Materials for advanced electric machines: an overview

Materials behavior, along with the machine design, controls the performance of the electric machine. Advanced electric machines are placing increased demands on materials behavior especially to achieve power density, efficiency, and endurance. For the electric ship, such advanced electric machines include actuators, motors, generators, certain energy storage systems, electric clutches and brakes, and specialized machines for weaponry. Small engineering refinements from practice are often inadequate for the advanced electric machine systems and the associated materials utilized in these machines to meet performance goals. A method for directing appropriate attention to materials requirements based on the machine performance goals is needed. This paper presents a method for prioritizing materials issues based on ten machine performance categories. As each advanced electric machine presents a unique set of requirements, the prioritization guides valuing of associated materials issues.