The effect of mechanical working on the in-plane magnetic properties of Hiperco 50

Due to its high permeability and low coercivity Hiperco 50 is a premier soft magnetic material. It is often utilized, in laminate form, in rotors for aircraft power generators. These laminates are usually linearly cold rolled from larger billets. The rolling procedure results in the development of specific texture components within the material. This work shows the effect of rolling schedule on the texture of resulting material. Several rolling schedules were considered including straight rolling, cross rolling, clock rolling, and intermediate schedules between these. Varying the rolling schedule has been shown to have a dramatic effect on the resulting texture. In addition, the connection between texture and magnetic anisotropy is explored through a consideration of the angular distribution of easy axes and magnetostrictive strains within the material. This is done through theoretical calculations based on published values of the magnetostrictive and magnetocrystalline anisotropy constants for FeCo. We have observed a strong relationship between the mechanical history of the material and its texture. This implies a strong dependence of the in-plane magnetic properties on the mechanical history.