ESSIAL

Objective of the project

Soft magnetic materials, made from stacks of steel sheets separated by insulating layers, are becoming crucial in the various end-user industries and applications based on magnetic components and machines (transformers, sensors, actuators, motors, generators …). Experts estimate that the growth rate of soft magnetic materials will improve by 7.8% annually in the coming years! However, the technology used to manufacture steel sheets causes huge energy losses (called iron losses in addition to copper and mechanical losses) and noise (due to induced stresses and vibrations).

ESSIAL will use laser surface texturizing in order to improve the performance and functionalities of laminated magnetic circuits, while preserving a high mechanical and thermal resistance. In addition, the improved materials will be eco-friendly (no emission of pollutant during their working life); and made of materials that are easy to recycle. At the end of this four-year project, the ESSIAL consortium aims to:

• Decrease iron losses due to magnetic reversal processes by 20% (namely the excess magnetic losses).
• Control and decrease mechanical vibrations and acoustic noise by 20%.
• Make the deposition/removal of insulating layer easier for sustainable manufacturing process chains.
• Integrate new laser processes with maximum 10% price increase
• Implement innovative and unconventional technologies along the European manufacturing value chain.
• Transfer the ESSIAL technology to European clusters and companies.

Achieving these goals will help Europe reaching the objectives of the energy transition agenda, while strengthening European industrial base.

The ESSIAL consortium is composed of research centres and companies that cover the whole value chain of soft magnetic materials, with all necessary resources to carry-out the project. The project includes seven Work-Packages, ranging from manufacturing processes to up-scaling for mass production and dissemination.

Contribution of Multitel

In the ESSIAL project, Multitel is leader of WP2 dealing with the investigation of new laser applications such as surface texturing of ferromagnetic sheets. In addition, WP2 is in charge of metal processing, and the insulating layer deposition and associated unbinding processes. Raw materials necessary to build magnetic circuits to be inserted in final prototypes will be textured by Multitel.

Applications

Industrial ferromagnetic industry and related products: transformers, sensors, actuators, motors, generators…

Coordinator

• Ecole Supérieure d'Ingénieurs en Electrotechnique et electronique d'Amiens (France)

Partners

• Multitel ( Belgium)
• Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques (Belgium)
• Institut de Recherche Technologique - Matériaux, Métallurgie, Procédés (France)
• Université de Picardie Jules Verne (France)
• Universidad Carlos III de Madrid ( Spain)
• Albatros SL (Spain)
• Jeumont Electric SAS (France)
• Matikem (France)
• Fundacion Andaltec I+D+I (Spain)
• FRAUNHOFER Gesellschaft Zur Foerderung Der Angewandten Forschlung E.V. ( Germany)
• LASEA (Belgium)
• Euronovia (France)