GlobalSpec has asked its users about the latest design trends and features related to Brushless Motors. They have also shared their product applications and tips on how to buy and use these products.
See the entire survey
What are some of the applications you have used brushless motors for?
33 answers
I used DC brushless motor made for vacuum application to drive a rotating disk which also spins in vacuum, and the type of the motor is VS-R63, which is manufactured by Empire Magnetics. inc. The rotating disk is used as a chopper.
~Ping Wang, Research & Development, Beijng, China
The Gemini Electric Motor & Generator will become the industry standard once the improved performance is acknowledged. It can be used for all applications that use an electric motor.
~John Ettridge, Inventor / Managing Director, Dover Gardens, Australia
We used our motors inside the rear wheel of the "FIAT " we manufacture these motors and used with the "KELLY" drivers. The motors was 72 volts 3 phase and app. 8 kw
~Engineering, Design, Izmir, Turkey
Mainly non synchronous apps like mowers and pumps etc.where hertz are not critical. I've also used brushless generators for D.C. battery charging.
~Engineering, Other, Swindon, Great Britain
Direct drive washing machines
DC Variable Speed Compressor for Air Conditioners
Textile Winding Machines
Plastic Winding Machines
Elevators
~Partha R, CEO, Navsari, India
Hair dryers, mixer grinder, washing machine, disc drive, printers, wind shield wipers, cooling fans, turntable for record players, e-bike, robotics
~Faculty/Staff, Chennai, India
We used outrunner brushless motors for powering small flying vehicles for video surveillance applications.
~Engineering, Design, Mumbai, India
Working on a project to create a Brushless Motor driver for fuel control
~Tanner G, Engineer, Oshawa, Canada
Magnetic driven centrifugal pumps for medical applications
~Engineering, Design, Hofheim, Germany
Motion control, traction motors, controller research.
~Engineer, Tucson, AZ
We use it for air circulation in refrigerator.
~Ulhas S, Quality Control, Pune, India
Smart actuators on automotive applications
~Mike S, Technical Support, Nuneaton, Uk
Reference platforms for microcontrollers
~Lip San Lim, Project Manager, Singapore, Singapore
Medical and industrial - p<500W
~Norbert Veignat, General Management, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Automotive, Electric Vehicles
~Alexander Alexandrov, Design Engineer, Sofia, Bulgaria
Motors for fans and blowers
~Frank Lembo, Director of Engineering, Mississauga, Canada
Fans, starter/alternators
~Ralph C, Chief engineer, Albany, NY
Motor winding machines
~Carlo D., Project Manager, Florence, Italy
Air moving applications
~Lead Systems Engineer, Bedford, MA
Electric Screw Driver
~Engineering, Design, Hyderabad, India
Fuel metering system
~Sukumar D, Design Engineer, Bangalore, India
Underwater scooter
~Engineering, Design, Villorba, Italy
Underwater robots
~Harry B, Subsea systems intergration specialist, Vancouver, Canada
Pedal assist trike
~John W, God, Kington, Uk
ROV propulsion
~Cezary Z, Research & Development, Gdansk, Poland
Jigging reel
~Manufacturing, Akureyri, Iceland
Boat Racing
~Research & Development, Chipping Norton, Australia
Cooling fan
~Design Engineer, Lake Stevens, WA
Pumps, fans
~Nürnberg, Germany
Actuators
~Terry Gilbert, Research & Development, HongKong, HongKong
E-bikes
~RICARDO C., RENEWABLE ENERGY DEVICES, BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Grinder
~LC N, Engineering, Design, NA, Singapore
Engine
~Other, Domont, France
Please share with us any “non-standard” applications that brushless motors have been used for.
14 answers
I bought a vacuum DC brushless motor and used it in vacuum. As I have known that few companies can manufacture the brushless motor for vacuum applications, and I think there are wide foreground for specialized motors in various extreme environments.
~Ping Wang, Research & Development, Beijng, China
Brushless motor used as brake in a wire tensioner dragged by the load and used also in position control mode to supply the wire of a well defined quantity.
~Carlo D., Project Manager, Florence, Italy
That is a subjective question. For below 2kW rating, all so called "non-standard applications" can be addressed with BLDC motors.
~Partha R, CEO, Navsari, India
Pumps, fans, compressures, belt drive systems, conveyers. These are known to me.
~Engineering, Design, Hofheim, Germany
Electrical gear (generator/motor) used for human powered vehicles.
~Cezary Z, Research & Development, Gdansk, Poland
The Gemini Electric Motor can be used for all applications.
~John Ettridge, Inventor / Managing Director, Dover Gardens, Australia
Thrusters, camera pan and tilts, servo thruster tilt
~Harry B, Subsea systems intergration specialist, Vancouver, Canada
For low torque required application.
~Ulhas S, Quality Control, Pune, India
Chicken Coop door control
~Design Engineer, Lake Stevens, WA
Electric Vehicles
~Alexander Alexandrov, Design Engineer, Sofia, Bulgaria
Microlite prop
~John W, God, Kington, Uk
Model toys.
~Research & Development, Chipping Norton, Australia
Respirator
~Norbert Veignat, General Management, La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland
Generator
~LC N, Engineering, Design, NA, Singapore
Do you know of any disastrous mistakes that occurred due to the incorrect usage of brushless motors?
10 answers
I have personally not come across. However, in a sensorless BLDC motor application for elevators or hermetically sealed compressors, the direction of rotation has to be well oriented.
~Partha R, CEO, Navsari, India
Only a disastrous control issue when I learned that the motor I selected did not respond well to spikes in the AC power and required a contactor to reset the motor.
~Frank Lembo, Director of Engineering, Mississauga, Canada
The electronic controller can be destroyed and need replacing ( it is not worth repairing ) and a replacement can take days or week to obtain.
~John Ettridge, Inventor / Managing Director, Dover Gardens, Australia
For high speed machines operating at high temperatures, magnet adhesion has been an issue, even with retainment structures.
~Ralph C, Chief engineer, Albany, NY
Didn't take note that most specifications are no-load but actual applications are with loads.
~LC N, Engineering, Design, NA, Singapore
At maximum burn the motor wire insulation if the thermal protection is not activated.
~Carlo D., Project Manager, Florence, Italy
Usage of drives for asynchronous motors in sensorless configs with brushless motors.
~Cezary Z, Research & Development, Gdansk, Poland
Short circuit, EMC
~Ping Wang, Research & Development, Beijng, China
Type of windings
~Lip San Lim, Project Manager, Singapore, Singapore
Internal heating
~Mike S, Technical Support, Nuneaton, Uk
