Vibration and noise reduction are very important in electric vehicle driving motors. In this study, topology optimization of housing was performed to reduce vibration in a specific frequency caused by electromagnetic force generated by a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). The vibration induced by the electromagnetic force of the motor was calculated using electromagnetic-structural coupled analysis. Then, the magnitude of the acceleration for a specific frequency at which peak occurs in the rectangular and circular shape housing concept design model was reduced by using the topology optimization method. As a result, the rectangular and circular shape housing design reduced 92.9% and 96.0%, respectively. Finally, the vibration was effectively reduced while maintaining the electromagnetic characteristics of the motor, for which topology optimization was conducted while not changing the rotor or stator shape design (electromagnetic design factor) but by changing the motor housing shape design (mechanical and structural design factor).

In this study, we develop flexible multibody dynamic-electromagnetic-structural vibration coupled analysis method to accurately predict motor vibration by considering the electromagnetic force characteristics, rotating characteristics of rotating motor motors, and their interactions at the no-load rated speed and operating speed range. The structural characteristics are accurately reflected by developing a 3-D finite element model considering the entire components of the motor. The reliability of the 3-D finite element model of the motor is verified using the impact hammer test. In addition, to consider the rotational characteristics of the rotor structure, we develop a flexible multibody dynamics model that connects the flexible rotor and the bearing with revolute joint. The vibration of the motor at the no-load rated speed is analyzed using flexible multibody dynamics-electromagnetic-structural vibration coupled analysis. Comparing the vibration test results, it is confirmed that the flexible multibody dynamics-electromagnetic-structural vibration coupled analysis result predicts the actual motor vibration more accurately than the conventional finite element analysis-based electromagnetic-structural vibration coupled analysis result. By using flexible multibody dynamics-electromagnetic-structural vibration coupled analysis in the operating speed range, it is confirmed that not only electromagnetic force harmonics but also sideband harmonics caused by rotor eccentricity induced large vibrations, and also confirmed that it accurately predicts the vibration characteristics of actual motors with rotating rotors.

In recent years, the deterministic design optimization method has been widely used to improve the output performance of brushless direct current (BLDC) motors. However, it does not contribute to reducing the failure rate and performance variation of products because it cannot determine the manufacturing uncertainty. In this study, we proposed reliability-based robust design optimization to improve the output torque of a BLDC motor while reducing the failure rate and performance variation. We calculated the output torque and vibration response of the BLDC motor using the electromagnetic–structural coupled analysis. We selected the tooth thickness, slot opening width, slot radius, slot depth, tooth width, magnet thickness, and magnet length as the design variables related to the shape of the stator and rotor that affect the output torque. We considered the distribution of design variables with manufacturing tolerances. We performed a reliability analysis of the BLDC motor considering the distribution of design variables with manufacturing tolerances. Using the reliability analysis results, we performed reliability-based robust design optimization (RBRDO) to maximize the output torque; consequently, the output torque increased by 8.8% compared to the initial BLDC motor, the standard deviation in output performance decreased by 46.9% with improved robustness, and the failure rate decreased by 99.2% with enhanced reliability. The proposed reliability-based robust design optimization is considered to be useful in the actual product design field because it can evaluate both the reliability and robustness of the product and improve its performance in the design stage.

In this study, an electromagnetic force induced structural vibration for a brushless direct current (BLDC) motor with variable speed is performed using finite element analysis, as well as an experiment for operating speed range. The 3-D entire finite element model was used to predict the vibration characteristics for the operating speed range of a BLDC motor. To validate the finite element (FE) model, the modal analysis was compared with the results of a modal test. Then, for variable speed, electromagnetic force induced vibration characteristics for the range of operating speeds are predicted using the electromagnetic-structural vibration coupled analysis method. The predicted vibration characteristics are compared and validated with vibration experiment under the same operating conditions. Finally, it was found that the vibration characteristics predicted using the 3-D entire FE model can accurately reflect the actual vibration characteristics for variable speed.