There are innumerable ways how magnetism is used by today’s industry, e.g. motors, generators, solenoid valves, power tools, sensing devices, fuel pumps, fuel injectors,  anti-lock brake systems, electrical power steering systems, etc. just to mention a few. Many of these examples utilize permanent magnets and soft magnetic materials or a combination of both.

Compared to the conventional electrical laminations, soft magnetic components manufactured by powder metallurgy (PM) offer important advantages due to the inter-relationship of material properties, the processing of the components and their function. Therefore the PM-industry is an important supplier of soft magnetic components.

As a leading PM company PMG has improved the “standard” PM soft magnetic manufacturing process and thereby increased the advantages of this technology. With the newly developed heat resistant insulation coating PMG is able to supply soft magnetic cores with only half the iron-loss (eddy currents & hysteresis losses) and up to 300% higher mechanical strength than standard. Besides increasing the efficiency of customers’ magnetic or electric applications one major added value of PMG’s technology is the reduction of electric devices’ size and weight, a major advantage not only for new developments in the automotive industry.

PMG has a record of successfully developed prototypes, e.g. a stator for Diesel injection valves (as automotive application) and a motor stator for industrial automation (as non automotive application). PMG cooperates with and supplies to partners and customers all over the world. PMG’s powder magnetic core is a development of our R&D center in Japan, nevertheless experts in the USA and Europe are available for any question concerning our technology. Please do not hesitate to contact softmagnet@pmgsinter.com for further details on this advantageous technology or find  the presentation on PMG’s power magnetic core.

The current major focus of application is listed below. We are looking for development partners in these areas, but also in areas that emerge from the new field of possibilities through complex shaping and increased mechanical strength of our soft magnetic P/M materials.

3 Dimensional shaping (Near net shape, complex shapes):
Freedom of design. Complex shaping (size reduction), reduction of parts (industry Bill of Material reduction), reduction of part’s size, e.g. mobile applications. New applications, not possible with laminate.

Applications with frequencies between 10 kHz – 50 kHz:
At frequencies higher than 10 kHz SMC is cheaper than lamination (which has 0.1 mm thickness at these frequencies), but needs more space (volume). Positioning: Cost reduction potential compared to lamination (if lamination iron plates are 0.1 mm or thinner).  

Applications above 50 kHz:
At frequencies above 50 kHz SMC has a higher efficiency than lamination. Advantages: Cost reduction and better magnetic properties than lamination.  

Electric motor power range > 1 KW:
Large size motors bigger than 1 KW, which require strong torque, complex shape, and for which size reduction is a plus (e.g. traction motors for cars). 

Power inverter (DCàAC) – reactor:
Especially the new photovoltaic industry is in need of power inverters. SMC offers advantages for the manufacturing of these inverters.  

Sterling motor ignition core (co-generation):
Co-generation has a big future. The utilization of waste heat to drive a sterling motor needs soft magnetic ignition cores, and PMG SMC offer big advantages compared to other technologies.  

Environmental aspect – recyclable (easy recycling)
Additional advantage compared to lamination the fact that SMC can be much easier recycled.