Vetroferrite is a soft magnetic composite material that combines the unique properties of glass fabric and ferrite particles embedded in an epoxy resin matrix. This innovative material offers a blend of electrical, magnetic, and mechanical characteristics, making it the perfect fit for magnetic slot wedges. Made to increase efficiency of motors and generators in low voltage and high voltage applications. The markets addressed are industrial generators for wind and water energy power plants, industrial motors for pumps, fans and compressors and electrical engines for the e-mobility.

Composition and Structure

Vetroferrite consists of three primary components:

1. Glass Fabric: The glass fabric serves as the structural support for the composite material. It enhances the mechanical properties of Vetroferrite, providing strength and durability while maintaining a lightweight profile.
2. Ferrite Particles: The inclusion of ferrite particles is crucial for imparting magnetic properties to the composite. These particles enable Vetroferrite to exhibit soft magnetic behaviour, which is essential for applications that require efficient magnetic performance.
3. Epoxy Resin: The epoxy resin acts as a binding matrix that holds the glass fabric and ferrite particles together. It not only provides adhesion but also contributes to electrical performance and chemical resistance of the composite.

Properties

Vetroferrite exhibits a combination of properties that makes it valuable in several sectors:

Magnetic Properties

Vetroferrite has a high magnetic permeability, which allows it to effectively channel magnetic fields. Also, it saturates at very high magnetic flux, which again improves performance of generators and motors up to the limits of their operational field. Its low coercivity means that it can be magnetized and demagnetized easily, making it suitable for applications where rapid changes in magnetic states are required, e.g. motors with many rotations per minute.

Electrical Properties

The electrical resistivity of Vetroferrite is moderate, which helps to reduce eddy current losses when used in alternating magnetic fields. This characteristic is particularly beneficial in applications such as industrial sized AC generators, where minimizing energy loss is crucial for efficiency. But also, for electrical motors, efficiency gets more and more into the focus.

Mechanical Properties

Vetroferrite possesses good tensile and flexural strength, allowing it to withstand mechanical stresses without deforming or breaking. Stresses in the assembly of generators and motors can be high. Therefore, the glass fabric in Vetroferrite gives the necessary strength and stiffness to go through assembly and operation without being damaged.

Thermal Properties

Vetroferrite has a low thermal expansion coefficient, which means it experiences minimal changes in size with temperature fluctuations. This property is essential for maintaining performance in environments with varying temperatures. The material is available in class F and class H, making it the perfect fit for most NEMA temperature class generators and motors.

Applications

Magnetic slot wedges made of Vetroferrite find use across different industries:

1. Generators for power generation: Big generators in power plants have one purpose only: Generate electricity as efficient as possible. Here, Vetroferrite comes in handy as it improves generator efficiency, simply by improving the magnetic field of the stator.
2. Industrial electrical motors: There are many heavy-duty electrical motors to be found in the industry. Most of the machines are in operation 24/7 and only shut down for maintenance. It is therefore crucial, that these enines are as efficient as possible. Vetroferrite magnetic slot wedges help these engines achieve exactly that. Furthermore, this highly regulated market gets more stringent efficiency goals defined by regulation bodies. Magnetic wedges help achieving high efficiency classes like IE4 and the foreseen IE5 according to IEC 60034.
3. E-mobility: Vetroferrite magnetic slot wedges are also used in mobility applications for the same reason but with a very different effect. The increased efficiency of electrical engines used for the e-mobility, like permanent magnetic synchronous motor (PMSM) or asynchronous motor (ASM), saves not only money for charging the vehicle, but also increases range.

Manufacturing Process

The production of Vetroferrite involves several key steps:

1. Blending the Resin: Ferrite particles are mixed with epoxy resin and further additives like hardeners and catalysts.  This liquid mixture will be used to impregnate the glass fabric.
2. Impregnation of Glass Fabric: The rolls of glass fabric are then impregnated with the ferrite-epoxy mixture, ensuring an even distribution of materials throughout the fabric. The impregnation takes place in a dip-through process, afterwards the impregnated fabric is semi cured to a B-stage prepreg.
3. Layering and Stacking: Once impregnated, the glass fabric is cut to the size of the press and stacked together to form a multi-layered structure that enhances mechanical strength.
4. Pressing: The stacked layers are cured under controlled temperature and pressure conditions in a multi-opening press to ensure proper bonding between the components and achieve desired material properties.
5. Final part manufacturing: After curing, the composite material is cut and finished to meet specific dimensions required for various applications. This process can be achieved either by conventional milling or by punching, depending on thickness and geometry.

Advantages

Vetroferrite offers several advantages over traditional materials:

• Combination of Magnetic Properties with Structural Integrity: The integration of ferrites with glass fabric provides a unique balance between strong mechanical performance and effective magnetic behaviour.
• Excellent Machinability and Formability: The material can be easily machined into complex shapes or forms without compromising its integrity, facilitating diverse design possibilities.
• Compared to other soft magnetic composite materials Vetroferrite shows the best combination of mechanical strength, high magnetic permeability and a high glass transition temperature – making it the perfect fit for applications with high requirements.

In conclusion, Vetroferrite represents a significant advancement in soft magnetic composite materials, offering a unique combination of properties that make it valuable across various applications and markets. As development continues into enhancing its characteristics and expanding its range of uses, we can expect further innovations from this versatile material.

Q & A

Q: What makes Vetroferrite stand out among other soft magnetic composites?

A: Vetroferrite stands out among other soft magnetic composites due to its unique combination of properties and composition:

1. High magnetic permeability combined with excellent mechanical and thermal stability, making it ideal for applications requiring both magnetic performance and structural integrity.
2. Integration of glass fabric reinforcement, which enhances mechanical strength and provides better dimensional stability compared to traditional soft magnetic materials.
3. Temperature class F and H rating available, indicating good thermal resistance up to 180°C, which is beneficial for applications in high-temperature environments.
4. Ability to be manufactured into complex shapes and sizes, thanks to its laminate structure based on glass fabric and epoxy resin with high iron powder content.
5. Reduced eddy current losses due to its relatively high resistivity structure, which lead to improved efficiency in high-frequency applications.

These characteristics make Vetroferrite a versatile and high-performance option for various industrial and electrical applications, particularly where a combination of magnetic, mechanical, and thermal properties is required.

Q: What are the main industries that utilize Vetroferrite?

A: Vetroferrite is primarily utilized in the following industries:

1. Industrial generators, especially for applications requiring high magnetic permeability combined with mechanical and thermal stability.
2. Electrical engines, particularly for heavy-dute applications with high uptime the magnetic wedges are most efficient. But also, for on-off duty applications the high efficiency gain in the part load regime, is more than beneficial.
3. E-mobility, where efficiency gives you an extended range of the vehicles.

Vetroferrite’s unique combination of magnetic permeability, mechanical strength, and thermal stability makes it particularly valuable in these industries, especially for magnetic slot wedges in electric motors and generators.

Q: How does Vetroferrite contribute to the efficiency of electric motors?

A: Vetroferrite contributes to the efficiency of electric motors in several key ways:

1. The material’s high magnetic permeability allows for better channelling of magnetic fields, which is crucial for efficient energy conversion in electric motors and generators. This property helps reduce energy losses and improves overall efficiency.
2. The increased efficiency means less losses in the engine. This again leads to less heat generated. Therefore, with magnetic slot wedges made of Vetroferrite the temperature of the engine decreases. This has a positive effect on maintenance intervals, general wear and tear and overall engine lifetime.
3. Vetroferrite has a high electrical resistivity. Magnetic slot wedges made of Vetroferrite reduce the eddy current losses compared to other high magnetic permeability options. This characteristic leads to improved efficiency, especially in high-frequency applications.

With these properties, Vetroferrite helps electric motor and generators manufacturers create more efficient, durable, and high-performing products for various applications, from automotive to industrial equipment.

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VETROFERRITE Properties

Vetroferrite: Designed to enhance the efficiency of motors and generators.

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