Soft Magnetic Material Status and Trends in Electric Machines

This paper gives an overview on the history and trends of magnetic materials used in electrical machines and motors. The presented materials include silicon-iron, nickel-iron, and cobalt-iron lamination steels, as well as amorphous and nanocrystalline magnetic materials and soft magnetic composites. Development trends and current usage of these selected materials are presented, giving an outlook on the new magnetic material research with regard to electrical machine applications.