A model has been developed for calculating the anisotropic magnetic propert
ies of soft magnetic materials with the objective of accounting for variati
ons in permeability in textured materials. The model in its current form ta
kes account of the rotation of the magnetization direction in each domain o
f a textured polycrystal and, thus, is applicable to large applied fields.
The magnetization direction is determined by minimizing the sum of the magn
etocrystalline anisotropy energy and the energy of interaction between the
applied field and local magnetization. Examples are given of the applicatio
n to idealized textures, such as fiber textures, in which all grains share
a common axis parallel to the sheet normal (ND). The cube fiber (< 100 > \
\ ND) has the highest permeability at any applied field, followed by a rand
omly oriented polycrystal, with the gamma fiber (< 111 > \ \ ND) having the
lowest permeability. Two further examples are given of textured steel shee
ts, often referred to as "nonoriented electrical steels," intended for use
as laminations in rotating electrical machinery. In one case, the two sampl
es show that a random texture is preferable to one in which the rolling tex
ture is retained. The second example demonstrates the importance of a parti
cular texture component, the Goss or < 001 > {110}, for producing an anisot
ropic permeability.