In times of increasing geopolitical instability and raw material price volatility, the needs for sustainable solutions and resilient supply chains are increasing. Alvier Mechatronics (SE) has together with Niron Magnetics (US) addressed this by designing a low power auxiliary electric motor made from emerging magnetic materials without rare-earth (RE) content – pure iron based Soft Magnetic Composite (SMC) material together with Iron Nitride (FeN) magnets. The concept shown is an Axial Flux Machine with a single open-slot stator (12 slots) together with a rotor made from a combination of SMC and FeN magnets (10 pole) in a spoke-type arrangement.

This development addresses critical challenges in electric motor manufacturing, including geographical concentration of rare-earth supply chains dominated by China and sustainability concerns. The project demonstrates the first motor designed and built using FeN magnets—the first new magnetic material developed in 40 years—combined with SMC stator and rotor pole pieces.

The spoke-type rotor design leverages FeN magnets' unique properties: high remanence with moderate coercive force, operating temperatures exceeding 150°C, and higher electrical resistivity compared to traditional NdFeB magnets. The SMC material enables net-shape manufacturing through uni-axial compaction, offering design flexibility and cost-efficient production.

The motor targets industrial and automotive applications under 10 kW, with design specifications including rated torque ≥1.5 Nm, peak torque ≥3 Nm, and operation up to 6000 rpm. Comprehensive electromagnetic and structural simulations validated the design, demonstrating efficiency exceeding 90% across a wide operating range while maintaining safe mechanical operation with stress safety factors greater than 2.19 for SMC components and 15 for FeN magnets.

A functional prototype has been successfully assembled and is undergoing dynamic testing. Future work includes exploring different FeN rotor concepts for increased torque density and investigating variable flux machine topologies for target applications including refrigeration compressors, washing machines, and pumps. This presentation is relevant for motor designers, materials engineers, researchers in electrification technologies, and industry professionals working on sustainable electric drive systems for automotive and industrial applications.