Fraunhofer IFAM is establishing a new research facility in Dresden to develop electric motors that minimize the use of critical raw materials. The SIREN project, which stands for Sovereign and Versatile Infrastructure for Resource-Independent Electric Drives of the Next Generation, will receive over €2 million in funding by the end of 2028.
Financial support for the initiative comes from the Free State of Saxony and the European Regional Development Fund. The project aims to create a continuous, sintering-based additive manufacturing chain. This approach allows for the combination of various metallic materials and the production of complex component geometries that traditional methods cannot achieve.
A primary research goal involves developing multimaterial laminations by combining soft-magnetic and non-magnetic materials. This work supports the creation of high-speed reluctance motors and ferrite-excited permanent magnet drives that function without rare earth elements. Additionally, researchers are testing the replacement of copper windings with aluminum, utilizing integrated cooling channels to maintain high performance.
The infrastructure is designed to span the entire development cycle, from material science to the creation of functional demonstrators. The project targets applications requiring high power density and limited space, including road, aerial, and underwater vehicles, as well as industrial equipment. The institute plans to collaborate with companies in drive technology, supply chains, and sintering.
