# Trying to source lamination iron/steel



## karlos (Jun 30, 2008)

What thickness are you after? My brief research tells me for the 400hz type motors the lamination thickness is as 0.006" ! When you say "soft iron", can you explain a little more what steel that is?
You are probably aware, there are numerous Chinese companies that sell the rotor and stator laminations but they usually do not state the thickness. Some of the ones I looked at where the silicon steel you mentioned. I have even seen a website that sells the stamp tools to punch out your own laminations.
Will your rotor be aluminium or copper cored?
What insulation will you use between your laminations?
I wish you success with your project.



iti_uk said:


> Does anyone have any good leads on where I can buy sheets of either soft iron or silicon steel suitable for making motor laminations? I'm struggling to find any suppliers. I'm in the UK, if that makes a difference.
> 
> I've got a design and a willing machinist, just no material...
> 
> ...


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

karlos, thanks for the reply.

The motor I'm making is a Switched Reluctance motor with a laminated iron rotor (albeit supported on an aluminium boss, although this is a non-magnetically important part of the rotor). It's only a scaled-down prototype for the moment, so I'm getting the laminations water-jetted. I'm not hugely worried about lamination thickness at the moment - it's more a case of "something is better than nothing" combined with the relative ease of sourcing and machining a suitable material as sheets as opposed to billet.

As far as I know, "Soft Iron" is just low-carbon-content "steel". I haven't decided on an insulation type - I was hoping that the supplier who provides the steel would also have a suitable lamination material in his stock list.

Chris


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

iti_uk said:


> Does anyone have any good leads on where I can buy sheets of either soft iron or silicon steel suitable for making motor laminations? I'm struggling to find any suppliers. I'm in the UK, if that makes a difference.
> 
> I've got a design and a willing machinist, just no material...
> 
> ...


If you want motor grade lamination steel, check these guys out. 



> Laser cut prototype work:
> 
> 
> Loose laminations (Quantities of 1 to 20,000 pieces)
> ...


http://www.tempel.com/productinfo.asp

Or for plain steel: http://www.mcmaster.com/#steel-shim-stock/=lhpehf


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## PStechPaul (May 1, 2012)

Some time ago I spoke with someone from http://www.laminationspecialties.com/ and for a motor about 6" dia and 6" long the cost would be somewhere between $400 and $1000.

I'm also interested in building a SRM prototype and I have an old fan motor that has six stator slots and I just need to make a rotor which is 2.75" diameter and 1.25" long, with a 0.50" diameter hole for a shaft. I found that a PVC coupling for 2" pipe is the right OD, so I would just need to add steel sections. Using a short path design, I might be able to cut four slots and insert laminations. Something like this:


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

Excellent, thanks for the links, I'll be checking those out.

I might be making an order from Mcmaster-Carr... 

Many thanks!

Chris


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

iti_uk said:


> Excellent, thanks for the links, I'll be checking those out.
> 
> I might be making an order from Mcmaster-Carr...


I'm not saying that McM Carr steel (shim stock) will make a great motor, but steel is steel to a large degree and would serve as a magnetic path. You should be able to find the magnetic properties (like permeability) for it. It would suffice for a proof of concept type of prototype IMO.


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## PStechPaul (May 1, 2012)

There are some companies that have easy on-line pricing and ordering:

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=12779&step=4&showunits=inches&id=944&top_cat=197

http://www.metalsdepot.com/

http://www.speedymetals.com/ps-2687-158-00239-cold-rolled-steel-sheet.aspx

Some UK suppliers:

http://www.metalsheets.co.uk/

http://www.brindleymetals.co.uk/

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/metal-suppliers.htm

http://www.metalmaniauk.com/

http://www.themetalstore.co.uk/products/mild-steel-suppliers


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

major said:


> I'm not saying that McM Carr steel (shim stock) will make a great motor, but steel is steel to a large degree and would serve as a magnetic path. You should be able to find the magnetic properties (like permeability) for it. It would suffice for a proof of concept type of prototype IMO.


Fair point, I think I had been over-thinking the material choice for this prototype.



PStechPaul said:


> There are some companies that have easy on-line pricing and ordering:


Excellent finds! Thanks!

Chris


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## shortbus (Sep 27, 2011)

In the SRM thread I gave a link to lamination steel. In motors many use simple hot rolled steel, and a SRM is even more tolerant since it is a unipolar current motor. Even when using the lamination silicone steel, it has to go through an annealing and surface oxidation process after forming the parts.


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

Just put in my order for the laminations 

Now I just need a couple of endbells and a few rotor parts machining from aluminium. Plus a shaft, and the purchase of a couple of bearings...


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

I've received my laminations!!!!  On with the build! Next is to get the endbells and rotor boss machined from aluminium and to buy some bearings and a shaft, but I can make a start on winding the coils onto the stator! Epic!

Chris


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## mizlplix (May 1, 2011)

Cool, keep us in the loop. Sounds like a good project!

Miz


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## iti_uk (Oct 24, 2011)

My pile of steel, ready for assembly:












Chris


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## nitrous (May 7, 2021)

iti_uk said:


> My pile of steel, ready for assembly:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


did you drop this project or does my Tesla have your motor in it! 
Seriously, what did that stack of lamination's cost you and do you have a link?
It almost seems that for some of us at least, buying a hub motor or similar and modifying it may be the cheapest approach.
Thanks
Doug


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