Impact of grain size distribution on the magnetic deterioration due to cutting of electrical steel sheets

Non-oriented electrical steel sheets are applied as a core material in rotors and stators of electric machines in order to guide and magnify their magnetic flux density. Their contouring is often realized in a blanking process step, which results in plastic deformation of the cut edges and thus deteriorates the magnetic properties of the base material. This work evaluates the influence of the material’s grain size on its iron losses after the blanking process. Samples for the single sheet test were blanked at different cutting clearances (15 µm–70 µm) from sheets with identical chemical composition (3.2 wt.% Si) but varying average grain size (28 µm–210 µm) and thickness (0.25 mm and 0.5 mm). Additionally, in situ measurements of blanking force and punch travel were carried out. Results show that blanking-related iron losses either increase for 0.25 mm thick sheets or decrease for 0.5 mm thick sheets with increasing grain size. Although this is partly in contradiction to previous research, it can be explained by the interplay of dislocation annihilation and transgranular fracturing. The paper thus contributes to a deeper understanding of the blanking process of coarse-grained, thin electrical steel sheets.

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Grain Size Effect on Optimum Clearance Determination in Blanking Non-Oriented Electrical Steel Sheet

Materials Science Forum ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/msf.920.34 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 920 ◽

pp. 34-39

Author(s):

Zhe Wang ◽

Rong Gao Cui ◽

Xin Ke Wang ◽

Ji He ◽

Shu Hui Li

Keyword(s):

Grain Size ◽

Size Effect ◽

Electrical Steel ◽

General Tendency ◽

Steel Sheets ◽

The Core ◽

Grain Sizes ◽

Edge Quality ◽

Electrical Steel Sheet ◽

Electrical Steel Sheets

Non-oriented electrical steel, as the core magnetic material, is firstly blanked into lamination in motor manufacturing. As for the newly developed steel, there is a general tendency toward thinner and coarser-grained. Due to blanking clearance and thickness are both down to the sub-millimeter scale, grain size becomes an important role in formation of blanked edge quality, which mainly determines the deterioration level of magnetic properties. This paper aims to systemically investigate the influence of blanking clearance and grain size on blanked edge quality. In this research, non-oriented electrical steel sheets of the same chemical composition, 3 thicknesses and 3 grain sizes are prepared for blanking tests over the conventional relative blanking clearance range. The blanking edges are quantitatively examined by means of optical microscopy to visualize the distribution of plastic deformation. The results show that there exists an optimum clearance that leads to a fine blanked edge. In further study, an approximate linear equation of the ratio of clearance/grain size (c/D) vs. D is found for optimizing the blanked edge quality. This research thus provides an in-depth understanding and guidance for optimum blanking clearance determination influenced by size effect.

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