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Additive Manufacturing More Powerful Electric Machines Through Additive Manufacturing

From Nick Simpson, Professor of Electrical Machines at the University of Bristol | Translated by AI 5 min Reading Time

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Whether electric aircraft, high-performance vehicles or maritime applications, engineers across all industries are facing the same challenge: electric machines need to become more efficient, significantly lighter and more powerful. Nick Simpson, Professor of Electrical Machines at the University of Bristol, explains how additive manufacturing can increase power density.

Printed windings can take on almost any geometry. Conductors can be shaped and positioned in such a way that electromagnetic properties, thermal behaviour and mechanical stability are optimized at the same time.(Image: Cwieme)
Printed windings can take on almost any geometry. Conductors can be shaped and positioned in such a way that electromagnetic properties, thermal behaviour and mechanical stability are optimized at the same time.
(Image: Cwieme)

According to the British technology roadmaps of the Advanced Propulsion Centre and the Aerospace Technology Institute, electric machines must achieve power densities of between 4 and 12 hp/lb by 2035. This corresponds to an increase of up to five times the level currently available. The industry will not achieve this goal with gradual optimizations alone. Fundamentally new approaches are required.

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