Computing the Detent Torque of a Hybrid Stepper Motor using FEM

The numerical modeling of hybrid stepper motors (HSMs) using the Finite Element Method (FEM) is challenging due to the complex magnetic field distribution and their very small air gap. Accurate computation requires three-dimensional FEM models with extremely fine meshes, resulting in a very large number of unknowns and demanding high-performance computing resources. This study investigates the detent torque computation of a two-phase hybrid stepper motor with a double-stack rotor configuration. Two different FEM formulations based on magnetic vector potential and magnetic scalar potential, and four meshes with increased density were used in the process.