New motor spindle system with simple, resource-saving and cost-effective design

In this cooperation project, a new type of motor spindle system with synchronous reluctance drive shall be developed and put into operation, which fulfils the requirements for low system costs with maximum accuracy and energy efficiency. This system will be designed for HSC (High Speed Cutting) applications in tool and mould making in a compact and rigid design. The advantages of the synchronous reluctance technology lie in the low-loss operating behaviour. The rotor has so-called flux barriers, which gives it a magnetically anisotropic behaviour. Consequently, rare-earth magnets can be avoided, which means that the drive conserves resources and is cost-effective. Compared to an asynchronous machine, no lossy currents are induced in the rotor. The rotor heats up less. This enables, among other things, simplified storage and a reduction in external cooling power.

Objectives

• Robust and simple construction
• Conservation of resources through less use of raw materials, e.g. the renunciation of rare earth magnets
• Optimised thermal behaviour

Procedure

• Development of a suitable electric motor design
• Investigation of the mechanical properties of high-speed synchronous reluctance rotors by means of FEM and experimental matching
• Calculation of motor losses and the resulting heat distribution in the motor spindle
• Manufacturing and assembly of the motor spindle system with a new bearing concept
• Experimental investigation of the synchronous reluctance motor spindle with regard to performance data, concentricity, dynamic operating behaviour, temperature distribution

Partners and project sponsors