Designing high-performance electric motors isn’t just about maximizing torque or minimizing ripple — it’s about making sure the design can actually be manufactured and survive real-world stresses. That’s where topology optimization comes in.
What is Topology Optimization?
Topology optimization (TO) is a design method that determines the best possible material distribution in a motor to balance performance and efficiency. In simple terms, it’s like asking the computer: “Where should I keep or remove material to get the strongest, most efficient rotor?”
Traditionally, engineers applied TO with only electromagnetic performance in mind — focusing on torque and ripple. But in practice, ignoring mechanical effects can lead to designs that look good on paper but fall apart in reality.
Our Study: Bridging Electromagnetics and Mechanics
In this study, we introduced a magneto-mechanical topology optimization method for Internal Permanent Magnet (IPM) machines. The novelty lies in considering:
- Non-linear magnet-iron contact — how magnets physically interact with the rotor.
- Carbon tape pre-stress — a realistic factor that changes mechanical integrity.
- Gradient-based optimization with level-set method — for precise geometry evolution.
This was implemented using Altair Flux + OptiStruct, creating a seamless electromagnetic + mechanical co-optimization workflow.
Key Findings
- Electromagnetic-only optimization isn’t enough
- It produced designs that improved torque but were mechanically infeasible (no support for magnets).
- Adding mechanical constraints changes everything
- The optimized rotor included reinforced bridges, ensuring structural integrity.
- Stress and displacement stayed within safe limits, so the rotor wouldn’t fail at high speeds.
- Performance + Reliability
- The final design preserved torque and ripple targets while remaining manufacturable — a key milestone for EV and high-speed applications.
Why It Matters
As electric motors push for higher power density and reliability, engineers can no longer afford to optimize only for magnetics. This work shows that co-designing for electromagnetics and mechanics is the way forward, especially for advanced rotors like carbon-taped IPMs.
Read the Full Paper
For deeper technical details, methodology, and results, you can read the full IEEE paper here:
👉 Topology Optimization of Carbon-Taped Internal Permanent Magnet Machine with Non-Linear Mechanics Consideration
