How Do They Work?

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There are different kinds of D.C. motors, but they all work on the same principles. To understand what goes on inside a motor, here is an example (click the illustration below for a full size image).

[a picture of a simple motor]

simple motor
When a permanent magnet is positioned around a loop of wire that is hooked up to a D.C. power source, we have the basics of a D.C. motor. In order to make the loop of wire spin, we have to connect a battery or DC power supply between its ends, and support it so it can spin about its axis. To allow the rotor to turn without twisting the wires, the ends of the wire loop are connected to a set of contacts called the commutator, which rubs against a set of conductors called the brushes. The brushes make electrical contact with the commutator as it spins, and are connected to the positive and negative leads of the power source, allowing electricity to flow through the loop. The electricity flowing through the loop creates a magnetic field that interacts with the magnetic field of the permanent magnet to make the loop spin.

For more info, please visit this site about how things work:

[for a view inside the green maxon motor]

Home Intro HOW THEY WORK Characteristics Examples

MIT 2.007 Mechanical Engineering CIPD FIRST