Soft magnetic CoFe alloys for

electric motors and generators

Vacuumschmelze GmbH & Co.KG, Hanau, Susanne Ganz

Division Materials & Parts

135 different materials.
VAC is a leading manufacturer of advanced
magnetic materials and related products!
Wide ranged applications:
Automotive:

Actuator parts for diesel injection systems (VACOFLUX 17).

Transporting:

Flux guiding parts for light cargo positioning motors (VACOFLUX 50).

Aircraft:

Rotor and stator stacks for electric generators (VACOFLUX 50 / VACODUR 50).

Dental:

Flux guiding parts for low-loss electric motors (MEGAPERM 40L).

VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Magnetic materials and the main properties for electric motors

Lamination Stacks for Rotors and Stators:
1) high force F or energy density induction B [T] 49% CoFe
2) low iron losses pFe
3) high rotation frequency

coercivity HC [A/cm]
electric resistivity el [m] 36 -48% NiFe
yield strength, tensile strength

VAC CoFe-Materials for High-End Electric Motors/Generators:

Standard
Low loss+Highest saturation
VACOFLUX 50
50% CoFe material
according IEC 404-8-6 F11ASTM A801
Alloy Type 1
Ni 0,4 %

Lowest Loss
Highest saturation
VACOFLUX 48
50% CoFe material
according IEC 404-8-6 F11-60
ASTM A801 Alloy Type 1

High strength
High Saturation

Highest strength
High saturation

VACODUR 50
VACODUR S Plus
50% CoFe material 50% CoFe material
Rp0.2 up to 450 MPa
(65ksi))

VAC materials for electric motors & generators

Rp0.2 up to 800 MPa

(116ksi)

issue: Apr 2009

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VAC Simulation Database

System optimization by simulation:
VAC offers data for NiFe and CoFe alloys.
Simulation database includes:
magnetic properties (static & dynamic)
thermal properties (RT to 300C)
Data available on request:
Excel spreadsheet (from VAC)
ANSOFT Maxwell library
(http://www.ansoft.com)
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Why CoFe material?

Compare of VAC`s 50% CoFe alloy with SiFe
CoFe is less price attractive than SiFe due to Cobalt content. Question: is there a pay-off?
(1)

Fmag . ~ B 2 A

(2)

2
2
BCoFe
ACoFe = BSiFe
ASiFe
2
CoFe
2
SiFe

VSiFe
=
=
VCoFe

mSiFe
SiFe
mCoFe
CoFe

(3)

B
B

(4)

2
mSiFe BCoFe
SiFe
= 2
= 1.5
mCoFe BSiFe CoFe

SiFe = 7.65 cmg3

; CoFe = 8.15 cmg3

BSiFe 1.8T ; BCoFe 2.3T

A part out of SiFe can be replaced by a part

out of 50% CoFe of up to 30% less weight/volume
and still achieve the same forces
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Softmagnetic Properties of VAC-Materials

field level up to 4 A/cm
2,5

Vacoflux 50

Induktion B in T

2,0

1,5

Permenorm 5000V5

1,0

Trafoperm N4

0,5

0,0
0,0

0,5

1,0

1,5

2,0

2,5

3,0

3,5

4,0

Feldstrke H in A/cm
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Cobalt-Iron Materials
Highest saturation induction (BS) for maximum magnetic force F: F ~ B2
2,5

VACOFLUX 48/50

VACOFLUX 50

2,0

1,5

Core material for

maximum power
density in electric
motors!

B (T)

FeSi3

1,0

0,5

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

H (A/cm)
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Iron losses in electric motors & generators (heat)

Eddy current losses:
pFe (eddy current) ~ t2 f2 / el
(material thickness t / electric resistivity el, frequency f)
Hysteresis losses:
pFe (hysteresis) ~ HC f
(coercivity HC / frequency f)
Total losses:
pFe = pFe (hysteresis) + pFe (eddy current)
+ (excess losses)
Slow rotating electric motors: coercivity important for low losses.
Fast rotating E-motors: material thickness & electric resistivity important for low losses.
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Nickel-Iron Materials
Lowest losses, but reduced saturation induction.
500

Frequency (f): 1 kHz

Strip thickness (t): 0,20mm
Typical values
Saturation polarization (JS):

pFe [ W/kg ]

FeSi3: 2,05 T

100

VACOFLUX 50: 2,35 T

MEGAPERM 40L: 1,48 T
PERMENORM 5000V5: 1,55 T

10

1,0

B [T]

2,0
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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VAC materials for electric motors & generators vs. FeSi3

Material

Coercivity
HC (A/cm)

Electric resistivity
el (m)

Saturation

Induction at
16A/cm (T)

FeSi3

0.2

0.4

2.03

1,45

VACOFLUX 50

< 0.8

0.4

2.35

2.2

VACODUR 50

<2

0.4

2.3

2.0

PERMENORM 5000 V5

0.04

0.45

1.55

1.55

MEGAPERM 40 L

0.06

0.6

1.48

1.48

PERMENORM 3601 K5

0.1

0.75

1.30

1.30

Typical dynamic properties of cold rolled material, measured at toroidal cores, material thickness 0.35mm
All dimensions are typical values, details can be found in the VAC leaflet PHT001.
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Crystalline materials
Further production capabilities
- Stamping with multiple step dies
- Interlocking of lamination stacks
- Wire cutting (edm)
- Laser cutting
- Special stack gluing technologies
- Laser welding of lamination stacks
- Deburring, tumbling, grinding
- Turning, cutting, drilling
- Heat treatment
- Surface treatment (coatings, etc.)

VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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New VAC Stacking Procedure

VAC developed an advanced production technology for soft magnetic
lamination stacks:
improved soft magnetic properties
reduced losses compared to standard processes
precise stacking and small geometrical tolerances
filling factor of about 98%

VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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VAC Stacking Procedure: Improved Magnetic Properties

2,5

VAC
technology
Induction B in T__

2,0

standard
technology

1,5

higher
induction B

1,0

0,5

VACOFLUX 50
ring stack
0,0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Field Strength H in A/cm

VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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VAC Stacking Procedure: Reduction of Losses

80

Loss PFe in W/kg

VACOFLUX 48 (0.1 mm)

Induction 2 T
standard
technology

60

significant
reduction of
losses

40

VAC
technology

20

Single lamination
(optimum)
0
0

100

200

300

400

500

Frequency in Hz
VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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Advantages and Possibilities VAC

Combination of know-how as material producer and technology of
production of parts (all in one hand). If there is a solution VAC will find it !
Coiled material (rolled, slit to width, with and w/o coatings)
Sheets (rolled, with and w/o coatings)
Rotor- and stator laminations (heat treated and oxidized)
Finished stacks with highest filling factor, highest power density and
lowest losses = VACSTACK

VAC materials for electric motors & generators

issue: Apr 2009

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