In order to effectively design with D.C. motors, it is necessary to understand their characteristic curves. For every motor, there is a specific Torque/Speed curve and Power curve.
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The graph above shows a torque/speed curve of a typical D.C. motor. Note that torque is inversely proportioal to the speed of the output shaft. In other words, there is a tradeoff between how much torque a motor delivers, and how fast the output shaft spins. Motor characteristics are frequently given as two points on this graph:
The stall torque,[Ts], represents the point on the graph at which the torque is a maximum, but the shaft is not rotating.
The no load speed,[Wn], is the maximum output speed of the motor (when no torque is applied to the output shaft).The curve is then approximated by connecting these two points with a line, whose equation can be written in terms of torque or angular velocity as equations 3) and 4):
3) T=Ts-W*Ts/Wn;
4) W=(Ts-T)*Wn/Ts
The linear model of a D.C. motor torque/speed curve is a very good approximation. The torque/speed curves shown below are actual curves for the green maxon motor (pictured at right) used by students in 2.007. One is a plot of empirical data, and the other was plotted mechanically using a device developed at MIT. Note that the characteristic torque/speed curve for this motor is quite linear.
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This is generally true as long as the curve represents the direct output of the motor, or a simple gear reduced output. If the specifications are given as two points, it is safe to assume a linear curve.
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Recall that earlier we defined power as the product of torque and angular velocity. This corresponds to the area of a rectangle under the torque/speed curve with one cornerat the origin and another corner at a point on the curve (see figures below). Due to the linear inverse relationship between torque and speed, the maximum power occurs at the point where W = ½ Wn, and T = ½ Ts.
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