Motor cuts size by two-thirds

-- EDN, 1/6/2000

A series of 58-mm brushless dc motors (Picture) from the Thomson Airpax Mechatronics Group of Thomson Industries are 66% smaller and 30% more efficient than other industry-standard motors. The motors include a three-phase, MOSFET- based pulse-width-modulation drive and thus need no external controllers. Available with 14 and 17W outputs, with respective motor lengths of 46 and 55 mm, the motors have peak-power capability to 100W, encoder pulses per revolution of 45 or 50, and operating speed of 50 to 5000 rpm without dynamic balancing. (With balancing, speeds as high as 10,000 rpm are possible.) The ball-bearing motors have typical EMI of 25 dBa. The onboard control circuitry provides dynamic braking when the motor is disabled. Temperature rise in the motor is less than 40°C; you can thus use the motor in environments to 85°C. A 17W motor costs $83 (25 to 49).

Thomson Industries, 1-516- 883-8000, www.thomsonindustries.com.

-by Bill Travis