# US 2021/0344263 A1 · Additively formed rotor component for electric machine and method of forming

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- Number: US 2021/0344263 A1
- Document ID: US20210344263A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/377,685
- Filed: 2021-07-16
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-15
- Assignees: GE Aviation Systems LLC
- Applicants: Ge Aviation Systems LLC
- Inventors: Hao Huang; James Patrick Mahle; Sudeep Pradhan Sadananda Rao; Xiaochuan Jia
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210344263A1

## CPC

- H02K 15/02: of stator or rotor bodies
- B22F 5/10: of articles with cavities or holes, not otherwise provided for in the preceding subgroups
- B22F 10/20: Direct sintering or melting
- H02K 1/24: Rotor cores with salient poles {; Variable reluctance rotors}
- H02K 1/32: with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium
- H02K 15/022: with salient poles
- B22F 10/25: Direct deposition of metal particles, e.g. direct metal deposition [DMD] or laser engineered net shaping [LENS]
- B22F 10/28: Powder bed fusion, e.g. selective laser melting [SLM] or electron beam melting [EBM]
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing
- Y02P 10/25: Process efficiency
- H02K: DYNAMO-ELECTRIC MACHINES (dynamo-electric relays H01H53/00; conversion of DC or AC input power into surge output power {H03K3/53})
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-27. (canceled)

### Claim 28

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.

### Claim 29 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein at least one of the set of voids extends into the rotor core in a radial direction.

### Claim 30 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 wherein each of the set of support structures are defined by a first arc and a second arc, wherein the first arc is unitarily formed in the first lamination and the second arc is unitarily formed to the first arc.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The method of claim 30 wherein location of the first arc and the second arc in the first lamination and the second lamination are locations that receive non-uniformly dispensed material.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The method of claim 31 wherein the first arc is half the intermediate axial length.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The method of claim 32 wherein the at least one of the set of voids is at least one of a circle or an ellipse.

### Claim 34 (depends on 29)

The method of claim 29 wherein the at least one of the set of voids is at least one of a circle, an ellipse, or a diamond.

### Claim 35 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein the at least a portion of the at least one of the plurality of poles is a unitary structure formed by the quasi-laminations.

### Claim 36 (depends on 35)

The method of claim 35 wherein the unitary structure of the first lamination, the second lamination, and the set of support structures extend radially through an entirety of the pole shoe and the at least a portion of the plurality of poles.

### Claim 37 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein forming the set of support structures comprises printing, using additive manufacturing, supporting structures having a maximum of 0.005 inches (0.127 millimeters) in axial length or less and wherein the first lamination and the second lamination are 0.030 inches (0.762 millimeters) or less.

### Claim 38 (depends on 28)

The method of claim 28 wherein forming the rotor core further comprises forming cooling tubes via direct metal laser melting, additive manufacturing, or electrical discharge machining as part of the rotor core.

### Claim 39

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.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The rotor assembly of claim 39 wherein at least one of the voids extends into the rotor core in a radial direction.

### Claim 41 (depends on 40)

The rotor assembly of claim 40 wherein each of the set of support structures are defined by a first arc and a second arc, wherein the first arc is unitarily formed in the first lamination and the second arc is unitarily formed to the first arc.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The rotor assembly of claim 41 wherein location of the first arc and the second arc in the first lamination and the second lamination are locations that receive non-uniformly dispensed material.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

The rotor assembly of claim 42 wherein the first arc is half the intermediate axial length.

### Claim 44 (depends on 40)

The rotor assembly of claim 40 wherein the at least one of the voids is at least one of a circle, an ellipse, or a diamond.

### Claim 45 (depends on 39)

The rotor assembly of claim 39 wherein the unitary structure of the first lamination, the second lamination, and the set of support structures extend radially through an entirety of the pole shoe and the at least a portion of the plurality of poles.

### Claim 46 (depends on 39)

The rotor assembly of claim 39 wherein forming the set of support structures comprises printing, using additive manufacturing, supporting structures having a maximum of 0.005 inches (0.127 millimeters) in axial length or less and wherein the first lamination and the second lamination are 0.030 inches (0.762 millimeters) or less.

### Claim 47 (depends on 39)

The rotor assembly of claim 39 wherein forming the rotor core further comprises forming cooling tubes via direct metal laser melting, additive manufacturing, or electrical discharge machining as part of the rotor core.