Electric Motors Monthly eNewsletter

Scientists at Tufts University, Medford, Mass., have created the first single-molecule electric motor, a feat that could lead to a new class of devices for applications from medicine to engineering. In a paper...

Thanks to rapid improvements in control technology and lower costs, there's a renewed interest in multirotor electric machines for electric-vehicle drivetrains. The twisted chain of old designs...

When postal regulation changes mandated the placement of a third piece of tape on mass mailings, a manufacturer of paper-handling equipment had to economically...

Golf courses in the sultry southeast are as likely to put circulating fans on the putting greens as in the clubhouses. The circulating fans help keep down the humidity and subsoil...

The ability to store electricity for later use is becoming significantly more important as the U. S. increases its use of renewable power. Mechanical batteries hold promise for making...

Faster, smaller, and smarter is the mantra of today's servo-controlled machines. As a result, end users have come to expect more and better performance, forcing...

The motor uses an annular neodymium magnet to let eight ring coils link to operate as a two-phase stepper motor. The 66-mm-diameter stepper motor from PRECIstep features a 41-mm...

See what parallel linear-shaft motors can do for you. In general, they act as a single unit and operate using only one encoder and servodriver...

Developers and engineers wanting to explore New Scale Technologies' M3-L closed-loop linear-motion module can now get a developer’s kit for about $700. It includes a M3-L module, a USB...

The Racing Green Endurance project wants to prove the perceived limitations of electrically powered vehicles (EVs) - slow speeds and a limited range - don’t have to be the case. So they created...

Machine and robot builders recognize linear motor benefits, but some are reluctant to integrate the components into designs - because of incomplete understanding of the technology.

Two-parameter motor models assume that the entire motor exhibits one dynamic temperature. Four-parameter thermal models are just as easy to use, but far more accurate...

The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) goes into effect December 19, 2010, and has far-reaching implications for many industries. The act has numerous goals and mandates...

Tricks of the trade let designers optimize servo-driven machines for speed, accuracy, or a quick response. Today's servo-controlled machines are faster, smaller, and smarter than ever. Even so...

Stepper motors are well known for their ability to perform accurate positioning in an open-loop mode. But they have a reputation for generating a lot of heat when rotating at high speeds. Generation of heat, of course...

Last year the International Energy Agency began collecting information on efficiency levels in home appliances used in 11 countries that include the US, EU, Australia, Korea, Canada, and others. It recently completed...

Brushless motors present their own set of design challenges. One of these involves the cabling that runs between the motor and amplifier. For reasons that are probably obvious, many applications would benefit...

Motion-system designers frequently crank pretty hard on servomotors. To get the highest possible performance, they’ll often command the servomotor to put out the maximum peak torque...

Piezoelectric motors and actuators have many advantages over conventional electromagnetic (EM) motors for medical equipment. Current medical applications for piezoelectric devices include...

Everyone wants to save energy. It's the “green” and “cool” thing to do. And the government may soon pay you to replace inefficient motors with new, energy-efficient NEMA Premium...

When engineers select couplings with the capabilities, environmental resistance, and service parameters their applications demand and install and use them as...

Linear motors, ball screws, and precision rack-and-pinion gear drives are all good options for engineers designing electromechanical linear-motion...

The start of a new decade, and efficiency is still the #1 catch phrase when it comes to motor operation. No one questions the demand for efficient motors in industry. But did you know...

Stepper motors feature many special qualities that make them economical for control and measurement uses. Various software and hardware techniques can optimize specific...

According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE), as much as 65% of a typical manufacturing plant's monthly electric bill goes to pay for all the electricity consumed by its electric...

Purdue researchers have noodled out how boiling in tiny channels differs from what happens in ordinary size tubing used in conventional cooling systems, reports our sister publication EE&T...

It is no secret that any equipment that either heats or cools is coming under great scrutiny as governments increasingly legislate efficiency standards. In particular, washing...

The stringent levels spelled out in NEMA Premium tables have fostered a lot of interest in motor architectures that can deliver high efficiency. One of those architectures...

People use electromagnetic (EM) clutches and brakes every day and often don't realize it. Anyone who switches on a lawn...

Motor manufacturer Baldor Electric Co., Fort Smith, Ark. has gone to 3D-printed models to test a variety of components, including...

A less flashy batch of concept cars for 2009 showcase a combination of energy-saving drivetrains and driver-centered electronics aimed at safety and comfort. Despite a cruddy economy...

Much has been written about the process of selecting motors for
applications in motion control. Motor selection can be complicated. The decisions to be made include whether to employ brushless or...

Those who use stepmotors know these motors are infamous for failure or stalling just when they’re needed the most. It is easy to assume the motor just went bad...

Precision-positioning applications often employ multiaxis-stage technology. A simple arrangement of mechanically stacked stages is a reasonable and...