HKP Motors are used in thousands of applications, across numerous industries, including:
- Medical Equipment – such as MRI machines, ambulance cots, dialysis machines, blood pumps, surgical tools, dental equipment, surgical robots and many others.
- Laboratory Instrumentation – including microscopy, chromatography and other machines for clinical diagnostics.
- Industrial applications – such as automated doors & windows, solar panels, power tools, satellite dishes, welding torches, automated lighting, 3D printers, scanning systems and many others.
- Warehousing applications – such as exoskeletons, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), and other pick & place warehouse automation applications.
- Semiconductors – for wire bonding, wafer handling, automated assembly and dispensing.
- Food & Beverage applications – including beverage dispensing machines, blenders, food packaging equipment and dozens of other applications.
- Robots of many kinds, and a wide range of other applications.
HKP makes both Brush and Brushless motors. Both types are DC motors, which convert electrical energy into mechanical energy through the interaction of magnetic fields.
Brush Motors:
The brush (in a brush DC motor) connects current to a set of coils. When energized, the coils produce a magnetic field, which turns the rotor and orientates the rotor to magnets that are mounted on a stator (the stationary portion of an electric motor). The force created by the magnetic field disconnects energized coils and then energizes the next set – producing a recurring, rotating, mechanical on-off cycle that results in rotational motion. The magnetic orientation produced by the electricity causes the rotor to spin and orient to the opposite pole. Running current in the opposite polarity will reverse the direction of rotation.
Brushless Motors (Slotted and Slotless):
A brushless DC motor does not have mechanical connections to conduct electricity to the coils. Instead, a solid-state drive energizes and switches the coils to produce a rotating magnetic field. Coils are wounded in the stator and the magnets are mounted on the rotor. The change in coil polarity on the outside (stator) causes rotation on the inside (rotor).
A Slotless motor is a high torque density model brushless motor with a slotless design. It features a stator assembly with wound coils that are surrounded by a ring lamination stack, and it includes nomex or fiberglass liners for insulation and coil retention. Slotless motors have several advantages over slot motors, including reduced cogging, higher efficiency, compactness, lower noise & vibration and they offer a higher speed range.
What’s the Difference Between a Brushed and a Brushless Motor?
With brush motors, the stationary field (stator) is created by permanent magnets interacting with a rotating field (rotor) which contains the motor windings. Brushless motors are just the opposite – in that the stator field is the wound member and the rotating field is the permanent magnet. In both cases, the interaction of these fields produces a torque which turns the rotor. As the rotor turns, current in the windings is switched – or commutated – to produce a continuous torque.
- The brush commutated unit typically uses brushes made of graphite that ride on metal bars [the commutator] that are connected to the rotor coils. As the rotor turns, the brushes transfer current from one set of coils to another.
- The brushless units rely on their commutation through the use of a shaft position sensor sending a signal to an external winding switching circuit.
What are the Key Reasons to Choose an HKP Motor?
- Wide Range of Speeds: HKP Brush units work best continuously between 1,000 RPM and 5,000 RPM. Higher speeds are limited due to the mechanics of the brush-to-commutator interface characteristics. On the other hand, brushless motors can typically run at speeds exceeding 10,000 RPM – they are only limited by the mechanical integrity of the rotor, speed related losses and the stability of the bearings being used.
- Noise Generation: Audible noise in brush motors comes from bearings, brushes and rotor imbalance. In brushless designs, the noise generation from brushes is eliminated, making HKP brushless designs quieter. In both cases, HKP motors are known for smooth, quiet operation.
- Life Expectancy: HKP motors are known for long-life. A typical brush life lasts between 2,000 to 5,000 runtime hours, while HKP brushless motors can exceed 10,000 hours of operation.
- Total Lifecycle Costs: Many times, the total lifecycle costs between a brush and a brushless motor can be the deciding factor between them. A brushless motor requires an electronic drive whereas the brush motor does not. The additional cost of the electronic drive makes brushless motor systems more expensive than brush motors. Both types need a power supply. The brush motor can run on a direct power supply. A brushless motor needs a drive powered by a power supply. The durability and longevity of HKP motors makes them a popular choice for designers of motion solutions.
- Performance & Strict Quality Control: HKP motors meet ISO certification & international standards. HKP conducts robust, custom testing to meet each customer’s needs. HKP also provides extensive post-sale technical service & support to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Customization to fit Customer Requirements: Whether an application needs lower duty cycles, lower speeds and lower costs – or continuous duty with high acceleration & deceleration rates, HKP has a motor to fit the need. Designers of motion solutions around the globe trust HKP to deliver motors that are customized to their applications.
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