Magnetic materials are central to the generation and distribution of electrical energy. The efficiency of the electrical machines relies on the control of the composition, microstructure and stress of the material used for magnetic cores under demanding operative conditions. With a multitude of applications, from large turbo-generators to high-speed brushless motors, even tiny advances have a large impact on the overall consumption of energy. In Italy, neither soft nor hard magnetic materials have been developing industrially for decades, while China dominates the Rare Earth market for permanent magnets.
A technical gap subsists hampering improvements of materials and their implementation in locally produced electric devices. Thus, a combination of advanced characterization and theoretical modeling is proposed enabling the design of improved magnetic cores for efficient machines. Feedback steps over the whole supply chain from material selection to electrical motor, mostly driven by a Digital Twin approach as proposed by this project are expected providing higher efficiency and solid control of production processes.
Precise measuring and wide-ranging physical models capabilities are available in few laboratories: INRiM and IMEM boast primacy in magnetic materials; the University of Bologna has renowned competences of metallurgy, technology, electrical motor design; Marcegaglia provides soft magnetics; other Italian firms support the experimental and industrial testing.
Contributing scientific sectors
