Structural Investigation of an Additively Manufactured Stator of a Transverse Flux Machine

The transverse flux machine (TFM) offers potentials for use in applications, where a high torque density is necessary. Existing designs use either soft magnetic composites or electrical sheet as stator material to reduce eddy current losses. Additive manufacturing creates new design possibilities for stator core geometries. However, 3D-printed bulk iron brings with it high eddy current losses. Slits incorporated into the stator core can mitigate these losses. The slits however reduce the structural integrity of the stator core. In this work we investigate the actual mechanical behavior of the slitted stator core. We show that the stator cannot withstand the loads during operation. Additional measures, such as molding the stator and coil in epoxy resin, increase the structural integrity to a sufficient level. A polygonal shaft-hub connection is a promising alternative to the current keyed shaft-hub connection.