No. 1207
Trend of New Applications of PM Motors and New Technologies toward their Spread
Investigating R&D Committee on New Technologies for Industry Applications of PM motors
Keyword : PM motor, industry applications, design, drive, rare-earth magnet
Recently permanent magnet synchronous motors (PM motors) have come to play a central role in adjustable-speed drives. This is evidenced by the fact that, since 2004, the production of PM motors used for servo drives has exceeded that of induction motors for industrial use.
Yet, the application of PM motors has tended to concentrate in specific fields in which there exist form restrictions or which require high efficiency, suggesting that PM motors are still not widespread among users and that there is much room for further growth. Furthermore, the spread of PM motors, capable of realizing small size and high efficiency exceeding other motors, not only contributes to the growth of related industries but can lead to reduction of global energy consumption by motors, and thus has a considerable social significance.
This investigative committee examined R&D trends aimed at future application expansion of PM motors as well as their latest application trends. In this report, the findings are presented under the following headings and future prospects are discussed:
(1) Trend of PM motor applications in industry, home appliances, and automotive use
(2) Application trends of PM motors in new emerging fields
(3) Latest PM motor technologies in the field of design analysis, drives and rare-earth permanent magnet materials which contribute to the wider use of PM motors

©2007. The Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan