Influence of lightweight plastics on the NVH behavior of high-performance electric machines

In the DEmiL project (directly cooled electric motor with integral lightweight housing), funded by the Vector Stiftung, an electric motor with an internal cooling system and a plastic housing was developed. The use of plastics allows an efficient realisation of internal cooling channels which enables superior cooling performance and thus great continuous power density. However, the use of these new materials brings new challenges regarding noise, vibration and harshness (NVH). In order to evaluate the effect on NVH performance an electrically identical machine, with a conventional cooling jacket (Aluminium motor), was built to serve as a reference.