Ed Fagan is a leading supplier of soft magnetic alloys including Hiperco® 50, Hiperco 50A and Hiperco 50 HS. Given the high magnetic saturation properties of these alloys, they have been employed in many applications with high rotational speeds. Examples of applications where these alloys have been employed are provided below:
Hiperco® 50 Applications
Hiperco 50 is a component in commercial aircraft safety systems including a “RAT” (ram air turbine) and in the “APU” (auxiliary power unit). On January 15, 2009 shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport, US Airway flight 1549 was attacked by bird strikes that resulted in loss of power in both main engines. This plane had both its APU and RAT electric generators made with Hiperco 50 rotors and stators. Fortunately, the RAT and APU provided the emergency power that enabled Captain Sullenberger to make the needed flight maneuvers to bring US Airway flight 1549 down safely. In addition, the airplane’s engine generators contain Hiperco 50, but since they are driven by the main engines, they could no longer supply power.
Hiperco® 50A Applications
Hiperco 50A is a beneficial alloy for magnetic cores in electrical equipment requiring high permeability at high magnetic flux densities. It is also found in tape cores where lowest A.C. losses and high permeability at high inductions are desired.
Hiperco® 50 HS Applications
Alloy strip should be considered a candidate for use in the manufacture of rotor laminations for aircraft power generation applications, as well as for magnetic bearings. Laminations are stamped from cold rolled strip. They must be final annealed in a protective atmosphere or vacuum environment at a temperature which will provide an optimum combination of magnetic and mechanical properties to withstand the high stresses encountered in service.
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