Structural Mechanics Process Simulation of Linear Coil Winding

Abstract

Slowly but steadily, more and more electrical vehicles push onto the consumer market. To produce electrical engines cost efficient, in first-class quality and in sufficient quantity, it is indispensable to understand the process of winding. The prediction of the wire behaviour is one of the key challenges of coil winding. Therefore, a detailed model is built to investigate the wire behaviour during the linear winding process. The finite element based simulation tool ANSYS Workbench® serves as the static structural component tool. To represent the high dynamic process of winding within this simulation, some first adaptions have to be made. This means, that dynamic influences such as rotational speed or acceleration of the coil body are neglected. Within the static structural analysis, the given boundary conditions are applied to the model. The material properties of the wire under scrutiny are validated by a tensile test and by the values of the datasheets. In order to achieve the best convergence, different contact algorithms are selected for each individual contact behaviour. Furthermore, specific adjustments to the mesh are necessary to gain significant results. State of the art in coil winding is an experimental procedure, which delivers good process parameters and, thus, expertise in winding technology. However, there are a lot of different, interacting parameters, which have to be optimized in terms of boundary conditions. The simulation model of the winding process, where varying parameters can be optimized pertaining to the optimal winding result, calls for extensive research in the field. The generated model enables the user not only to influence the process parameters but also to modify the geometry of the winding body. To make the simulation scientifically sound, it is validated by experiments.