Additively formed rotor component for electric machine and method of forming
AssigneeGE Aviation Systems LLC
InventorsHao Huang, James Patrick Mahle, Sudeep Pradhan Sadananda Rao, Xiaochuan Jia
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Abstract
Disclosed within are a structure and method for forming a component for a rotor to be used in an electric machine. The formed rotor components can include a rotor assembly or rotor shaft. The rotor assembly can include a plurality of poles spaced about a rotor core. The plurality of poles can include a pole shoe or pole body. Quasi-laminations that can result in a unitary structure that includes support structures can be used to form all or a portion of the pole shoe or pole body.
Claims21
1-27. (canceled)
A method for manufacturing a rotor assembly for an electrical machine, the method comprising:
- forming a rotor core;
- and
- printing, using additive manufacturing, a plurality of poles, the plurality of poles spaced about the rotor core, each pole of the plurality of poles having a pole body extending from the rotor core towards a pole shoe defining a curved peripheral surface;
- wherein forming at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of poles comprises forming quasi-laminations that include:
- a first lamination extending along a first axial length;
- a second lamination extending along a second axial length, wherein the second axial length is spaced from the first axial length by an intermediate axial length;
- and
- a set of support structures between the first lamination and the second lamination that span the intermediate axial length and define a set of voids within the at least a portion of the at least one of the plurality of poles.
A rotor assembly for an electric machine, comprising:
- a rotor core;
- and
- a plurality of poles, the plurality of poles spaced about the rotor core and unitarily formed with the rotor core by printing using additive manufacturing, each pole of the plurality of poles having a pole body extending from the rotor core towards a pole shoe defining a curved peripheral surface, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the pole shoe or the pole body comprises quasi-laminations that include a unitary structure, the unitary structure comprising:
- a first lamination extending along a first axial length;
- a second lamination extending along a second axial length wherein the second axial length is spaced from the first axial length by an intermediate axial length;
- and
- a set of support structures between the first lamination and the second lamination spanning the intermediate axial length and defining voids within the portion of at least one of the pole shoe or the pole body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.