Product Highlight
Axial flux motor
Axial flux motor
Space for new innovations: Efficient
electrification for your auxiliary units
With the axial flux motor, WEBER-HYDRAULIK is expanding its portfolio with a particularly compact and energy-efficient drive solution. Thanks to their high degree of integration and customer-specific design, these motors are perfectly suited for
applications with limited installation space, such as modern electro-hydraulic power units and pump units. The product impresses with its compact design, high power density, and seamless integration into existing systems.
Compact
High torque density, integrated solution,
resource-efficient
Flexibility
Various variants possible: from stator and
rotor combinations to customer-specific system solutions
Integration
Perfectly tailored to the customer needs,
seamlessly integrated and cost-optimized
Maximum efficiency
Complete in-house development and production
ensures high quality standards
Room for innovation
Strong partnerships – innovative thinking:
solutions that move
Discover new freedom in system design with the disc-shaped design of our motors. Together we develop innovative concepts and tailor-made solutions – from the initial idea to series production. Benefit from short development cycles, seamless integration into your system, and direct support from our experts. Our team will reliably accompany you through every step of product development – from the concept phase and simulation to prototypes and market-ready products.
Axial flux motor
From components to systems
Depending on your requirements, we provide individual components, motors and systems, that meet the highest quality standards. Leveraging our extensive experience in axial flux technology and advanced manufacturing processes, we deliver customized solutions that combine optimal cost-efficiency with unique product design for every customer requirement.
Efficient magnetic field guidance
In three dimensions
WEBER-HYDRAULIK’s axial flux motors utilize soft magnetic composite materials (SMC) for particularly efficient guidance of the magnetic fields in all three dimensions. The combination of SMC and laminated components ensures an optimal balance between high material saturation and maximum flux utilization – resulting in peak torque density and motor efficiency.
Learn more about the advantages of our SMC- technology – from precise motor design to optimized production processes.
Advantages and product benefits
Compact in design, integrated into
the system, efficient in assembly
Areas of application:
- Axial flux motor for auxiliary drives such as electric-hydraulic systems and pump units
Customer Benefits:
- Space-saving integration due to an extremely compact design
- High torque density through optimized magnetic flux guidance
- Flexible installation options across diverse drive systems
- Technologically mature alternative to traditional radial flux motors
Wherever space is at a premium
Axial flux motor – maximum performance in minimal space
Industrial robotics
Modern mobility far beyond commercial vehicles
Oil and water pumps
Fan and air conditioning technology
Flat actuators
„Our axial flux motors combine compact design, high material efficiency, and intelligent engineering. The results are economically and technically compelling solutions for electric drive technology—developed in close partnership with our customers, from idea to series production.“
DIETMAR ANDESSNER
Head of Axial Flux Motor Development
Contact
We look forward to hearing from you.
Axial flux motor from WEBER-HYDRAULIK
Learn more about these advanced motors, which open up new possibilities for the future of electric drives through a range of tangible advantages.
High torque in a compact form factor:
A closer look at the advantages of axial flux motors
The radial flux motor (RFM) achieves its optimum power-to-weight ratio with a voluminous, cylindrical design. An axial orientation of the magnetic field in the air gap, on the other hand, allows for a significantly flatter, more compact design with a shorter axial length without compromising performance. This design is typically accompanied by a lower motor weight. Supplementary technology, such as uniform cooling or power electronics, can be efficiently connected because the motor's sides are easily accessible and flat. Overall, the axial motor design is ideal for all applications with limited installation space. Consider, for example, a wheel hub drive: the axial flux principle is ideal in this case and allows direct power transmission in the smallest of spaces without additional shafts or complex gearboxes.
With their inherent advantages, these motors are becoming increasingly important in the development of WEBER-HYDRAULIK products, enabling the creation of advanced, efficient, compact, and powerful hydraulic solutions for a wide range of industries.
Axial flux motors in industry, mechanical engineering, and other areas
The most important features of a disc motor—its high efficiency, power density, and compactness—are in demand in an increasing number of applications and industries. These include:
- Special vehicles (e.g., those with chain drive) as the primary drive motor
- Industrial robotics with a high demand for short-length drives
- Customized automation technology in industry
- Mobile machines of all kinds where lightweight construction is important
- Aerospace
- compressors and pumps for various applications and media (gases and liquids)
- Electro-hydraulic power units and general hydraulic solutions, such as those from WEBER-HYDRAULIK
- Energy technology, especially in wind turbines or generators
- Automotive auxiliary units with their challenging installation spaces
Finally, there is another major area of application worth mentioning - electric mobility. The example of a wheel hub drive mentioned above directly refers to its potential use in e- bikes or e- scooters. The short motors are also very well suited to the installation space and performance requirements of VTOLs (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft) and electric aircraft. While manufacturers around the world mainly rely on RFM (radial flux motors) for ground electric vehicles, the first exclusive models with AFM drives are already on the market and demonstrate significant performance potential. Traditionally, these premium and concept cars pave the way for technology transfer to large series models. The spread of AFM- technology in electric cars will continue to grow, as the automotive industry is very interested in these systems and their further development is making their use increasingly attractive in this sector as well.
Axial flux motor vs. radial flux motor – Key Distinctions
AFMs have the long-term potential to complement the portfolio of radial flux motors in all industries. Their design is not a technical innovation, as the technology dates back to one of the first electric motors ever built, successfully demonstrated for the first time in 1838 by the German- Russian engineer and physicist Moritz Hermann von Jacobi. Despite its advantages, however, it remained in the shadow of radial flux technology for decades. This was primarily due to complex process engineering hurdles that had to be overcome before AFM could be manufactured in series at a high level of quality.
Axial drives sometimes require different design and manufacturing processes than an RFM. For instance, precise magnetic field simulations necessitate advanced 3D modeling, and the production of the iron circuit from electrical steel requires specialized techniques. In general, high material utilization in electric motors requires that the air gap between the rotor and stator be kept as small as possible. At the same time, this gap must be kept constant under the magnetic forces during operation.
In the case of the AFM, this places high demands on design, construction, and materials. In some cases, higher costs are attributed to this fact. However, these are now steadily decreasing through the optimization of manufacturing processes or the development of new, more resilient materials.
Late, but comprehensive, the almost 200-year-old AFM principle is now ready for series production thanks to today's manufacturing technologies, and engine technology is thus undergoing significant further development for innovative applications.
WEBER-HYDRAULIK – Axial flux motors developed in-house
WEBER-HYDRAULIK is contributing to this further development. In-house research and development have been fundamental to our tradition for more than 85 years. Combined with advanced manufacturing processes and deep technical expertise, this commitment has established us as one of the world's leading suppliers of hydraulic drive and control technology.
In the field of mobile and stationary hydraulics, WEBER-HYDRAULIK solutions deliver precision and reliability across construction, agriculture, machine tools, logistics, and rescue systems. Where high performance meets limited space, our systems are increasingly powered by an AFM.
Many of these are powerful and economical series models. But are you looking for tailor-made solutions for your specific applications? Developing individual systems according to your exact requirements is a core competence of WEBER-HYDRAULIK.
From electric motors with advanced, effective axial flux technology to power units, hydraulic cylinders, control blocks, valves, rescue equipment, and much more: which solutions do you need to move your company forward?
Let the team of experts at WEBER-HYDRAULIK advise you personally.
FAQ
The basic structure of all electric machines is always the same: their core consists of a fixed stator and a moving rotor. To increase performance, many electric motors use multiple stators and rotors. The stators generate a magnetic field via electrical current flowing through wound coils; this field interacts with the rotors to generate torque, thereby converting electrical energy into mechanical energy.
These components can be arranged in two primary ways: radially or axially. In a radial flux motor (RFM), the rotors move either inside or outside the stator (as internal or external rotors), with the magnetic flux oriented in a radial direction.
In contrast, an axial flux motor (AFM)—also known as a disc motor—features components stacked along the axis of the motor in a compact "sandwich" construction. In this design, the magnetic field in the air gap is aligned axially. This layered arrangement significantly enhances motor performance and some other characteristics of the drives.
In an axial flux motor, the magnetic field generated by induction, with its magnetic field lines, passes through the air gap between the stator and rotor along the motor’s axis. As with radial flux machines, the rotation of the rotor creates alternating magnetic fields in the stator windings, resulting in induced voltages.
The selection and dimensioning of the motor topology—such as the number of poles, stator slots, and winding configuration—follow the same physical principles as those applied to radial flux machines. Accordingly, the electrical supply of the stator windings is equivalent, allowing the use of established inverters and control algorithms.
The motor utilizes the supplied energy precisely as efficiently as required. Due to the physically inherent scaling laws of axial flux motors, the geometric parameters governing torque generation and copper losses are largely decoupled and can be considered independently. This allows for highly precise design of permissible losses along the axial length without the need to modify the component geometry in terms of diameter.
Thanks to the annular air-gap surface, the motor uses a large portion of its volume for magnetically active material. As a result, the available installation space is utilized very efficiently, which directly translates into a high volumetric power density.
The compact axial design facilitates replacement in many applications. WEBER- HYDRAULIK will dimension the motor for you so that it precisely meets your existing requirements.
The disc-shaped design directs dissipated energy over very short distances to the disc surfaces. This enables highly efficient cooling, whether through ambient air or liquid-cooled jackets, ensuring stable performance even under high loads.