER FOR THIS MORNING

Joe Turner | Manufacturing Strategy and E-Drives

Manager at HSSMI

10 years of Automotive experience at Jaguar Land

Rover
Supported multiple vehicle and powertrain
launches in China, Brazil, India and Austria during
this time
Most recently involved in 6 Cylinder ICE Launch,
Battery Assembly Centre launch and EDU
Launches at JLR
Background in Manufacturing, Quality and
Supply chain systems

2
YOUR TRAINER FOR THIS MORNING

Ibon Terrazas | E-Drives and batteries Technical

Lead at HSSMI

Bachelor degree in electrical engineering and

MSc in Renewable Energy Sources.

Experience in logistics at CNHi.

Commercial and R&D projects with Ford, JRL,

AMTE Power, TEVVA Motors, etc.

3
TODAY’S AGENDA

Electric Motor Electric Motor Electric Motor Electric Vehicle

Introduction Fundamentals Manufacturing application
Processes and future
development

4
 Electric
Motor
Introduction

5
WHAT IS AN ELECTRIC MOTOR?

• An electric motor is any of a

class of rotary electrical
machine that converts direct
current electrical energy into
mechanical energy.
• They most commonly rely on
forces produced via magnetic
fields, and it is those motors
we shall focus on in this
training session.

YASA’s P400 Axial Flux Motor

6
 ELECTRIC MOTORS IN AUTOMOTIVE
APPLICATIONS

• In a conventional internal combustion engine

(ICE), fuel stores chemical energy, that is
transferred to mechanical energy via a
transmission, to propel the wheels and the
vehicle forwards

• In a pure electric vehicle, the battery stores

electrical energy and via an inverter is
transferred to mechanical energy, delivered by
the electric motor

• Electric motors are not only used in pure

electric vehicles but also in hydrogen or any
other type of vehicles.

7
ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT FUNDAMENTALS

• In a basic electrical circuit, current is

generated by the power source (Li
Ion battery)
• Current is passed from the positive
terminal of the battery along the
wire towards the negative terminal
(Conventional current / blue arrows)
• The current will only flow, if a
complete circuit is in place (e.g
Switch is connected)
• Electron flow is actually in reverse,
from the negative terminal towards
the positive (Green arrows)

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 MAGNETISM FUNDAMENTALS

• Permanent magnets have a permanent

state of magnetism, they do not need a
catalyst to create magnetic fields
• Opposite poles attract each other (e.g.
North/South)
• The same poles reject each other (e.g.
North/North)
• Magnets can come in various shapes
(e.g square)
• The hotter that magnets become; they
become less magnetic. The strength is
regained once it has cooled down
• Neodymium magnets lose circa 5%
magnetism every 100 years, others have
a much quicker degradation rate

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 ELECTROMAGNETISM – GENERATING MAGNETISM
USING ELECTRIC CURRENT
• Passing current through a conductive wire (e.g
copper) creates a magnetic field around the wire,
in the same direction as the current (North to
South)

• Furthermore, if you wrap the wire around a

ferromagnetic material e.g Iron bolt, it increases
the magnetic field strength generated

• The iron bolt and copper wire combination, has

now become an ‘Electromagnet’. The copper
wire which has current passed along it is known
as the ‘Solenoid’

• Increasing the volume of the solenoid and/or

wrapping it more compactly around the object,
increases the magnetic field strength

• Unlike a permanent magnet, once the current is

stopped, the iron bolt will no longer generate a 10
magnetic field
ELECTROMAGNETISM – LORENTZ FORCE LAW
OR LEFT-HAND RULE

F=ILBsinθ

B= magnetic flux
I=current
L=length of the wire
θ =the angle between the wire
and the magnetic field

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FARADAY’S LAW OF INDUCTION

Electromagnetic Induction is the process of using

magnetic fields to produce voltage, and in a closed
circuit, a current.

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HOW DOES AN ELECTRIC MOTOR
WORK?
• The principle of an electric motor is
"whenever a current carrying conductor
is placed in a magnetic field, it
experiences a mechanical force"

Key Components of a DC motor

• Stator and Rotor
• Permanent magnets and
electromagnet
• Copper windings and steel core
(Laminations)
• Brushes and Commutator
• Axel and Motor housing

13
THREE PHASE AC CURRENT

• AC current and the associated electrons go

through cycles.
• Measured in Hertz e.g 50hz means 50
cycles per second.
• The current goes from absolute positive,
through neutral and then to absolute
negative.
• At the positive and negative peaks,
electron flow is at it’s fastest. When at
neutral, electrons do not flow so there is
zero current
• This single-phase approach means
inconsistent current application which
causes issues in motor torque consistency

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ELECTRIC MOTOR CLASSIFICATION

Electric motors

DC motors AC motors

Induction
DC brushed Synchronous
(Asynchronous )

Permanent
DC brushless Magnet
Squirrel cage Rotor excited
(BLDC) Synchronous
Motor

Wound rotor IPM

SPM

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INDUCTION MOTORS - ASYNCHRONOUS

• The most commonly used fixed AC motor. Used in

industry and large buildings, to power auxiliary
systems - Elevators, escalators, pumps, fans,
conveyors etc
• Unlike the DC motor which has permanent magnets,
the stator has coiled windings which generates a
rotating magnetic field which changes polarity
• Three Phase AC current is used to ensure consistent
power output and magnetic field rotation
• Rotor uses a squirrel cage design with stacked
laminations internally
• A fan is required to pump cold air through the motor
for cooling purposes
• Rotor speed if is behind the rmf (rotating magnetic
field).

By BurnsBurnsBurns - Own work, CC BY 3.0, 17

• There is a “slip” https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=474
2871
SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR

• The stator windings are connected to a

three-phase alternating-current supply.
• The stator is excited by a DC power
supply or contain permanent
magnets to create a magnetic field
around it.
• Both magnetic fields will lock
magnetically and therefore will
rotate at the same speed as the rmf.
• There is no slip, and the rotor works
at the synchronous speed of the
stator
• Easy to control the speed

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INTERIOR PERMANENT MAGNET MOTORS
(IPM) VS INDUCTION MOTORS

Induction Motor

Interior Permanent
Magnet Motor 19
PERFORMANCE COMPARISON

Permanent Magnet Induction

Synchronous Motor

Optimal Speed Low and high speeds High speeds

Optimal Loads Heavy loads Low loads

Vehicle Power Source Primary Secondary

Applications Full BEV, PHEV and Mild-hybrid, Auxiliary

Strong-Hybrid power unit

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TYPE OF MAGNETIC MATERIALS

Magnetic material Advantages Disadvantages

FERRITE (FE), CERAMIC • Inexpensive • Weaker than rare

• High resistance to earth materials
demagnetisation and
corrosion
ALNICO (AL-NI-CO) • Stronger than ferrite • Susceptible to
demagnetisation

NEODYMIUM (NDFEB) • Strongest magnets • Supply chain

• Low cost per unit dependence
strength • Low operation
temperature
SAMARIUM COBALT • Strongest after • Expensive as they
(SmCo) Neodynium contain cobalt
• High operation
temperature 21
MAGNET PERFORMANCE

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ANY QUESTIONS SO FAR?

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TODAY’S AGENDA

Electric Motor
Fundamentals

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 • Operating lifetime: ~10,000 hours vs
50,000 – 100,000 hours in industrial
machines
• Intensity of operation: three times
But why are the peak rating at stator winding
electric motors current densities
• Packaging limitations: electric
different in vehicle batteries take up a
automotive significant proportion of a vehicle’s
platform and leave little space for
applications? other powertrain components
• Noise, Vibration and Harshness
(NVH) considerations: varies
between mild-hybrids, PHEVs and
BEVs due to different interactions
with existing ICE components

Collaborate. Innovate. Deploy.

 • The first generation of automotive electric
motors were based on stationary motors, and
the manufacturing processes reflected that.
Now electric motors are designed specifically for
automotive applications, with ideal working
points and delivering torque and efficiency for
the given vehicle.

• Something as a small as a 0.5% improvement

Bridging the in efficiency in an electric motor could shave
kilograms off a battery pack, which is significant
gap when range is such a defining criteria when
selecting an electric car.

• In first-generation EV motor designs the gap

between the stator teeth and the outer
diameter of the rotor, which is the rotating
portion, was in the 1 mm range. As designs
advance, magnets are moved closer to the outer
diameter to create more torque now resulting
in gaps as small as 0.4mm.
Collaborate. Innovate. Deploy.
 HAIRPIN WINDINGS TO THE RESCUE!

• Hairpin windings; rather than

their more traditional stranded
wire counterparts; has two major
advantages:
1. The rectangular sections fill the
slightly trapezoidal volume of
the stator tooth openings
much better than round wires.
2. Heat rejection is improved as
the regularly formed
rectangular armature has a
much higher exposed surface
in the end-turn area.

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A BRUSHLESS FUTURE

Brushed: The brushed DC electric motor

generates torque directly from DC power
supplied to the motor by using internal
commutation, stationary magnets
(permanent or electromagnets), and
rotating electromagnets.

Brushless: Typical brushless DC (BLDC)

motors use one or more permanent
magnets in the rotor and electromagnets
on the motor housing for the stator. A
motor controller converts DC to AC.

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BRUSHLESS DC MOTORS IN USE TODAY

• Transport: brushless
motors are found in
electric vehicles, hybrid
vehicles and personal
transport (i.e. segways,
hoverboards etc.)
• Cordless tools: drills, leaf
blowers, vacuum cleaners
• Heating, Ventilation and
Aircon (HVAC) systems:
systems requiring variable-
speed/load-modulation
make use of brushless
motors’ microprocessors to
provide much higher levels
of control
Audi’s “skateboard” EV platform

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IN-WHEEL ELECTRIC DRIVE MOTORS (IWEMS)

https://www.e-motec.net/in-wheel-motors-beyond-
torque-vectoring/

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END OF SECTION 1 = COFFEE BREAK

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TODAY’S AGENDA

Electric Motor
Manufacturing
Processes

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ELECTRIC MOTOR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

Three primary production Four auxiliary production

processes: processes:
• Rotor production • Bulkhead production
• Stator production • Housing production
• Motor assembly • Bus-bar carrier assembly
• Off-line quality assurance

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ROTOR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

Magnet
Casting
installation
1. Casting
2. Machining rotor
3. Laminated steel core
Bearing
4. Rotor hub assembly support
Machining
rotor
assembly
5. Bearing support assembly
6. Magnet installation

Rotor hub Laminated

assembly steel core

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1. CASTING

Magnet
Casting
installation

Rotor laminations are die-cast

from electrical steel or copper
chosen based on the material’s
Bearing
mechanical and magnetic Machining
support
properties. The most widely used rotor shaft
assembly
electrical steels are low carbon
steel, silicon steel, nickel- and
cobalt alloys.

Rotor hub Laminated

assembly steel core
37
SELECTING THE RIGHT STEEL

Critical are the magnetic rather than mechanical properties when considering which electrical steel
to use for rotor laminations. There are industry specifications for electrical steels but not really
sufficient for use in motor design.

• Electrical steels only make up 1/700 of worldwide steel production (20 million out of 1.4 billion
tonnes).
• Lamination manufacturers have to compile their own magnetic characterisations of various
electrical steels.

Customers will define electric motor requirements such as high torque or high efficiency, and then
lamination manufacturers will base their selection of steel mills and their respective steels on these
parameters.
• Such steels are typically more than two to three times more expensive than their standard
counterparts.

38
2. MACHINING ROTOR SHAFT
Magnet
Casting
installation
Rotor shaft will normally require milling,
turning and grinding operations, the
latter dependant upon specific rotor
shaft design features normally associated
with journals where bearings are fitted.
Bearing
Machining
support
rotor shaft Based upon production volume
assembly
requirements, the processes maybe fully
automated or semi automated with
manual loading.

Rotor hub Laminated

assembly steel core

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3. LAMINATED STEEL - ROTOR CORE

Magnet
installation
Casting Stacked laminations fit over the rotor shaft. A
decision is required between laser cutting
laminations or stamping.

For stamping, thinner laminations make for

smaller clearances between the stamp and die
which can create complications in the
Bearing
Machining manufacturing processes as they are more prone
support
assembly
rotor shaft to bend.

Tooling has a high upfront cost, and changes to

the lamination design are expensive.

Laminations produced are naturally pre-aligned

to an extent which helps with the stacking
Rotor hub Laminated process.
assembly steel core

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 THINNING THE LAMINATIONS IN THE STACK
• Reducing the amount of eddy current is the reason why there are several thin pieces or sheets of steel
or laminations make up the rotor core instead of a solid piece of metal. Use of lacquer coatings allow
manufacturers to avoid eddy current bounce between laminations and therefore ensure that rotor core
laminations remain thin.
• Most of the steel that lamination manufacturers stamp today for industrial applications are in the 0.50
to 0.72 mm range, whereas hybrid and EV designs are typically sized at 0.30, 0.27 and 0.25 mm.

• 0.25mm is approaching foil thickness, so, the technical complexity of stamping material that thin
is much different than thicker steels used for traditional industrial motors.
• As laminations get thinner, it gets more difficult to make a nice clean cut, and the tooling
tolerances have to be progressively tighter.
• Special strip feeding equipment is also required to maintain rigidity in 0.25mm material that may
have to move through a stamping die as fast as 250 strokes per minute.
• Annealing can actually be used to create better magnetic properties in steel laminations,
meaning that 0.3mm lamination could treated to be as effective as a 0.27mm thickness.

41
4. ROTOR HUB ASSEMBLY
Magnet
Casting
installation
The rotor hub is manufactured by die
casting, a very accurate method to cast
components often avoiding further
machining operations. This process forces
under pressure, molten metals into an
Bearing
support
Machining empty cavity created by two hardened
rotor shaft
assembly steel dies which have been machined into
the desired rotor hub shape.

Whilst further machining is planned to be

avoided, the component may require
additional machining dependant upon
Rotor hub Laminated
required design tolerances.
assembly steel core

42
5. BEARING SUPPORT ASSEMBLY -ROTOR
Magnet
Casting
installation
Bearing design and position is critical as part of
the stability of the rotor shaft and the smooth
running when the motor is speeding up or
slowing down. From a design perspective,
increasing the rotor speed is also one of the
Bearing
Machining ways to increase power and torque density.
support
assembly rotor shaft
Bearing currents can create potentially harmful
effects. New solutions in the form of shaft
grounding brushes and hybrid or insulated
bearings along with revised installation
procedures ad special greases are now showing
Rotor hub Laminated significant promise as a cost-effective way of
assembly steel core
eliminating these currents.

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6. MAGNET INSTALLATION

Key Process steps:

Magnet
installation
Casting ❖ Automatically detect cavity slots in the lamination
stack.
❖ Identify placement slots in the lamination stack.
❖ Integrate magnet separation and alignment
❖ Integrate magazine supply for magnets..
❖ Check magnet alignment and fixation prior to
Bearing assembly.
Machining
support
rotor shaft ❖ Use adhesive or staking to bond/retain magnets
assembly
inside rotor.

Rotor hub Laminated

assembly steel core
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45
STATOR MANUFACTURING PROCESSES

1. Stator core casting Stator

Potting Core
2. Slot lining casting
3. Forming Hairpins
4. Hairpins to core Trickle Slot
5. Twist Hairpins Ends Impregnation lining

6. Weld Hairpin Ends

7. Electrical testing Electrical Forming
8. Trickle Impregnation testing Hairpins

9. Potting
Weld
Hairpins to
Hairpin
Twist core
Ends
Hairpins 46
Ends
 1. STATOR CORE DIE CASTING

Stator
Potting core
casting

The stator core body is

Trickle manufactured from Slot
Impregnation aluminium alloy and die lining
cast. The process can be
carried out using
copper which has a
Electrical higher electrical Forming
testing Hairpins
conductivity.

Weld
Hairpins to
Hairpin
Twist core
Ends
Hairpins 47
Ends
2. SLOT LINING

Stator
Potting core
casting

Trickle Slot
The stator slots are lined with paper
Impregnation lining insulation strips which are pre cut and
stacked into the stator slots. The blanking
process for theses strips can be high in
waste.
Electrical Forming
testing Hairpins

Weld
Hairpins to
Hairpin
Twist core
Ends
Hairpins 48
Ends
3. FORMING HAIRPIN CONDUCTORS

Stator
Potting core
casting This is a two step process.
❖ First step is to cut the hairpins to the
correct length.
❖ Step two is forming the wire into the
Trickle Slot
Impregnation lining hairpin shape. Hairpin design through
the range of wire diameter and length
can make each design specific to a
machine.
Electrical Forming ❖ High flexibility though for differing
testing Hairpins knuckle type P-form hairpins can be
accommodated with CNC technology.

Weld Hairpins to
Hairpin Ends Twist core
Hairpins 49
Ends
4. ASSEMBLE HAIRPINS TO CORE

Stator
Potting core
casting
The accurate assembly process of
insetting the hairpin conductors
into the stator core requires
Trickle Slot
Impregnation lining control and stability to avoid
damage to them. This
manufacturing operation is
therefore generally carried out by
Electrical Forming automated machines even for
testing Hairpins medium-high volume electric
motor production.

Weld Hairpins
Hairpin Ends Twist to core
Hairpins 50
Ends
5. TWIST HAIRPIN ENDS

Stator The hairpin end twisting prior to welding

Potting core needs to be completed with an automated
casting process for accuracy and repeatability to
maintain quality.

Trickle Slot The automatic machine carries out the

Impregnation lining
process in 5 steps:

❖ Load the workpiece to the fixture.

❖ Press the hair pins into position.
Electrical Forming
testing Hairpins
❖ Lift the workpiece into the correct position
for twisting.
❖ Twist all the hair pin ends into the correct
Weld Hairpins to forms and position.
Hairpin
Ends Twist core ❖ Move completed assembly to the welding
Hairpins station
Ends 51
 6. WELD HAIRPIN ENDS
Following the previous process of twisting
Stator
Potting core the hairpin ends, the in-process stator
casting assembly is moved to the next machine
process which is a welding process to TIG
weld together the hairpin ends. Each
Trickle Slot hairpin junction is heated to 3000º
Impregnation lining Fahrenheit for less than one second. An
alternative to TIG welding is a more recent
process of laser welding shown below.

Forming
Electrical testing
Hairpins

Weld
Hairpin Hairpins to
Twist core
Ends
Hairpins
Ends 52
7. ELECTRICAL TESTING

The stator is electrically tested for the following

Stator
Potting core
potential physical and connectivity issues and
casting electrical standards with results displayed on a
monitor (HMI). This test is carried out initially
prior to impregnation and potting so that the
Trickle option may be available to repair any
Slot lining manufacturing issues.
Impregnation
Potential Tests:
-Dissipation/power factor measurements
-Partial discharge analysis
-Dielectric response analysis
Electrical Forming
testing Hairpins -Voltage withstand testing
-Insulation resistance
-Polarization index
Weld -DC winding resistance measurements
Hairpins to
Hairpin -Inter turn fault detection
Twist core
Ends
Hairpins The test is normally then repeated post
Ends impregnation and potting. 53
8. TRICKLE IMPREGNATION
Stator
Potting core Impregnation significantly optimizes the
casting
performance of hybrid motors and electric
motors and increases the insulation of the
coils.
Trickle Slot
Impregnation lining The technology also increases the thermal
conductivity and contributes to a positive
environmental balance.
Electrical Forming
testing Hairpins There are machines on the market than can
carry out this process to a highly
automated level with cycle times as low as
Weld
Hairpin
Hairpins to 45 seconds resulting in a capacity of
Ends Twist core around 400,000 units per annum (upa)
Hairpins
Ends
54
STATOR IMPREGNATION EXAMPLE: BDTRONIC TRICKLE
IMPREG

55
56
 9. POTTING

Stator Post welding the hairpin ends and stator winding

Potting core
impregnation, the entire stator is heated to around
casting
300º F and the hairpin ends themselves are dipped
and coated in an aerated dry epoxy,
Trickle Slot
Impregnation lining This potting process encases and protects
electronic assemblies basically within a container
using typically a thermosetting material.
Electrical Forming
testing Hairpins This finished process provides resistance to shock
and vibration and exclusion of moisture and
Weld corrosive agents.
Hairpins to
Hairpin
Twist core
Ends
Hairpins
Ends

57
REASONS FOR POTTING

Potting is used to seal motors from

solvent and moisture ingress and to
protect critical components, such as
controller boards from mechanical
damage and degradation caused by
thermal cycling, vibration, and impact.

To accomplish this, an enclosure is

normally filled with adhesive
completely encapsulating critical
components and sealing the aperture.

58
TODAY’S AGENDA

Electric Vehicle
application and
future
development

59
FUTURE POWERTRAIN CONFIGURATIONS – ALL REQUIRE
ELECTRIC MOTORS!

60
 ELECTRIC MOTOR DESIGN EVOLUTION
• Motors will continue to improve in performance
and efficiency
• Motor speeds are expected to increase from
between 12-18,000 RPM up to 30,000 RPM. This
means you can achieve the same motor torque
with a smaller, less powerful motor; compared to
a larger motor that spins more slowly
• Rare earth materials will reduce in use, being
replaced with more abundant materials
• Improved material properties to improve
performance e.g thermal management (cooling) –
Cost per kilowatt to halve, power density to triple
by 2025.
• Increased use of recycled materials
APC 2017 E-Motor roadmap
• Cost of raw materials and production will
significantly reduce

61
 POTENTIAL WASTE MOUNTAIN?

• Assuming, that on average, an electric motor

lasts 15 years before it reaches its end of life
• (Assumed one generator or one motor per
vehicle)
• In the UK alone, almost 10 million electric drives
will have reached the end of life by 2040
• With the UK representing about 1/30th of the
global market, this equates to almost 300
million (or 150 million if only one electric drive
per vehicle)

• Depending on your point of view this is either a

massive opportunity or a big headache Using data from HSSMI report, “The Hidden Opportunity”

62
 THE OPPORTUNITY
• European legislation:
• All vehicles must be collected and recycled, at the producers cost, 95% by mass must be
recyclable and recoverable
• Meeting this can either be a cost or an opportunity

Recycling opportunity:
1 million electric motors: £85 million from material recovery only
(copper, steel, aluminium, plastic, rare earths – scrap values)

Remanufacturing opportunity:
Remanufacturing typically costs 35-60% of the cost of producing new
For 1 million motors: at least £400 million saving in lieu of new manufacture

63
CLOSED LOOP SUPPLY CHAINS

Refurbish/
Remanufacture

64
REFURBISH VS REPAIR VS REMANUFACTURE

Repair Refurbish/Recondition Remanufacture

• Acceptable state • Good functional state • As good as new (or better)
• Isolated fix • Module level • Complete overhaul of all parts

65
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