Jan Tremel

Innovative processes and systems for the automated manufacture, assembly and test of magnetic components for electric motors

Recent developments regarding the design of electric motors have set new requirements on the corresponding production processes. On the one hand, the manufacture of complex new bobbin geometries requires innovative winding technologies. On the other hand, the increasing number of permanent excited motors has to be taken into account through the development of highly efficient automation processes for magnet assembly. This paper presents alternative approaches for the automation of difficult assembly processes regarding these issues developed at the Institute for Manufacturing Automation and Production Systems (FAPS) at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.

Innovative developments for automated magnet handling and bonding of rare earth magnets

The market for electric motors in general machine applications and especially in electric driven vehicles has changed tremendously over the last years, as new materials and innovative electronics enable manufacturers to develop electric motors with highest energy densities in applications ranging from miniature up to large industrial motors. Within this development, considerations towards manufacturing and assembly technologies have become a topic of interest, especially the handling of high coercive neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) or samarium cobalt (SmCo) magnet materials for State of the Art permanent magnet excited machines (PM machines). Processes such as positioning and gluing of magnets or the integration of magnetizers into assembly are challenging current methods. Flexible production processes for rapid ramp up and small batch sizes are needed for economic manufacturing. In this paper innovative handling and assembly solutions for magnetized high coercive permanent magnets, developed at the Institute for Manufacturing Automation and Production Systems (FAPS), are presented.

Automated magnet assembly for large PM synchronous machines with integrated permanent magnets

The manufacturing of large synchronous motors and generators with integrated permanent magnets currently contains a large amount of manual processes as well for handling as assembly. Magnets have to be separated and prepared for insertion manually, bearing a high risk for injuries. Due to increasing batch sizes in industrial as well as in traction drive applications, the efficiency of these processes has to be examined and developed towards an automated assembly. The paper presents an approach for partially automated manufacturing of a wide portfolio of rotors for drives on a single assembly machine.

Handling and Fixation of Permanent Magnets

Due to rapid developments within the family of rare-earth materials innovative electrical machines can nowadays be used as high efficient generators in various power, as well as rugged constructed machines for automobile battery based propulsion in hybrid and full electric vehicles. The production of different motor concepts spread into different design variants and creates complex variations especially regarding the rotor. Deriving from various research projects, the handling of the permanent magnet components is investigated, including the development of new assembly and fixation methods.

Flexible Automation for the Production of Stators and Rotors of Electric Vehicles

The increasing electrification of the drive train will - sooner or later - lead to significant changes in the value chains for vehicle manufacturers and suppliers, while sales potentials are still uncertain. Due to the currently small number and high diversity of industrial electric motors with higher power and the complex handling of the necessary materials, the processes are based on manual labor content. For the automotive industry high volume production concepts for electric traction motors will be required in the future. Thus, the importance of automated assembly and manufacturing technologies for electric motors moves into focus. In the production of electric motors e.g. the wiring processes of the stators and the magnet assemblies for permanent-magnet synchronous rotors show potential for further process rationalization. This paper presents alternative approaches for the automation of wiring and magnet assembly processes developed at the Institute for Factory Automation and Production Systems (FAPS) at the Friedrich-Alexander-University of Erlangen-Nuremberg.

Laserschneiden in der Elektroblechfertigung

Kurzfassung Die Fertigung elektrischer Antriebe steht auf dem Prüfstand. Bekannte Prozessketten werden auf Grund des Einstiegs der Automobilindustrie grundsätzlich hinterfragt, optimiert, und teils völlig neue Werkstoffe im Stator und Rotor fordern traditionelle Prozesse, wie z. B. das Stanzpaketieren, zunehmend heraus. Obwohl das Laserschneiden von Elektroblechen in vielen flexiblen Produktionen bereits seit Jahren zum Einsatz kommt, liegt die Produktivität im direkten Vergleich noch um einige Größenordnung unter den verfügbaren Stanzverfahren. In der Forschungsgruppe des Bayerischen Technologiezentrums für elektrische Antriebstechnik (E|Drive-Center) am Lehrstuhl für Fertigungsautomatisierung und Produktionssystematik der Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg werden daher Rationalisierungseffekte beim Laserschneiden durch neuartige Ansätze erforscht und der Automatisierungsgrad gezielt erhöht.