IHI Corporation today announced a breakthrough high-flux plastic magnet rotor prototype for ultra-high-speed motors for aircraft and automobiles.This achievement is the fruit of collaboration with Akita University and three Akita Prefecture-based companies that leveraged support from the Akita Industrial Technology Center. They are Miyakoshi Seiki Co., Ltd., Furuya Mold Co., Ltd., and Kobayashi Industry Co., Ltd.

These magnet rotors, or motor rotors, result from injection molding molten plastic and powder magnet composites, orienting them in a magnetic field (see note 1) similar to that of a Halbach array (note 2) to maximise magnet utilisation efficiency. high motor efficiency, compactness, and lightness. Injection molding greatly reduces machining, cutting manufacturing times and costs.

Covering the injected plastic magnets with a high-strength carbon fiber-reinforced polymer ring created a structure that can withstand motor speeds exceeding 100,000 revolutions per minute.

The Joint Research Center for Electric Architecture (note 3) assessed the finished prototype. It confirmed that the performance matched or bettered that of regular sintered magnet rotors in which magnets account for all of the designed magnetic force. delivering the same output with magnets that are almost 50% plastic.

IHI will keep developing electric hybrid propulsion systems for aircraft with a view to practical deployment in the 2030s.