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brushless motor

FAQ: What is trapezoidal back EMF?

April 28, 2016 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

trapezoidal back EMF

The primary distinction between brushless DC (BLDC) motors and brushless AC (BLAC) motors is their back EMF waveform. BLDC motors typically have a trapezoidal back EMF, while BLAC motors (also referred to as permanent magnet synchronous motors, or PMSM) have a sinusoidal back EMF. The shape of a motor’s back EMF is important, because it […]

Filed Under: Brushless Motors, DC Motors, FAQs + basics, Motors, Servo Motors Tagged With: back EMF, BLDC, brushless motor, trapezoidal back EMF, trapezoidal commutation

FAQ: What are the different ways that industry classifies servo motors?

April 16, 2016 By Danielle Collins 1 Comment

motor terminology

A servo system is one in which the system’s error (in position, speed, or torque) is corrected through the use of a feedback device that compares the system’s actual performance with its commanded performance. What makes a motor a servo motor, then, has less to do with its construction and operation, and more to do […]

Filed Under: AC Motors, Brushless Motors, DC Motors, FAQs + basics, Motors, Servo Motors Tagged With: asynchronous motor, brushed motor, brushless motor, DC motor, servo motor, servomotor, synchronous motor

What’s the difference between BLDC and synchronous AC motors?

December 17, 2015 By Danielle Collins Leave a Comment

BLDC and synchronous AC motors

The short answer is: brushless DC (BLDC) and synchronous AC motors are similar in construction and operation. Some manufacturers and experts even group them together as similar technologies, in the category of  “permanent magnet synchronous motors.” Their key difference, however, lies in the stator coil windings and resulting back-EMF waveform of each motor. This gives them distinct performance […]

Filed Under: DC Motors, FAQs + basics, Motors, Servo Motors, Stepper Motors Tagged With: bldc motor, brushless motor, permanent magnet motor, synchronous motor

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