There is a wide range of alternating current industrial motors available today. They are a vital part of many industries. However, the DC motor plays an important role in many applications. Here are some of the things direct current motors do for businesses in the 21st Century.
Choices
Did you know there are several types of direct current motors? The permanent magnet type uses a brush and commutator assembly. This keeps power to the rotor at all times. However, many new DC motor models use a brushless design. This requires less maintenance than the brushed type motors.
Some direct current motors are wired in series, while others use a parallel connection. There are also compound wound motors. All of these DC motor types work on the same basic principles. The design differences lie within the electromagnetic fields generated.
Why Direct Current?
Direct current motors utilize a constant flow of electricity from the negative terminal to positive. On the other hand, alternating current motors use power, which changes polarities sixty times each second. This creates power which is easier transmitted over long distance than direct current power.
The DC motor has a simple yet very efficient operational design. They are not difficult to keep up, and many are easily disassembled. While some AC motors require large drive systems or converters, direct current motors need smaller drives for their sizes.
With some industrial applications, torque is very important. For example, some conveyor systems may require full torque at startup, and an AC motor cannot deliver this kind of sudden power. Yet, direct current motors can handle the task.
One of the most important DC motor advantages concerns speed control. It is easy to maintain precise speed control because of the way the motor operates. On the other hand, AC speed control is usually accomplished with high, medium, and low windings.
