Application-specific development of non-oriented electrical steel for EV traction drives

Electrical steel is mainly characterized by its magnetic properties, i.e. the specific total loss and the magnetic polarization. In addition, mechanical and physical properties as well as coating and workability can strongly influence the performance and the cost of the resulting electric machine. The various properties can be controlled e.g. via the chemical composition and the production process of the electrical steel. However, strong interdependences and physical or economical limits require tailored electrical steel grades to be developed and specifically optimized for its application. The key parameters and limits of this optimization process will be reviewed in this paper.