Production of complex shape magnets using additive manufacturing: A state-of-the-art analysis

Abstract

Additive manufacturing has been gaining ground both in the industry and in the academic world due to its flexibility, easy operation, and the possibility of making products in the most varied formats. Also, it can be observed that magnets are largely produced using a sintering process, although it results in high (BH)max, this process is very limited in relation to the shapes of the magnets, thus, additive manufacturing can be used to produce complex shaped magnets. The aim of this article is to demonstrate the state of the art regarding the applied methods to produce permanent magnets and materials for magnet production. Considering this, a literature review was conducted using the methodology called mapping study to select the articles to be used, thus, demonstrating that the main compound used as the magnetic particle is NdFeB alloy powder. Finally, it can be concluded that the magnets produced by additive manufacturing have lower (BH)max than those produced by sintering processes, which despite having high filling capacity of magnetic particles increases the magnet’s magnetic capacity, limits their shape, those by manufacturing magnets can be produced with complex shapes, the heating temperature may reduce the maximum energy, and the coercive force improves it.