The projections on the rotor are arranged to introduce internal flux “barriers“, holes that direct the magnetic flux along the so-called direct axis.
ðə pɹədʒˈɛkʃənz ɔnðə ɹˈoʊɾɚɹ ɑːɹ ɚɹˈeɪndʒd tʊ ˌɪntɹədˈuːs ɪntˈɜːnəl flˈʌks “bˈæɹɪɹz“, hˈoʊlz ðæt dᵻɹˈɛkt ðə mæɡnˈɛɾɪk flˈʌks ɐlˈɔŋ ðə sˌoʊkˈɔːld dᵻɹˈɛkt ˈæksɪs.