Presentation and Performance Evaluation of a Novel Stator-Permanent-Magnet Hybrid Stepping Motor

In this paper, a new type of hybrid stepping motor (HSM) with permanent magnets (PMs) embedded in the stator, namely the stator-permanent-magnet hybrid stepping motor (SHSM), is presented. It has the same operation principles as the traditional HSM, with a 2-D distributed magnetic field nature and superiorities such as simpler rotor structure, easier PM cooling, higher torque and power density, and higher power grade. Its structural topology and operation principles are initially presented. Then an investigation on the performance comparison between the HSM and the SHSM, in terms of PM flux density, PM torque, detent torque, positional holding accuracy, stator core saturation issue, PM flux leakage, and PM utilization rate is carried out theoretically to make an assessment of the performance superiorities of the SHSM. A prototype of a 2-phase 8-pole 50-rotor-tooth SHSM is fabricated and experimentally compared with the HSM by using finite element analysis (FEA) to verify the motor’s operational feasibility and the theoretical analysis. The FEA and experimental results show that the proposed SHSM has performance advantages such as higher torque density, higher power grade, and higher pull-out torque, holding torque, and torque-speed property, although it has performance defects such as higher torque ripple and relatively lower positional holding accuracy in the open-loop operation than the conventional HSM. Consequently, this novel SHSM is more suitable for electromechanical energy conversion applications rather than positioning mechanisms, especially taking into account the open-loop control advantage.