The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has concluded its five-year MADE3D project, short for Manufacturing and Additive Design of Electric Machines by 3D Printing. This initiative explored new approaches to wind turbine generator design and manufacturing, using additive technologies to reduce rare-earth material dependency and improve the performance and scalability of next-generation wind energy systems.
Funded by the DOE’s Wind Energy Technologies Office, the project brought together researchers from NREL, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL),NASA Glenn Research Center, and industry partners like Bergey WindPower. The team focused on developing 3D-printed components for both a 15 kW demonstrator unit and conceptual 15 MW offshore generators, achieving weight reductions of up to 35% in magnets and 20% in electrical steel, relative to conventional generator designs.
Published in December 2024, the final technical report documents innovations including multimaterial rotor cores, custom conductors, and polymer-bonded permanent magnets produced through advanced additive manufacturing processes. One of the project’s key developments was the MADE3D-AML tool, a machine learning-based surrogate model for topology optimization.This tool significantly accelerated generator design workflows compared to traditional finite-element methods, enabling rapid evaluation of torque, flux density, and mass constraints in various configurations.
Key outcomes and technical innovations
The MADE3D-AML system enabled NREL to explore a wider design space and identify rotor architectures with significant performance improvements. Some of the optimized designs achieved torque estimates exceeding 20.4 MNm, while reducing magnet material costs by up to 8.75% using hybrid magnet compositions that combined sintered and printed polymer-bonded magnets.
Though not all configurations were manufacturable, the project demonstrated how machine learning can unlock viable, cost-effective configurations that would be computationally prohibitive to explore otherwise.
Researchers also introduced a fully printable stator concept, designed with support-free overhangs and topology-optimized magnetic pathways. Combined with advanced overmolding techniques and material innovations, the project demonstrates a viable pathway for digitally manufactured electric machines tailored to offshore wind applications.
The project also included design and validation of a 15 kW prototype generator for Bergey WindPower. Finite element simulations and experimental validation showed strong correlation in torque measurements, with differences of less than 10%, and revealed opportunities for further reducing cogging torque through updated magnet pitch strategies.
Ongoing impact and industry relevance
While MADE3D has officially wrapped, its contributions extend beyond the project timeline. The research supports the DOE’s broader strategy for achieving 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030. Its design files, open-access publications, and novel workflows continue to inform engineers and companies exploring additive solutions in the renewable energy sector.
3D printing and the future of wind energy
Additive manufacturing is playing a growing role in reshaping the wind energy sector. GE Renewable Energy, for example, has opened a dedicated research facility to develop 3D printed wind turbine towers, aiming to reduce construction costs and improve logistics for offshore deployment. Meanwhile, optimization techniques are enabling the redesign of generator components and turbine hardware to reduce weight, increase efficiency, and streamline manufacturing.
More recently, researchers have explored circular economy strategies, including reusing decommissioned turbine blades as feedstock for 3D printed infrastructure, such as modular pedestrian bridges. These projects reflect the broader integration of 3D printing across the wind energy lifecycle, from tooling and parts production to end-of-life applications, as the sector scales toward global decarbonization goals.
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Feature image shows models of a radial flux permanent magnet generator. Image via NREL.
