DC Motors

Since 1978, Hill House Products has been representing and selling DC motors from the best manufacturers in the world. These manufacturers have built and designed their products to meet or exceed electrical and safety standards such as UL, CSA, CE, and VDE. Most motors have been designed and constructed to criteria from NEMA and ASTM for easy application use as standalone motors or with gearboxes.

While many technical books have been written on DC motors and their varying permutations, a quick explanation is always useful in understanding the two most common design - the Permanent Magnet (PM) DC Brush motor and The Brushless DC (BLDC) motor.

Permanent Magnet Brush DC Motor:
The DC motor is an electro-mechanical device. The fundamental operation of a DC motor relies on the principles of magnetism.  It is made up of two major components: the stationary stator (magnets and steel housing) that is on the outside and the armature inside which is comprised of laminations, copper wire and a commutator connected to the output shaft.

Typically, DC voltage flows through the brushes into the commutator. This creates a magnet field which is in opposite polarity to the permanent magnets on the housing. This pushes the coils away from the magnets they are facing, and causes the rotor to turn. Because the commutator has multiple segments the armature motion indexes the rotor to the next set of coils on the armature, replicating the same motion yet again. Essentially, the brushes that are located within the brush DC Motor turn it off and on when instructed by transferring the electricity from the rotor. The major advantage of the brushed DC motor is its high linear torque, linear speed to voltage and, of course, low cost. Since a brushed DC motor can be operated directly from a battery (DC) or a simple SCR rectifier and can be manufactured with a large speed range they are still used extensively in many applications. 

These motors have had resurgence in their use and popularity with the use of low cost Tri-Ac, SCR and PWM controls. These motors are available in diameters ranging from 25mm~140mm, many from our HHP stock. They are also available from 12VDC~180VDC. Please ask your HHP salesperson for availability and an explanation for their use.

The Brush DC Motor is commonly found in household applications. It can also be found in the industrial world because of its versatility in altering its torque-to-speed ratio. It is a particular favorite in the automotive industry because of its simplicity and affordability. Many automotive manufacturers use them for power windows, seats, etc. However, the Brush DC Motor can be found in nearly every industry ranging from computers to manufacturing.

If you would like to have us prepare a competitive quote on DC motors, please contact one of our sales representatives or contact our office directly at (949) 369-8000.