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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Mehmet KulanORCiD, Dr Farshid Mahmouditabar, Abdulrahman Alharbi, Dr Bortecene Yildirim, Professor Nick BakerORCiD
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).
© 2025 by the authors. This paper presents the design, optimization, and validation of a dual three-phase yokeless and segmented armature (YASA) axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) machine for aerospace actuators. The proposed 12-slot, 10-pole topology employs segmented soft magnetic composite (SMC) stator teeth integrated into an additively manufactured aluminium holder, combining modularity, weight reduction, and improved thermal conduction. A multi-objective optimization process based on 3D finite element analysis (FEA) was applied to balance torque capability and losses. The manufacturable design achieved a peak torque of 28.3 Nm at 1400 rpm and a peak output power of 3.5 kW with an efficiency of 81.6%, while limiting short-circuit currents to 14 Arms. Transient structural simulations revealed that three-phase short circuits induce unbalanced axial forces, exciting rotor wobbling—a phenomenon not previously reported for YASA machines. A prototype was fabricated and tested, with static torque measurements deviating by 8.6% from FEA predictions. By contrast, line-to-line back-EMF and generator-mode power output exhibited larger discrepancies (up to 20%), attributed to the frequency-dependent permeability and localized eddy currents of the SMC stator material introduced during EDM machining. These results demonstrate both the feasibility and the limitations of YASA AFPM machines for aerospace applications.
Author(s): Kulan MC, Mahmouditabar F, Alharbi AAM, Yildirim B, Baker NJ
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Energies
Year: 2025
Volume: 18
Issue: 23
Online publication date: 27/11/2025
Acceptance date: 25/11/2025
Date deposited: 22/12/2025
ISSN (electronic): 1996-1073
Publisher: MDPI
URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/en18236274
DOI: 10.3390/en18236274
Data Access Statement: The original contributions presented in this study are included in the article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
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