Topology Optimization Of Shields On Large Ac Motors In Conceptual Design Phase

Light-weight design is often a requirement in the design of a large AC motor in order to increase power density of a product and meanwhile to cut off its cost. This paper presents a topology optimization solution to reduce the weight (and thus the cost) of the shields on a large AC motor in conceptual design phase. The method of the topology optimization for shield design is introduced and implemented in a commercial-available finite element tool. The results show that the proposed method obtains an optimal shield structure. In addition, the optimization achieves a potential of saving 12 similar to 29% of the shield weight in different scenarios. This study also reveals the importance of addressing manufacturability in the optimization.