Recent Advances in Additive Manufacturing of Soft Magnetic Materials: A Review

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Additive manufacturing (AM) offers unique advantages for processing soft magnetic materials (SMMs) in electrical machine components.
• AM can preserve or enhance magnetic properties, overcoming limitations of traditional manufacturing methods.
• Novel materials like high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are emerging as candidates for AM due to their tunable soft magnetic properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the state-of-the-art of SMMs fabricated using various AM technologies.
• To analyze the impact of AM on microstructural, mechanical, and magnetic properties of SMMs.
• To explore the potential of AM for processing challenging materials like soft ferrites and HEAs.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review of AM processes applied to SMMs.
• Analysis of studies focusing on material characterization (microstructure, mechanical, magnetic, thermal, electrical properties).
• Evaluation of post-processing techniques relevant to AM-fabricated SMMs.

Main Results:

• AM enables the fabrication of complex SMM components with tailored magnetic properties.
• AM processes influence microstructural evolution, affecting mechanical strength and magnetic performance.
• Specific AM techniques show promise for processing materials with high electrical resistivity, like soft ferrites, and complex alloys like HEAs.

Conclusions:

• Additive manufacturing is a transformative technology for producing advanced SMM components for electrical machines.
• Further research into AM process optimization and material development is crucial for unlocking the full potential of SMMs.
• AM facilitates the use of a wider range of magnetic materials, including those previously difficult to process.