Effect on magnetic properties of inhomogeneous compressive stress in thickness direction of an electrical steel stack

•Experimental device for homogeneous and inhomogeneous compressive stress in thickness direction of a laminations stack.•Mechanical finite element simulation to validate the stress distribution into the magnetic circuit.•Emphasizing of the link between the stress distribution and the observed degradation of magnetic properties.•Experimental parameters and studied configurations correspond to an industrial case. The manufacturing processes of electrical machines may lead to significant degradation of magnetic core properties and therefore of the machine performance. Laminations are usually stacked and pressed which affects the magnetic properties and the iron losses. However, the influence of this step must be still investigated when large generators are considered. Indeed, in that case, the stator and rotor stacking process consists in assembling several stacks of electrical steel sheets separated by airvents. The surface of the airvent spacers represents about ten percent of the lamination surface of the magnetic circuit, implying, during the compaction process, an inhomogeneous stress distribution with significant local stresses. The present work deals with the experimental characterization of a lamination stack, including airvents, under compressive stress in the thickness direction. A mock-up has been designed and built-up to study magnetic properties of lamination stacks under pressing conditions corresponding to the industrial process.