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Elkem’s new iron-silicon powder for 3D printing electric motor components

February 06, 2024

Elkem has developed a new specialized iron silicon powder, which may improve the durability of 3D-printed electric motor components.

Today’s electric motors are generally made by cutting and molding pieces from a metal sheet. 3D printing can radically increase efficiency and reduce material consumption, however, larger motor parts become difficult to print as the parts become too brittle and may easily break.

The material has “good printability” based on silicon-steel (with additives), and they show enhanced ductility and competitive magnet properties.

The powder is so-called soft magnetic, meaning that it is easy to magnetize and de-magnetize. It is produced in a small-scale pilot atomiser, located in Kristiansand at the Future Materials, Norwegian Catapult Centre. The powder has been used to 3D-print components for evaluation of the quality and manufacturing of demo devices. The 3D printing and part qualification has been done at VTT in Finland and Siemens in Germany.

The material was made with their partners VTT, Siemens, Stellantis and Gemmate Technologies.

The 3-year project, which started 01.01.2021, was supported by EIT Raw Materials, funded by the EU with a total project budget of just over 5.6 MEUR.