An examination of magnetic property variation of specification-acceptable electrical steel

The design, manufacture and testing of electrical machines involves a significant effort directed toward the optimization of a given machine for a specific end use. Central to this task is the characterization of the magnetic properties of the lamination steel to be used, providing the engineer with a baseline of material property data from which to develop an optimized machine design. Bringing an electrical machine to commercial production presents challenges beyond design optimization. Allowable variations in the properties of lamination materials demand an understanding of the potential variation in the performance of the machine that may be caused by material property fluctuation. This paper examines a narrow range of materials, non-oriented silicon steels, and discusses the range of potential magnetic property variations. Rather than opting for a “de-rating” of expected machine performance, an argument will be made for aligning material data to prevailing standards by drafting design-for-manufacture strategies that will accommodate these expected variations.