Invited CommunicationMagnetic application choice among different nonoriented electrical steels

Starting from a short discussion of the contribution of electrical steels to the market of soft magnetic materials and of their practical importance, the complex spectrum of nonoriented electrical steels is briefly described. Aspects of an optimum choice of materials are discussed on the basis of the specific demands on electrical steels in rotating electrical machines. In addition, questions of an optimum design to realize an optimum use of the materials are regarded. The importance of the supply of necessary specific material data for improved model calculation of the flux distribution and the resulting magnetic losses is stressed. Finally, the driving forces for new developments in the area of nonoriented electrical steels are shortly discussed