Brushed Vs Brushless Motors

When you are searching for a solution, you've already got a few parameters in place to help you make your decision. But do you know everything about the product you need? Let's take a look at a few parameters that may be helpful when you're considering a brushed or brushless motor.

Motor Performance

For each type of motor, there are different performance Levels that depend on size, voltage, flow and impedance. Brushed motors typically have higher air performance than brushless motors due to their simple design. They also only work as an open Loop system, while brushless motors can be designed as open or closed Loop systems. Brushed motors are designed to work with a single voltage (e.g. 110V) for the blower, if you require a higher air performance you must increase the voltage. Conversely, brushless motors provide consistent performance across a voltage range (e.g. 108-230V).

Control

Let's think about what you really need. Do you need to be able to control the airflow, or have it change speeds after a certain amount of time? If this rings true, consider a brushless motor solution for your project. Brushless motors have an intelligen II control board inside of the unit that allows it to be programmed to give you ultimate control over your project. Brushless blowers are designed for complex air moving applications. If you only need air flow, a brushed motor may be your best solution. Brushed motors provide a steady airflow and performance for your product. Not only are they able to provide consistent air flow, they can help keep your costs Low. Since the brushed motor is more rugged, it's able to be placed in harsher conditions, when compared to brushless blowers, allowing you to have greater flexibility and Less worry when working in rugged environments.

Motor Life 

Brushed and Brushless motors have found many ways to increase their Life spans. Brushed motors are now outfitted with curved brushes to enhance the Life of the blower up to 3,500 hours. Brushless motors do not have any contacting parts, enabling them to increase their Life to 20,000- 25,000 hours. When you are considering both brushed and brushless motors, you must ask yourself what is the design Life of my project? Does it need to Last for several years, or will it only need to Last for a short period? By asking yourself this question, you have taken another step in the right direction in choosing the correct motor for your application. Also as you are considering the Life of the blower, take into effect the amount of time the motor will be running. If it is meant for continuous duty, you may want to use a brushless blower, but if you only need short bursts of time for the motor to run a brushed motor may be your better option. 

Motor Size

Next, take size into consideration. Does your final product need a small motor solution? Maybe you have size constraints on the final result. By knowing the space you have available, you can make an educated decision about what works best for you. Size and weight may play an important role, especially if you are developing a product that is meant to be portable. You'll want to consider smaller options and different sizes of motors that may have similar performance to what you need  

Cost

When you are searching for a motor, whether it's a brushed or brushless motor, it's important to understand the differences in cost effectiveness and how it relates to your final product. In other words, you don't want to spend more on a component than what your final product will cost. Brushed motors are very cost effective due to their simplistic nature. The majority of brushed motors provide a cost effective solution for products that in themselves are cost effective,  although they don't have as much available in features as a brushless motor. Brushless motors are designed to provide more control, Life and performance than traditional brushed motors, making their pricing increase. These blowers are designed to Last Longer and can provide you with  ultimate control over your motor and system.

Conclusion 

Overall, the decision Lies with you when choosing a brushed motor or brushless blower. Take some time to think about these five parameters, and when you're ready to purchase a motor/blower you'll already have a great start to finding your perfect solution. AMETEK Dynamic Fluid Solutions manufactures both brushed motors and brushless blowers for many different applications and interests.

Information provided by Ametek DFS