Have you ever wondered what it takes to get a motor running and why different motors perform differently? Believe it or not, laminations are one of the primary reasons behind these differences. Motor lamination significantly impacts both performance and reliability—but what is motor lamination in the first place?
If you want to learn how these critical components work and how they can affect your motor’s performance and longevity, let’s start from the basics, such as its material selection and joining process and considerations. These will help you make an informed decision as you choose a motor lamination that will provide optimal results for your immediate needs.
Understanding What Motor Laminations is About
Motor laminations comprise thin metal sheets bonded, stacked, or welded together. These steel portions are found or form the core of a motor’s stator and rotor.
Custom motor laminations can be configured according to the specific requirements of their end application. However, choosing the suitable steel material for its production is imperative as it influences the motor’s performance, efficiency, cost, and weight.
Two of the most popular are silicone and transformer steel, which are a type of electrical steel:
Silicone steel
When silicone is added to the steel, its electrical resistance increases, allowing magnetic fields to penetrate it easily. It also reduces the steel’s hysteresis loss.
Transformer steel
A type of electrical steel with remarkable magnetic properties, these are specialty steels primarily designed for non-rotation devices.
Since electrical steel is formed through the cold-rolling process, the best variation for this type would be CRML or cold-rolled motor lamination. These provide tons of benefits that can improve the performance of motor laminations.
Some advantages of cold-rolled motor lamination steel:
- Tailored to create electromagnetic core materials for electrical equipment
- Better thickness, shape, dimension, and surface finish since cold rolling allows for better control
- Minimum eddy current loss
The joining and tempering process also affects the overall performance of motor laminations. Determining the best method for motor laminations will highly depend on the application it is designed for and the type of components used. For instance, motor laminations for brushless motors are usually annealed under controlled conditions to minimize distortion.
The Best Joining Process for Laminations
The joining process of motor laminations will also impact its overall efficiency. There are two different methods you can choose from, which are as follows:
Bonding
Bonding offers numerous advantages. It utilizes a roll coat method where a high-performing adhesive is applied to the lamination sheets after a cutting process.
Benefits of bonding:
- Cancels the need for welding or using rivets, as these can cause interlaminar loss
- Maximum thermal conductivity
- No humming noise
- Wide range of adhesives to choose from
- It can be used without heat input
Welding
Welding joins stacked laminations using fiber optic lasers. The concentrated heat sources allow for narrow and deep welds.
Benefits of welding:
- Electrodes are in contact with the parts
- Compresses the product to measure force and movement
- Improved process control
Between bonding and welding, motor lamination bonding is the best option for most applications because it offers the best performance, reliability, and cost. Plus, it does minor damage that ensures minimal losses.
Custom Motor Laminations for Your Specific Applications
Custom-made motor laminations provide better results for more specific project applications and requirements. You have complete control of the material and joining process to ensure maximum performance and reliability for your motor.
At LCS Company, custom solutions are available whether you need lamination steel for rotational or non-rotational device applications. Contact us today so that we can find the best solution available. For large volume orders, request a quote to receive the most competitive price.