I'm looking for a good trade off of magnetic qualities, machinability, and low cost for an outer rotor motor magnet housing containing permanent magnets. Other alloys like Silicon Iron, are too expensive in my size & cost targets (~Ø100, 100mm long).
I'm half way through Heat Treatment of Steel (Self Study Course) and I'm looking for ways to improve machinability and material properties of low carbon steel. My research has led me to think I need lower carbon content as carbon is seen as an impurity from a magnetic standpoint. I think I need fine uniform grain structure which leads me to annealing but that leaves me with some material that's softer than I'd like for machining.
Does it make sense that I could precipitation harden after annealing to get some hardness back without negatively impacting grain structure?
Any advice would help. This is NOT my area of expertise and I think I've passed the sections in my Self Study Course that I counted on directing me.
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Phil McDowell
VP Engineering
Cobra Moto
Hillsdale MI
(517) 437-9100
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