Design and Prototyping of 3-Phase BLDC Motor
Y.B. Adyapaka Apatya, Aries Subiantoro and Feri Yusivar*
Electrical Engineering Department, Universitas Indonesia, Depok 16424, Indonesia
yusivar@yahoo.com
Abstract—The development of electric vehicle is now growing
rapidly. Demands to deliver a reliable and easy to drive in motor
control causes Brushless Direct Current (BLDC) motor becomes
a potential candidate. A BLDC motor drive is a potential option
for an electric vehicle since it has a high reliability, simple design,
and ability to work at high rotation per minute (RPM). This
paper discussed the Permanent Magnet BLDC Motor design
method. The structure of an interior rotor permanent magnet
type is selected to be used in the design of Permanent Magnet
BLDC motor so that it can be applied in a drive that requires a
large torque and capable of acceleration and deceleration with
good response. Selection of 12 slots and 8 poles configuration
aims for improving the motor performance. The motor is
designed and simulated using a software-based Motor Solve FEA
(Finite Element Analysis). Based on this design and simulation
results, a prototype of BLDC motor is built. Parameters testing
as stator resistance, inductances (the d-axis and q-axis
inductance), and the back emf constant (Ke) were used to
evaluate the result of the design and prototype motor. Measuring
the prototype motor’s parameters was carried out by several
different methods depending on the parameters tested. Stator
resistance testing is performed with the measurement of current
in the coil which is then obtained by calculating the magnitude of
stator resistance as 0.14710296 ȍ. Measurements of d-axis stator
inductance, q-axis stator inductance, and back emf constant of
prototype permanent magnet BLDC motor is obtained as results
of 0.35304710 mH, 0.38246769 mH and 0.09690626 Vs/rad
respectively. The test results between design and prototype
testing were quite good. The difference between the test results
and the design of the prototype test results was caused by
incompatibility of material composition although using the same
type of material. The evaluation shows the electromagnetic
parameters is influenced by its constituent materials.
Keywords— BLDC Motor; Permanent Magnet; Interior Rotor;
Stator Resistance; back-emf; the d-axis inductance; the q-axis
inductance;
I. INTRODUCTION
BLDC motors are currently widely used in industry,
especially in the automotive field. The development of electric
vehicles for several decades brought the need for reliable
electric motor actuators. The considerations of BLDC motors
as actuators electric vehicle because this motor has a high
resistance, the simple design and the ability to work at high
speed [1,2,3].
The BLDC motors are divided into two kinds, that is
namely Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor (PMSM) and
the PMBLDC motor [2]. They have different characteristic
each other, especially at the output wave back emf. The
characteristic output of PMSM motors is a sinusoidal wave.
While the PMBLDC motors having trapezoidal waveform for
the back emf output.
978-602-50431-1-6/17/$31.00 ©2017 IEEE
Research on Brushless DC motors (BLDC) attracts the
attention of researchers and designers of the motor. In BLDC
motor research, there are some considerations that should be
specified e.g. the type of magnetic material, air gap, the
dimensions of the motor, and other parameters so that the
design is able to produce an optimal motor for their intended
purpose [4]. Some research has been done to improve the
performance of the BLDC motor e.g. the selection of the
magnet [5], the selection of slot-fractional [6], winding
configuration [7,8], and the laying of a magnetic position [3].
Many studies have been done at this time limited to models,
simulations, and design. In this study, the focus of the research
is to produce a BLDC motor 3 phase in the form of a prototype.
The design of BLDC electric motors conducted by determining
the fixed parameters. After determining the fixed parameters,
then the free variables is changed to get the output as expected.
The design results are simulated with Finite Element Analysis
design-based software i.e. Motor Solve from Infolytica. With
the simulation have been done the optimal motor parameters.
Motor parameters obtained from the design is then
implemented as a parameter for prototyping.
After created the prototype of BLDC motors, the next step
was tested to obtain a prototype motor performance evaluation.
The tests were done for the electric parameters of the motors.
The parameters of the electric motor are very needed on when
the implementation of a system of a motor vector control (field
oriented control). The field oriented control was needed to
control the motor [9]. Measurements of motor done in several
ways, likely DC test, lock rotor measurement, and no-load
measurements. With DC test, showed the resistance of each
phase motor (Rs). Measurements lock rotor is made to obtain
the electrical parameter values, direct axis inductance of one
phase motors (Ld) and quadrature axis inductance of one phase
motors (Lq). While the no-load measurement is used to
determine the magnitude of the back emf constants (Ke).
The measurement results that have been obtained are then
compared with the parameters stator resistance (Rs), d-axis
inductance (Ld), q-axis inductance (Lq), and the back emf
constants (Ke) of the simulation. From this comparison can be
evaluated the influence of motor at each the test parameters.
From the results of testing given indicate the performance of
the motor prototype.
II. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
A. Design and Manufacturing Motor Prototypes
The demands of the design at this research is designed a
BLDC motor 12 slots and 8 poles. The stages of the design
manufacture at this research can be seen in Fig. 1. The process
of designing approximated by calculation to give an initial
209 2017 15th Intl. Conf. QiR: Intl. Symp. Elec. and Com. Eng
value in the design process. The parameters obtained from the magnet used in this study. The selection is based on the
calculation will be optimized with the help of simulation. performance and cost of the permanent magnet. Table II shows
Iteration is done to be able to find the optimal design in the parameters of the permanent magnet.
accordance with the desired design. The results of the DC
motor design parameters and prototype simulation results can TABLE II. COMPARISON OF MAGNET [4]
be seen in Table I.
Material of
BHmax Br Hc
Magnet
NdFeB 200-500 0.97-1.45 740-1000
SmCo 120-400 0.85-1.10 620-840
Ferrite 7-42 0.20-0.48 120-360
AlNiCo 10-35 0.60-1.16 40-120

Fig. 2 BLDC Motor 8 pole 12 slot

Fig. 2 shows image 2D of the BLDC motor 8 poles 12

slots. The motor was designed with that kind of interior rotor
Fig. 1 Flow diagram of the design process
magnet position mounted in the rotor core. Dimensions of the
motor become a parameter for determining the output power of
TABLE I. MOTOR PARAMETERS
the motor. Dimension is one of the important things in the
Parameter Motor Design Motor Prototype consideration of a design.
Number of Poles 8 8
Number of Slots 12 12
Phase 3 3
Frequency 50 Hz 50 Hz
RPM 3000 rpm 3000 rpm
Winding Star Winding Star Winding
Magnet Material SmCo SmCo
Stator Material M800-100A Transformer core
material
Rotor Material M800-100A Transformer core
material
Shaft Material 304 Stainless Steel Stainless Steel
Coil Material Copper : 5.77e7 Copper Wire ࢥ 1.02
Siemens / meter mm
Diameter for stator 190 mm 190 mm
Diameter for rotor 96 mm 96 mm
Tooth Pitch 14 mm 14 mm
Air Gap 1 mm 1 mm Fig. 3 Magnetic Flux Distribution
Length of Motor 50 mm 50 mm
Insulator Nomex 430 Nomex The distribution of magnetic flux to the motor was designed
to have illustrated in Fig. 3. The picture shows the occurrence
Selection of magnets is important in the design motor. of saturation in the stator circuit. The saturation value of the
There are several types of magnets are often used for construct material used (M800-100A) is above 2 Tesla. The drain regions
the motor, e.g. Ferrite, AlNiCo, Samarium Cobalt, and of flux that reach over two Tesla will change from light green
Neodymium Ferrite Boron. Each material has characteristics to the yellow. The yellowish light green color appears between
one each other [5]. Samarium Cobalt (SmCo) permanent the poles of the rotor and the paying of the stator, but it is not
dominant. Around the magnets in the rotor poles, there are

210
cavities that is used to reduce the flux leaks between the poles.
Flux leaking was reduced by a flux barrier method that
prevents the magnetic flux movement. The motor is designed
to be able to drain flux without causing excessive saturation.
This produces an optimal linkage flux value. The optimal
linkage flux value will produce back emf and maximum Ke
constants.
Fig. 4. Torque vs Speed
Fig. 4 shows a graph of the relationship between torque and
motor speed in rotations per minute. Fig. 4 also shows the
motor torque of 4 Nm hold until 6000 rpm and the torque
decreased to zero at speed more than 7000 rpm.
Fig. 5. The back emf waveform from simulation
Fig. 5 shows a back emf waveform when the motor was
rotated at 3000 rpm. The back emf waveform is not sinusoidal,
but it’s trapezoid.
Fig. 6. Rotor of motor constructed from electrical sheet
211
Fig. 7 Windings of motor
Fig. 8. (a) Preparation of each phase terminal, (b) Motor insulation
The result of simulations was implemented into the motor
prototype. Stator section (Fig. 6) is composed of several
electrical sheets. The wide tooth width of stator will produce
wide excited area. The wide excited area cause flux that will
flow in the greater area. The other purpose is to reduce the
cogging torque. The process of winding for this motor is shown
in Fig. 7. In this study, the type of windings is overlap. Wire
winding use AWG 18.
Fig. 8 (a) shows the relationship of each phase and the
motor terminal connection. Fig. 8 (b) shows insulation for each
coil on teeth of the stator. Nomex is used to isolate winding.
The function of isolation used to prevent short circuits between
the stator core and copper wire. Fig. 9 shows the prototype of
BLDC motor 8 poles 12 slots.
Fig. 9. Prototype BLDC motor 8 poles 12 slots
B. Testing Prototype
Fig. 10 and Fig. 11 show the method and circuit for stator
resistance measurement used in this research. The voltage and
current were measured and calculated to obtain the value of
total resistance (R) in the electrical circuit of the motor. The
equation used to calculate Rs are shows (1) – (2):
ܸ ൌ ‫ܴܫ‬ (1)
ଷ
ܸ ൌ ‫ܴܫ‬௦ (2)
ଶ
Fig. 10 Measurement of stator resistance

Fig. 13 D-axis current step response

Fig. 14 Alignment of q-axis

Fig. 11 Circuit of stator resistance measurement [10]

The inductance measurement of d-axis was done with

aligning the d-axis of the rotor, as shown in Fig. 12. The one of
terminal phase at the motor was connected to the positive
voltage from the power source and two other phases are
connected to the ground of DC power supply. Giving voltage
make the rotor moves until it reaches the position of the d-axis.
Fig. 13 shows d-axis current step response when is voltage
given to circuit. On this motor, there are 4 positions of d-axis.
The number of d-axis positions depending on its pole pairs.

Fig. 15 Q-axis current step response

Fig. 12 Alignment of d-axis

The equation used to a calculated inductance of direct-axis

and quadrature-axis is shown in (3) [9]:
‫ ܮ‬ൌ ܴ߬௦ (3)
With L is inductance in direct or quadrature axis, IJ is the
time constant of 63,2% current response, and Rs is stator
resistance. Fig. 16 Time constant of the back emf motor output

212
 For the measurement the magnitude of the Ke motor
prototype, testing was done with no-load measurements. The
no-load measurement was done by making the motor as a
generator. The amount of back emf was measured can be seen
in Fig. 16 and Fig. 17.
After obtained the magnitude of peak to peak voltages and
time constant of current, the magnitude of Ke can be calculated
by the following equation [9]:
௏೛ೖ
‫݁ܭ‬௣௛ ൌ
ఠ೐೗
Fig. 17 Peak to peak voltage of back emf
III. RESULT AND ANALYSIS
Table III displays the values of the motor parameters
obtained from simulation software and measurement results.
TABLE III. THE RESULT OF SIMULATION AND PROTOTYPE TESTING
Result
Parameters
Simulation Prototype Testing
Rs (ȍ)
0.15382644 0.14710296
Ld (mH) 0.28579302 0.35304710
Lq (mH) 0.44144704 0.38246769
Ke (Vs/rad) 0.10968749 0.09690626
Fig. 18 shows the error between the stator resistance on the
simulation results with measurement results. The number of Rs
at simulation is 0.14710296 ȍ. The measurement Rs of the
motor prototype is 0.15382644 ȍ. There is a resistance error as
4.57%. The different value because of the resistance of the
measurements probe and resistance of the terminal phase. The
resistance of winding material in the simulation is different
from the material in the market. The condition will make
different the Rs value although use the same material.
In the simulation, the magnitude of Ld is 0.28579302 mH,
while the motor prototype measurement results, the magnitude
of Ld is 0.35304710 mH. The inductance in q-axis of
simulation result (Lq) is 0.44144704 mH. The result of Lq
measurement on the prototype motor is 0.38246769 mH. There
is an error of d-axis inductance value amounted to 23.53%. The
error of q-axis inductance value amounted to 13.36%. This is
because due to differences in the stator and rotor core material
in the simulation with the prototype. The different types of
material will affect the magnetic flux. Every material has
different permeability.
The Ld value is smaller than the value of Lq. This is
because the value of q-axis reluctance is lower than the d-axis.
(4)
Fig. 18 Graph comparison between simulation and measurement electric
parameter
The magnitude of back emf constants at the simulation
results is 0.10968749 Vs/rad. The measurement of back emf
constants of the motor prototype is 0.09690626 Vs /rad. The
magnitude of the error between the simulation and prototype
testing for Ke parameter is 11.65%. The back emf constants
will affect the motor torque. The value of Ke affected by the
flux produced by the stator coils and permanent magnets. The
stronger of a magnetic field, the greater the value of Ke.
Increased the stator coil windings and the larger the wire
windings, make the value of Ke greater.
IV. CONCLUSION
This paper provides the concept of designing and
prototyping a permanent magnet BLDC motor. The design
process requires a variety of considerations. The result of the
research is successfully created a permanent magnet BLDC
motors with good results. The comparison between simulation
and prototype results is used as an evaluation of the designs.
The error of Rs, Ld, Lq and Ke value are fairly good. They are
4.57%, 23.53%, 13.36%, and 11.65%. Selection of materials
and material quality influence on the results.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Thanks to the Universitas Indonesia, which has funded this
paper via grants Publikasi International Terindeks untuk Tugas
Akhir Mahasiswa UI (PITTA) 2017.
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