Electric machine

A method of manufacturing an electric machine, the electric machine including a rotor extending along an axis, a stator lamination stack radially spaced from the rotor, with the stator lamination stack having a first stator end and a second stator end spaced from the first stator end along the axis, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth extending between the first and second stator ends, with the plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth extending radially with respect to the axis, and with the plurality of circumferentially spaced teeth defining gaps therebetween, a coil winding disposed in the gaps between the circumferentially spaced teeth of the stator lamination stack, and a guard plate disposed at one of the first and second stator ends of the stator lamination stack, the guard plate extending radially away from the axis and comprising a plurality of teeth guards extending radially with respect to the axis, each of the plurality of teeth guards being aligned with one of the plurality of teeth of the stator lamination stack, said method comprising the steps of:

• coupling the guard plate to one of the first and second stator ends of the stator lamination stack;
• inserting the coil winding in the gaps defined by the circumferentially spaced teeth of the stator lamination stack;
• and
• compacting the coil winding against the teeth guards of the guard plate to electrically insulate the coil winding from the plurality of teeth of the stator lamination stack.