Methods for manufacturing a housing for an electrical machine

• US 10,424,989 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2017
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Aviation Systems LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Huang, Hao, Jia, Xiaochuan, Mook, Joshua Tyler
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Emily P
• Application Number:
  US15/671,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20180205284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/165 Shape, form or location of the slots
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/265 Shape, form or location of the slots
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/28 Means for mounting or fastening rotating magnetic parts on to, or to, the rotor structures
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 1/32 with channels or ducts for flow of cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/022 with salient poles or claw-shaped poles
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/024 with slots
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/026 Wound cores
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/14 Casings; Enclosures; Supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 3/16 for auxiliary purposes, e.g. damping or commutating
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/15 Mounting arrangements for bearing-shields or end plates
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/161 radially supporting the rotary shaft at both ends of the rotor H02K5/165, H02K5/167, H02K5/173 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/1737 radially supporting the rotor around a fixed spindle; radially supporting the rotor directly
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 5/26 Means for adjusting casings relative to their supports
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/16 wherein the cooling medium circulates through ducts or tubes within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 9/19 for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a housing for an electrical machine includes printing, by a three-dimensional (3D) printing process, the housing. In addition, the method includes printing, by the 3D printing process, a cooling jacket that is integral with the housing. The method also includes printing, by the 3D printing process, at least one end cap configured to enclose a cavity defined by the housing. In addition, the method includes coupling the at least one end cap to the housing.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a housing for an electrical machine, the method comprising:

printing, by a three-dimensional (3D) printing process, the housing;

printing, by the 3D printing process, a cooling jacket that is integral with the housing;

printing, by the 3D printing process, at least one end cap configured to enclose a cavity defined by the housing; and

coupling the at least one end cap to the housing,

wherein the at least one end cap defines an aperture for a rotor shaft of a rotor assembly to extend therethrough.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising printing at least one mounting ear.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said printing the at least one mounting ear comprises:

printing a first pair of mounting ears at a first end of the housing; and

printing a second pair of mounting ears at a second end of the housing,

wherein the first end and the second end are spaced apart from one another along a length of the housing.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said printing the at least one end cap comprises printing a first end cap and a second end cap.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said coupling the at least one endcap to the housing comprises:

coupling the first end cap to the housing via the first pair of mounting ears; and

coupling the second end cap to the housing via the second pair of mounting ears.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D printing process comprises fusing metal using laser energy or heat.

7. A method for manufacturing an electrical machine, the method comprising:

printing a stator core;

printing a first part of a stator winding;

coupling the first part of the stator winding to the stator core; and

after said coupling the first part of the stator winding to the stator core, printing a second part of the stator winding onto the first part of the stator winding to form the stator assembly;

printing a rotor assembly;

printing a housing defining a cavity; and

printing a cooling jacket that is integral with the housing,

wherein said printing the cooling jacket occurs contemporaneously with said printing the housing.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising printing at least one mounting ear.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said printing the at least one mounting ear occurs contemporaneously with said printing the housing.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

printing at least one end cap; and

mounting the at least one end cap to the housing via the at least one mounting ear.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said printing the at least one end cap comprises

printing an end cap that defines an aperture.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said printing the rotor assembly comprises:

printing a first part of a rotor shaft;

printing a rotor core onto the first part of the rotor shaft;

printing a second part of the rotor shaft onto the rotor core;

printing a first part of the rotor winding;

coupling the first part of the rotor winding to the rotor core; and

after said coupling the first part of the rotor winding to the rotor core, printing, by the 3D printing process, a second part of the rotor winding onto the first part of the rotor winding to form the rotor assembly.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said printing the rotor core comprises:

printing a first lamination sheet;

printing at least one spacer after said printing the first lamination sheet; and

printing a second lamination sheet after said printing the at least one spacer,

wherein the at least one spacer is positioned between the first lamination sheet and the second lamination sheet.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein said printing the rotor core comprises printing, by a first projection, wherein said printing the first part of the rotor winding comprises printing a second projection, and wherein the first projection contacts the second projection when the first part of the rotor winding is coupled to the rotor core.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

applying a varnish or epoxy to the rotor assembly;

removing the first projection from the rotor core after applying the varnish or epoxy; and

removing the second projection from the first part of the rotor winding after applying the varnish or epoxy.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein said printing the stator core comprises printing a first projection, wherein said printing the first part of the stator winding comprises printing a second projection, and wherein the first projection contacts the second projection when the first part of the stator winding is coupled to the stator core.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

applying a varnish or epoxy to the stator assembly;

removing the first projection from the stator core after said applying the varnish or epoxy; and

removing the second projection from the first part of the stator winding after said applying the varnish or epoxy.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said applying the varnish or epoxy to the stator assembly comprises potting the epoxy to the stator assembly.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said applying the varnish or epoxy to the stator assembly comprises electrophoretically depositing the varnish or epoxy onto the stator assembly.

20. The method of claim 7, wherein said coupling the first part of the stator housing to the stator core comprises inserting each coil of a plurality of coils into one slot of a plurality of slots defined by the stator core.