Applying the experimental design method to the optimisation of electromagnetic devices

The industrial competition, particularly the shortening of time-to-market of quality products, requires the setting-up of synthesis tools for the design of electrical machines. Combining finite element simulations and experimental design is a practical way to provide such a tool. Effectively, progress in electromagnetic analysis by finite elements method today affords models that are virtual prototypes of the electromagnetic features of devices. The experimental design method is well adapted to contain the combinatorial explosion of the numerous simulations required by the investigations on the effects of all possible parameters of a given device. This approach is illustrated here with the study of the back EMF of a permanent magnet motor