Non-oriented Electrical Steel Sheets Research Articles

Magnetic properties of a non-oriented electrical steel at cryogenic temperature for rapid-cycling accelerator superconducting magnets

A rapid-cycling superconducting magnet is currently under development for the next-generation heavy-ion therapy. The non-oriented electrical steel (NOES) sheet, M470-50A5, is adopted as the cold iron yoke in the superconducting magnet to enhance the field and minimize the AC losses. In this paper, we measure the magnetic properties, magnetic permeability and hysteresis loss of a 0.5-mm thick NOES sheet at 4.2 K, 77 K and room temperature with a toroidal test specimen. The magnetic permeability as well as the hysteresis loops are investigated with a very low frequency until 3 T. To provide the magnetization for the magnet design, we modify the Jiles–Atherton (J–A) model so that the modified J–A model can predict not only the magnetization loops but also the magnetic permeability until a high magnetic field region.

DRAGen in Application-An Approach for Microstructural Fatigue Predictions of Non-Oriented Electrical Steel Sheets.

This study investigates multiple cyclic loading scenarios of non-oriented electrical steel sheets through both experimental and numerical approaches. The numerical simulations were conducted using Representative Volume Elements generated with DRAGen. DRAGen allowed for the generation of Representative Volume Elements with a non-cubic shape to cover the complete sheet thickness and enough grains to represent the material's texture. The experimental results, on the other hand, are utilized to calibrate and validate a prediction model, highlighting the significance of accumulated plastic slip as a suitable parameter correlated with fatigue life. Using the accumulated plastic slip from the simulations, a fatigue fracture locus is introduced, which describes a 3D surface dependent on the maximum stress, fatigue life, and the fatigue stress ratio. The study shows reliable results for the fatigue life prediction using the calibrated fatigue fracture locus. While substantial progress has been made in predicting the fatigue life at multiple fatigue stress ratios, notable disparities between experimental and simulation results suggest the need for further investigations regarding the influence of the surface quality. This observation motivates ongoing research efforts aimed at refining simulation methodologies to better incorporate surface roughness effects. In summary, this study presents a validated model for predicting fatigue life in non-oriented electrical steel sheets, offering valuable insights into material behavior at different loading scenarios and informing future research directions for enhanced structural performance and durability.

The effect of thickness of the hot-rolled sheet on the magnetic properties of non-oriented electrical steel

Non-oriented (NO) electrical steel sheets with a thin thickness are drawing interest as potential materials for electric vehicle drive motor cores due to their ability to reduce high-frequency core loss. To produce electrical steel sheets with a thickness of 0.25 mm or less, it is beneficial to minimize the thickness of the hot-rolled sheets. However, it is well known that it is difficult to achieve hot-rolled coils with a thickness of 1.4 mm or less with a conventional hot rolling process. Therefore, the thin slab casting and rolling (TSCR) process is now used to produce thin hot-rolled coils that cannot be produced by conventional methods.In this study, we investigated the effects of hot-rolled sheet thickness produced by the TSCR process and cold-rolling reduction ratio on the crystallographic texture, microstructure, and magnetic characteristics of 3% Si NO steel. The results showed that the textures of the hot-rolled sheet and the annealed hot-rolled sheet are virtually unaffected by the hot-rolling reduction ratio. However, the cold-rolling reduction ratio substantially affects many aspects of NO electrical steels. The recrystallized grain size after the final annealing process decreases as the cold reduction ratio increases, while the magnetic flux density decreases with increasing cold reduction ratio, especially for reductions exceeding 82.8 %.In conclusion, the thickness of hot-rolled steel sheets manufactured by the TSCR process has little effect on the microstructure and texture of hot-rolled sheet. Therefore, reducing the cold rolling reduction ratio, which can be achieved by using thin hot-rolled sheets manufactured by the TSCR process, is a promising method for enhancing the magnetic characteristics of thin-gauge NO electrical steel sheets.

Predicting and Enhancing the Multiple Output Qualities in Curved Laser Cutting of Thin Electrical Steel Sheets Using an Artificial Intelligence Approach

This study focused on the efficacy of employing a pulsed fiber laser in the curved cutting of thin, non-oriented electrical steel sheets. Experiments were conducted in paraffinic oil by adjusting the input process parameters, including laser power, pulse frequency, cutting speed, and curvature radius. The multiple output quality metrics included kerf width, inner and outer heat-affected zones, and re-welded portions. Analyses of the Random Forest Method and Response Surface Method indicated that laser pulse frequency was the most important variable affecting the cut quality, followed by laser power, curvature radius, and cutting speed. To improve cut quality, an innovative artificial intelligence (AI) approach incorporating a deep neural network (DNN) model and a modified equilibrium optimizer (M-EO) was proposed. Initially, the DNN model established correlations between input parameters and cut quality aspects, followed by M-EO pinpointing optimal cut qualities. Such an approach successfully identified an optimal set of laser process parameters, even beyond the specified process window from the initial experiments on curved cuts, resulting in significant enhancements confirmed by validation experiments. A comparative analysis showcased the developed models’ superior performance over prior studies. Notably, while the models were initially developed based on the results from curved cuts, they proved adaptable and capable of yielding comparable outcomes for straight cuts as well.

Improvement in Fatigue Strength of Non-oriented Electrical Steel Sheet by Low Energy Laser Peening

Improvement in Fatigue Strength of Non-oriented Electrical Steel Sheet by Low Energy Laser Peening

Effects of simultaneous loading of temperature and biaxial stress on the 1&2D magnetic properties of non-oriented electrical steel sheets

As the effect of factors like temperature and stress on the magnetic properties of electrical steel materials are gradually being emphasized, many research teams are carrying out related tests. Currently, most studies focus only on the effect of a single factor on the magnetic properties, while in reality, multiple factors exist simultaneously in electrical equipment. Therefore, accurate data of alternating (1D) and rotational (2D) magnetic properties under simultaneous loading of temperature and stress are very important. In this paper, a system based on a vertical rotational single sheet tester (VRSST) with temperature and stress loading parts is designed and constructed. Then, the 1D and 2D magnetic properties under many combinations of different temperatures, uniaxial and biaxial stress are measured and analyzed.

Temperature-Controlled Laser Cutting of an Electrical Steel Sheet Using a Novel Fuzzy Logic Controller

A novel PID-type fuzzy logic controller (FLC) with an online fuzzy tuner was created to maintain stable in situ control of the cutting front temperature, aiming to enhance the laser process for thin non-oriented electrical steel sheets. In the developed controller, the output scaling factors and the universe of discourse were initially optimized using a hybrid of the particle swarm optimization and grey wolf optimization methods. The optimal parameters obtained were utilized in experiments involving the laser cutting of thin non-oriented electrical steel sheets, compared to an open-loop control system maintaining a constant cutting speed. The PID-type FLC with an online fuzzy tuner demonstrated a superior cutting quality, generating a smaller roundness and a reduced heat-affected zone (HAZ) through the in situ tuning of control parameters. Particularly, the HAZ width was significantly smaller than that reported in a previous study which used fuzzy gain scheduling for temperature control. Moreover, the cutting time was diminished by optimally adjusting the cutting speed using PID-type FLC with an online fuzzy tuner. Therefore, the accumulated heat in the steel sheet, particularly under high laser pulse frequencies, was effectively reduced, making it suitable for industrial applications.

Influence of the cutting method on the fatigue life and crack initiation of non-oriented electrical steel sheets

The fatigue behavior of thin electrical steel sheets under cyclic loading is investigated in dependence on the edge surface. Therefore, four different edge conditions are compared, whereas the edge is either laser cut, shear cut, wire cut, or polished. Strain- and stress-controlled fatigue tests are performed to determine S-N curves in the low cycle regime as well as in the high cycle regime. Microstructural data is collected by non-contacting (optical) Profilometry, Nanoindentation, X-Ray Diffraction, and Electron Backscatter Diffraction to understand the differences in fatigue life by considering surface roughness, residual stresses, hardness, and microstructure. Shear cut specimens achieve the lowest fatigue life, while the other edge conditions reach relatively similar values in the LCF regime. Crack initiation is mainly intergranular in the case of defect-free edges. This tendency has a considerable influence on the observed fatigue behavior.

The Combined Effects of Plastic Deformation and Two-Phase Annealing, Applied to Hot-Rolled Bands, on the Final Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of Non-oriented Electrical Steel Sheets

The Combined Effects of Plastic Deformation and Two-Phase Annealing, Applied to Hot-Rolled Bands, on the Final Microstructure and Magnetic Properties of Non-oriented Electrical Steel Sheets

An Experimental Setup for Power Loss Measurement up to 1 kHz using an Epstein Frame at CMI

Abstract This paper describes an experimental setup used at the Czech Metrology Institute (CMI) to measure the specific power loss of oriented and non-oriented electrical steel sheets up to 1 kHz using an Epstein frame. Special attention is given to a) a description of the hardware that is used, b) a description of the feedback control and measurement software, and c) an analysis of the sources of uncertainty and validation. Calibration expanded uncertainty of (0.5 up to 1.6)% for k = 2 can be achieved with this setup.

Cyclic deformation behavior of non-oriented electrical steel sheets

The cyclic deformation behavior of a fully processed, non-oriented electrical steel sheet is investigated in dependence on loading condition and control mode. Therefore, strain- and stress-controlled fatigue tests are performed to determine cyclic deformation curves in the low- and high-cycle fatigue regimes. With symmetric strain control, continuous cyclic hardening occurs, while in asymmetric stress control with non-zero mean stress, pronounced ratcheting takes place. Depending on the loading condition, the material can exhibit a transitional period with cyclic softening. This effect is present at intermediate amplitudes in the yield point region. It emerges as the dislocation movement is initially inhibited, while at higher amplitudes, cyclic hardening occurs from the very beginning. The evolving dislocation structures are characterized by the predominantly planar slip behavior of the alloy.

Effects of shearing processing on the quality and magnetic properties of electric steel sheet

Mechanical manufacturing process of electric motor induces a residual stress, which increases the iron loss, and affects the efficiency and performance of machine. In this paper, a shear test was carried out on a non-oriented electrical steel sheet with a thickness of 0.50 mm and a relative clearance range of 2–12% of the thickness, and the shear force was detected during shearing process. The sheared surface morphology, microhardness distribution and magnetic properties after the shearing processing were also tested. The obtained experimental results indicate that: as the shear clearance increases, the shear force increases, the plastic deformation zone enlarges, and the flow of microstructure becomes intense. In addition, as the shear clearance increases, the depth and work-hardening degree of the work-hardened layer increase, resulting in degraded magnetic properties of the electrical steel. Moreover, when the lateral clearance is 5%, a complete and smooth shear section can be obtained.

Influencing Factors of the Specific Total Loss of Non-Oriented Electrical Steels Processed by Laser Cutting

Specific total loss is one of the most important evaluation indexes for the magnetic properties of non-oriented electrical steel sheets. The aim of this study is to investigate the influencing mechanisms of laser cutting parameters as well as the sample characteristics on the specific total loss of thin non-oriented electrical steel sheets processed by laser cutting using a machine learning method. Eight input parameters were finally considered; namely, silicon and manganese contents, thickness of the steel sheets, laser nozzle diameter, laser power, cutting speed, the pressure of process gas, and laser defocus, while one output parameter, the specific total loss, was evaluated. It was found that the specific total loss was positively correlated with the sample thickness, but negatively correlated with silicon and manganese contents, the process gas pressure and laser nozzle diameter. In addition, laser power and cutting speed exhibit complicated non-linear relationships with the specific total loss.

Study of magnetic properties of electrical steels with different Si content considering the effect of temperature

Electrical steel cores in electric motors are often operated under variable temperature conditions, and the temperature has a large impact on the magnetic properties of electrical steel. Different Silicon content also makes electrical steel have different performance characteristics. Therefore, in this paper, an environmentally adjustable electrical steel magnetic property testing system is built to investigate the magnetic property variation of non-oriented electrical steel sheets with different Si contents at different temperatures. Through the experiments in this paper, it is found that the trend of magnetic properties of electrical steels tends to flatten out with increasing Si content under the influence of temperature. In particular, the loss of 6.5% Si shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing with the increase of temperature. The internal grain structure of electrical steel can explain this phenomenon very well. The larger the grain size, the less the magnetic properties of electrical steel are affected by temperature. In order to further analyze the variation phenomenon of electrical steel loss, the loss separation calculation was carried out for 5 more electrical steels with different Si content in this paper. The reason for this phenomenon was finally explained by a special preparation process of 6.5% Si.

A Novel Radial–Axial Flux Switching Permanent Magnet Generator

In this article, a novel radial–axial (RA) flux switching permanent magnet generator (FSPMG) is introduced. In contrast to other RA flux machines, a major advantage of this generator is its implementation only by the use of conventional nonoriented electrical steel sheets, even though the flux linkage of the novel RA-FSPMG has a 3-D path. Besides that, it benefits from the flux concentration strategy and a passive rotor. A concrete foundation of the novel RA-FSPMG is provided, in which, the 3D-Flux path is described, working principles are discussed, and power-sizing equation is derived. No-load characteristics and the full-load performance of an optimized RA-FSPMG are investigated in contrast to an optimized double stator radial FSPMG and an optimized double stator axial FSPMG with similar volume, number of permanent magnets (PMs), and electrical loading. The results show the competitiveness of the novel RA-FSPMG, in particular, in the output power and the required copper mass. Furthermore, the PM demagnetization possibility and the rotor axial pull force of the optimized RA-FSPMG are investigated, in detail. All discussions are supported by the 3-D finite element analysis and experimental results.

A simplified magnetostrictive model under rotational magnetization in an electrical steel sheet taking the pinning hysteresis effect into account

A large number of experimental observations show that under two-dimensional (2-D) rotational magnetization, there is a complicated relationship between the magnetostrictive strain and magnetic flux density. In this paper, the magnetostrictive characteristics in a non-oriented electrical steel sheet under 2-D magnetization are measured and modelled based on the experimental system developed by the laboratory. The in-plane magnetostrictive strain tensor under the 2-D magnetization is expressed as nonlinear superposition of dynamic magnetostrictive strain in the rolling direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD), respectively. The magnetostriction’s first derivative with respect to magnetization depicts the pinning effect and the interaction among magnetic domains which result in the hysteresis behaviour. And based on the particle swarm optimization (PSO), the model parameters are identified. The validity of the proposed model is verified by comparing the calculation results with the experimental ones. Studies have shown that the magnetostrictive properties in an electrical steel sheet have strong hysteresis behaviour under the 2-D magnetization, and the model proposed here can well characterize these characteristics.

Effects of processing routes on recrystallization texture development and magnetic properties of 0.10 mm ultrathin non-oriented electrical steel sheets for high-frequency application

Fabricating ultrathin non-oriented electrical steels (NOES) sheets has been a challenge because the severe plastic deformation inevitably results in undesirable texture such as intensive γ-fiber (<111>//ND). In the present work, both one-stage rolling route with severe plastic deformation and two-stage rolling route combining different rolling process and the intermediate annealing were used to prepare 0.10 mm-thick 3.1Si-0.8Al NOES. A rare phenomenon was found that severe plastic deformation in one-stage rolling route split the orientations of α (<110>//RD) grains through deformation banding and caused lattice curvature, exhibiting the similar microstructure characteristic and stored energy distribution as the deformed γ-grains. As a result, dominant α*-fiber ({1 1 h} <1 2 1/h>) and relatively soft α-fiber textures besides sharp γ-fiber recrystallization texture were formed, which seriously deteriorated the magnetic induction and led to high magnetic anisotropy. By comparison, the two-stage rolling route favored the development of shear bands and increased the final grain size. As the second rolling reduction decreased, detrimental γ- and α*‐fiber recrystallization textures were significantly weakened, whereas λ-fiber (<001>//ND) and {117}<291> recrystallization textures were enhanced. Besides, the final grain size was gradually increased. Therefore, the magnetic induction was continuously improved and the core loss was gradually decreased. Another new finding was that magnetic anisotropy was simultaneously improved as a result of the occurrence of {117}<291> texture and the weakening of α*-fiber texture. The recrystallization mechanism of specific texture components was investigated in detail.

Temperature Rise Calculation of Magnetic Core Considering the Temperature Effect of Magnetic Properties in an Electrical Steel Sheet

The magnetic properties of electrical steel sheets are affected by magnetization patterns, working temperature, and external pressure. In order to study the temperature effect of electrical steel sheets on the temperature rise of a transformer core, in this paper, based on the magnetic property test system of an electrical steel sheet, the permeability and loss of a 50AW600 grain non-oriented electrical steel sheet and a 30ZH120 grain oriented electrical steel sheet under different temperatures and excited frequencies were measured, and the influence of temperature on the properties of the material was analyzed. A magneto-thermal iterative coupling method considering the temperature effects of magnetic properties in the electrical steel sheet was investigated. Based on the above measurement data and iterative coupling method, the temperature distribution of the core of a 500-kV power transformer was simulated and analyzed, and compared with the simulation results of the traditional coupling method without considering the temperature effect of the electrical steel sheet. Magneto-thermal coupling simulation under no-load operation is a symmetrical problem. It was found that the temperature of the hottest spot of the transformer core calculated by the magneto-thermal iteration method proposed in this paper was significantly reduced, the temperature of the hottest spot on the core column was about 45 °C, and the temperature of the hottest spot on the upper and lower yoke was about 39 °C, which provides an effective simulation method for accurately calculating the temperature rise distribution of electrical products such as transformers.

Loss Parameter Identification After Cutting for Different Non-Oriented Electrical Steel Grades

The magnetic properties of nonoriented (NO) electrical steel sheet are sensitive to industrial cutting processes. Decreased operation point efficiency and an increase in local iron loss in the magnetic circuit of an electrical machine are the consequences. During the design of electrical machines, the cut-edge effect and its consequences can only be considered and assessed, if the effect is locally modeled. In fact, the cut-edge effect is often neglected as standardized magnetic characterization is performed, where the sheet material is measured on an Epstein frame or single sheet tester (SST) and gentle sample preparation is specified. In order to parameterize a local material model, a large number of samples and their detailed magnetic characterization at various magnetizing frequencies are necessary. In this article, the loss parameters of nine different industrial NO electrical steels are identified and analyzed in order to study the course of the parameters and possible interrelation with material properties. The sheet thickness, alloying content of silicon and aluminum, and grain sizes are considered as they are the dominant influences on the iron loss from the material side. The presented results help to increase the understanding of the cut-edge effect and its consequences on the iron loss modeling. Furthermore, they help to identify possibilities to decrease the measurement effort significantly.

Texture Adjustment of Hot-Rolled Fe-1.6 wt% Si Non-oriented Electrical Steel Sheet by Annealing Processes

Texture Adjustment of Hot-Rolled Fe-1.6 wt% Si Non-oriented Electrical Steel Sheet by Annealing Processes