Power losses and magnetization process in Fe-Si non-oriented steels under tensile and compressive stress

The influence of tensile and compressive stresses on the magnetic losses in non-oriented Fe-(3 wt%)Si laminations has been investigated. It is shown t hat, while moderately affected by tensile stresses, the energy losses stron gly increase upon compression. This is assumed to derive from a correspondi ng evolution of the domain distribution among easy axes, leading to an incr ease of both coercive field and excess losses. A rationale for the correlat ed dependence of the DC and AC losses on stress can be found in the framewo rk of the statistical theory of losses. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.