msd

101

Motors and
Actuators
Speed-torque curves

lmost everything you need to know

about a motor is contained in the speedtorque curve. If you know where to look,

you can find or get a feel for such critical information as peak operating levels, stall condi-

What they tell you

Servo motor
Peak stall
torque
Peak rated
torque

Peak torque
Intermittent duty
(fractions of a
second to a
few seconds)
Continuous torque

tions, starting torque, and dynamic response.

Speed-torque curves can also help you select
the best motor technology, whether it's ac or

Continuous
stall torque
Continuous
rated torque
Torque

dc, stepper or servo, moving coil or switched

reluctance.

Continuous duty
Speed

questions
&answers
Q

Rated speed

Step motor

Stall torque

Holding
torque

Safe operating torque

(50% of stall)

Why would a "properly sized" motor

Conservative design margin

accounts for motor, drive,
and load interactions,
compounded by open-loop
response.

stall in actual use?

It's probably overheating. Use a derating

Torque

curve to select a different motor, and see if it

doesn't perform better.

Speed

Maximum
speed
(full voltage,
no load)

Maximum
(no load) speed

Is it better to use a servo or

stepper?

The best motor is the one that does the job.

Ac squirrel cage

However, if the application falls within a step

save money with the stepper.

What would cause a motor to fall

short of the acceleration predicted

Full-load torque

No-load
speed

Maximum
(breakdown)
torque

Speed

motor's safe operating range, you're likely to

Pull-up
torque

by its speed-torque curve?

Starting
torque

Friction, mainly. To overcome it, make sure

you design in some torque margin when
selecting a motor.

60

PTdesign www.ptdesign.com February 1999

Torque