How does an Electric Motor work?
If you have ever used devices such as a vacuum cleaner, windshield wipers, disk drives, CD-ROM devices, laser printers, copiers, or other household appliances, you have used an electric motor. Have you ever wondered how these devices and others that you might use on a daily or regular basis actually work? The term motor is not to be confused with the term engine which converts some sort of fuel source into mechanical energy producing an output. An electric motor converts electric energy into mechanical energy. The principles behind what makes the electric motor works, will excite just about any geek. The fundamentals of what drives this type of motor can be found in electrical theory as well as magnetic field principles.
There are also differing kinds of electric motors including those that are powered by direct current or DC or those that are powered by alternating current or AC. Also, many of the problems with efficiency that have to do with the brushed electric motors are solved or eliminated with brushless electric motors. The commutator or brushgear is replaced by an external switching which syncs to the rotor’s position which increases the efficiency.
This picture is of a brushless electric motor which is used in popular remote control planes, etc, applications. The brushless design has revolutionized this hobby.
Take a look below at a video which helps to explain electric motors and how they work along with the technical details and parts that make this really cool technical marvel that we use in some way everyday come to life.