3D printing has become very popular when it comes to rapid prototyping. But is it possible to build an electric motor, widely using 3D printing in mass production? That would reduce the cost of manufacturing (especially keeping in mind that speed of 3D printing goes up rapidly nowadays) and make it possible to manufacture custom motors at a scale.
I’ve designed this axial flux motor to prove that 3D printing is a viable manufacturing option for electric motors as well. One of the main issues was the high forces, acting between the rotor and stator. In order to keep the airgap dimension constant during motor operation I’ve used some special design techniques.