The case of a pulsating-load testing machine shows how to ballpark qualities that are important for deploying electric motors. Crankshafts in running internal-combustion engines pulsate as well as ...

Imagineyou are designing a machine that needs to move a 200-pound load. You do quickmath to identify the properly sized motor with an inertia that preciselymatches the load. You specify the motor, but ...

Oversizing often happens when engineers try to match the inertia between the load and the motor rotor, so that they can tune the drive’s velocity, torque or position loop relatively tightly to meet ...

The operating efficiency of linear drives is of growing concern to machine designers. Here's a look at three common linear actuators — linear induction motors, rolled and ground ball screws, and rack ...

One of the challenges that face motion-control engineers is how to properly select a motor. If the motor is undersized or too small, it will not handle load. If the motor is oversized or too large, ...

Inertia identification and speed control lie at the heart of modern electrical drive performance, determining both dynamic responsiveness and energy efficiency. Precise knowledge of the rotor and load ...

Some carefully selected analogies might make the reasons for this clearer. Is it easier or harder to control the speed of a motor cycle or a heavily loaded truck? Most people would correctly surmise ...

When it’s time to specify a high-performance motor that offers both precise positioning and cost efficiency, stepper motors offer many advantages over DC motors thanks to their brushless technology.

In a recent article, I wrote about step-motor system performance emphasizing key concepts that all engineers need to understand about this widely-used electro-magnetic-mechanical digital actuator. As ...

Selection of replacement motors is usually straightforward if the ratings are equivalent. Sometimes, however, a different type of motor is necessary or desirable. For success in these cases, it is ...