Examples of Brushless DC Motor Advantages and Uses

This article introduces detailed advantages of brushless DC motors compared to brush DC motors and provides examples of purposes for which they are used, along with features of our products.

Furthermore, this article will guide you in the selection process to find a suitable motor solution.

Advantages of Brushless DC Motors

Brushless DC motors have different characteristics from brush DC motors. They offer the following four advantages.

①Longevity

Brushless DC motors have the advantage of longer longevity than brush DC motors because there are no brushes, so the parts do not wear out.

In a brush DC motor, the commutator (*) wears out as it rubs against the brushes and commutator as it rotates. When the commutator wears out, it must be replaced.

A specific guideline is several hundred to several thousand hours for a brush DC motor and several tens of thousands to several hundred thousand hours for a brushless DC motor. Brushless motors have 10 to 100 times the longevity of brush DC motors, even when used at the same wattage and speed.

*A commutator is a device that can change the direction of the current in a coil.

②Low Electromagnetic Noise

There are other benefits besides longevity due to the absence of friction between the brushes and commutator. Compared to brush DC motors, brushless DC motors generate less electromagnetic noise that can affect surrounding electronic components.

With brush DC motors, noise can be generated by sparks that occur when the brush and commutator contacts are switched. Brushless DC motors, on the other hand, do not generate electromagnetic noise because there is no friction between parts and the current is controlled by semiconductors.

In particular, our products conform to CISPR32 Class B and have low noise, so they do not affect communication between devices and do not cause malfunctions. This eliminates the need for noise countermeasures on the user side.

③Compact and Lightweight

Brushless DC motors can be made more compact and lightweight by reducing the number of parts required, including brushes. The smaller size of the motor means that the equipment in which the motor is installed can also be more compact.

For brushless DC motors, a installation angle smaller than 90 mm is generally considered compact.

Our "IS-74BZA" is compact with a installation  angle of 60mm, yet it has a high power rating of 200W. It can be used for various applications such as small home appliances and medical equipment.

④High Energy Conversion Efficiency

Another advantage of brushless DC motors is their high energy conversion efficiency due to the reduced number of parts required for the brush structure.

Miniaturization reduces the size of individual parts, which in turn reduces the amount of energy required, leading to energy savings. Miniaturization also saves the resources needed to manufacture each motor.

Our products have an energy conversion efficiency of up to 90%, or even 92% depending on the product. This is expected to improve electricity cost efficiency and contribute to carbon neutrality.

For more information about the features of brushless DC motors and the difference from brush DC motors, please refer to the following article.

What is Brushless DC Motor?  Explanation of the differences and types from Brush DC motors

Intended use of brushless DC motors

Brushless DC motors are used in a variety of situations. Here are four examples of intended uses.

①Structure of Home Appliances

The features of brushless DC motors, with their high rotational efficiency and longevity, make them a good match for home appliances that run continuously year after year, and they are actively introduced.

▼Examples of Home Appliances in which Brushless DC Motors Are Used

·    Washing Machine
·    Air Conditioner
·    Electric Fan
·    Vacuum cleaners
·    Mixer
·    Hair Dryer
·    Refrigerator　etc.

The above is just an example. As you can see, brushless DC motors are utilized in various parts of daily life.

②Structure of Automobiles

Brushless DC motors are used in automotive drive motors, air conditioner compressors, electric power steering, and other applications.

However, their applications have been limited due to their high cost. With the spread of electric vehicles, brushless DC motors with longer longevity and less influence from electromagnetic noise are expected to become more popular in the future.

③Drive structure of Industrial Robots

Brushless DC motors are also used to drive industrial robots used in manufacturing sites. Because of their high heat dissipation and longevity, brushless DC motors are also suitable for industrial robots that continuously repeat the same task.

For robots that are designed to work outdoors, care must be taken to avoid water damage due to rain. In this respect, our products are waterproof, making them suitable for robots that are driven outdoors, including those in the agricultural field.

④Structure of Medical Equipment

Brushless DC motors have their place in the medical field as well.

Compact and lightweight, brushless DC motors are suitable for small medical equipment used in surgery. Compared to brush DC motors, brushless DC motors can rotate at higher speeds, achieving more than 10,000 revolutions per minute.

For example, they are used in ventilators, pulse washers for surgical operations, staplers, dental drills, etc.

Summary

This article has described the following brushless DC motors.

·    Advantages of Brushless DC Motors
·    Intended Use of Brushless DC motors

Brushless DC motors overcome the challenges of brush DC motors, such as longevity and electromagnetic noise, by eliminating brushes and commutators and reducing the number of components required. The compact, lightweight, and high energy conversion efficiency of these motors make them suitable for a wide range of applications, such as home appliances and automotive structures.
 
Mabuchi motors are both Compact and Lightweight and have high output power, and. can be used for  all of the applications introduced here ① to ④.
 
In particular, the waterproof function is rare and can be used in outdoor applications, so it has been incorporated in transportation robots and service robots on rough terrain. Furthermore, the high-speed rotation and quiet, low-vibration operation are also utilized in medical applications.
 
Mabuchi Motor offers a wide variety of brushless DC motors. With both high-speed rotation and quiet operation, they are widely used in various applications such as medical equipment , home appliances, and tools.

If you are looking for brushless DC motors, please visit Mabuchi Motor's online store.