Miniature Motor Moves Fast

MOTORS/MECHANICAL COMPONENTS
NUVODISC 32BF BRUSHLESS DC MOTOR,
PORTESCAP, A DANAHER MOTION CO.

Making motors smaller without shrinking their performance can be a challenge. But Portescap, a Danaher Motion company, has developed just such a brushless dc motor.

The company's nuvoDisc 32BF flat motor offers high-speed capabilities and a economical package size. The motor can reach speeds of 50,000 rpm and provide a mechanical output up to 30W and continuous torque to 10.3 mNm. Yet it measures just 32 mm in diameter and 11.7-mm long. “That's over 75 percent shorter and 90 percent lighter than conventional flat motor designs,” says Simon Pata, Portescap's global manager for dc brushless products.

Pata attributes the compact size of the motor primarily to the use of a magnetic disc rather than conventional permanent magnets. He says Portescap has used magnetic discs in its stepper motors since the 1960s. “This is the first time we've applied them to a brushless dc motor,” he says.

One reason had been the high pole count associated with the discs, which would have limited the speed of the motor. But Portescap optimized the design of the nuvoDisc winding to get around this problem. The 32BF nuvoDisc also offers a slotless design, which eliminates cogging and reduces vibration and noise.

With its smooth operation, high-speed capabilities and compact size, the nuvoDisc has found a home in devices, barcode readers and scanners. “These respiratory devices sit bedside and the motor runs all night, so it has to be quiet.”