Optimizing the design of a pilger mill motor to produce seamless pipes

This paper dwells upon optimizing the design of motors for pilger mills making seamless pipes of large diameter. The options are grouped into four types: high-speed motor with a reduction drive; low-speed motor, no reduction drive (replaces the existing motor); a motor that uses the flywheel as the rotor of another motor; no flywheel, a motor of equivalent inertial mass used instead. This research applies ANSYS Electronics Desktop: special software for computing electric machines which employs finite-element analysis. The options are compared against each other. Energy indicators coupled with a minimum use of active materials is the criterion applied to choose the best option. The replace the existing obsolete DC commutator motor, the paper proposes a drive based on a brushless claw-pole permanent-magnet motor that is more reliable thanks to contactless current feed while also using less copper and offering better energy indicators due to zero excitation loss.