Multi-DoF 3D printed spherical electromagnetic actuator

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a layer-by-layer material addition technology used to fabricate desired parts with different shapes and dimensions. Recently, there has been a growing interest in the field of AM as it has emerged as an alternative manufacturing process, offering virtually unlimited potential for a wide range of industrial and special-purpose applications, such as electrical actuators. Combining 3D printing technology with electromagnetic design is an opportunity to reimagine the architecture, performance, and manufacturability of these devices. In this framework, the AM technique can be exploited to manufacture a spherical induction actuator with 3 Degrees of Freedom (DoF). Considering different configurations and designs, such a device could be effectively used in robotics to actuate knees and elbows, propellers of drones or wind turbines, and industrial joysticks for forklifts or heavy-duty cranes. However, considering only conventional productive operations, its structure inherently complicates the manufacturing process. The analyzed geometry is ASFER, a spherical induction actuator (Figure 1). It consists of a properly laminated stator with a set of windings able to produce rotation with respect to three axes. The rotor is made of a concentric double-layer hollow sphere, composed of inner solid ferromagnetic material and a conductive (copper) sheet outside [1]. Its analysis is based on the Finite Element (FE) simulation of the device’s 3D model. The actuator performances are investigated through the parameterization of the geometry.