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JUNE 2025 I DESIGN007 MAGAZINE 53 Figure 5: A printed circuit rotor/stator using the unique coil pattern for maximum efficiency 6 . Summary Printed circuits continue to grow and expand into new markets and products. Axial flux PCB motors will grow in the $200 billion electric motor market. e extremely light weight and increased power allow elec- tric motors to be part of many new applica- tions, particularly in robotics and aerospace. Who knows? Soon, we may even see the effi- cient air taxi. DESIGN007 References 1. "Happy's Tech Talk #17: Can You Build EVs Like PCs?" by Happy Holden, PCB007 Maga- zine, February 2023. 2. "CES 2024: Magna puts multiple innova- tions in a new, more efficient 800V e-motor," by Chris Clonts, SAE Automotive Engineering, Jan. 10, 2024. 3. ECM, ecm.com. 4. "Axial Flux Motor Topology Signals Next Generation of Electric Motors," by Rehana Begg, Machine Design, Jan. 22, 2024. 5. "Axial flux motors," by Nick Flaherty, eMobility-engineering.com. 6. "PCB Stator Technology Replaces Bulky Copper Windings," by Rehana Begg, Machine Design, May 23, 2023. Happy Holden has worked in printed circuit technology since 1970 with Hewlett- Packard, NanYa Westwood, Merix, Foxconn, and Gentex. He is a contributing technical editor with I-Connect007, and the author of Automation and Advanced Proce- dures in PCB Fabrication, and 24 Essential Skills for Engineers. To read past columns, click here. Researchers from the Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering of the Chinese Acad- emy of Sciences, have leveraged artificial intelligence (AI) to design a novel series of Fe-based amorphous alloys. These materials exhibit both ultra-high satura- tion magnetization (Bs) and ultra-low coercivity (Hc), offering potential to improve the energy efficiency and performance of high-frequency, high-power electronic devices. The findings were published in Advanced Functional Materials. As electronics operate at higher frequencies in the MHz and GHz ranges, traditional soft magnetic mate- rials like silicon steel face significant limitations due to high core losses. This leads to reduced efficiency, excessive heat, and risks of thermal runaway, espe- cially in high-power applications like 5G communica- tions and electric vehicles. Fe-based amorphous alloys offer a promising alternative with low coercivity and minimal core losses, but their low saturation magneti- zation hinders their use in high-power-density devices. To address these challenges, the research team employed machine learning models to predict and opti- mize the saturation magnetization of Fe-based amor- phous alloys. Among the models tested, the XGBoost algorithm demonstrated superior performance, achiev- ing an R² coefficient above 0.85 and a root-mean- square error below 0.12 T, indicating high predictive accuracy. Feature analysis revealed that iron content (above 75 atomic percent), mixing enthalpy (between -18.7 and -14 kJ/mol), and electronegativity difference (below 0.07) are critical factors in achieving high Bs while maintaining glass-forming ability. Building on these insights, the researchers intro- duced cobalt to exploit the Fe-Co exchange coupling effect, designing a series of Fe-based amorphous alloys, including Fe-Co-Ni-Si-B and Fe-Co-Ni-B-P- C. Following magnetic field annealing, these alloys achieved Bs values exceeding 1.85 T, with some reaching up to 1.92 T, and Hc as low as 1.2 A/m. These properties surpass those of conventional silicon steel. This research was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and other funding agencies. Source: Chinese Academy of Sciences Researchers Develop AI-driven Fe-based Amorphous Alloys for Advanced Electronics