“This project I present you is a affordable STEM project to teach our kids how to build a brushless DC electric motor with its electric controller and to learn basics about electromagnetism.
“A brushless DC electric motor (BLDC motor or BL motor), also known as an electronically commutated motor (ECM or EC motor) or synchronous DC motor, is a synchronous motor using a direct current (DC) electric power supply. It uses an electronic controller to switch DC currents to the motor windings producing magnetic fields which effectively rotate in space and which the permanent magnet rotor follows.” (Wikipedia)
The motor design is inspired by the Newman motor.
Once the motor has been built, our kids can play changing resistances, diodes or capacitors to modify the speed or the torque of the motor.
The motor works connected to a USB port (5V and 300mA minimum) or connected to three 6V, 100mA solar panels in serial connection (you can see this solar version on Instagram)
It uses a list of materials very easy to find in whatever technology class.
I hope you like it.
Supplies:
- Small protoboard
- Small breadboard
- Enameled copper coil (33 milimeters diameter)
- Seven ring magnets (12 milimeters diameter)
- Two 100 ohm resistors
- Two 30 ohm resistors
- Two 5K ohm resistors
- Two 30K ohm resistors
- Two 22 microfarad capacitors
- Two 100 microfarad capacitors
- Two green leds
- Two 1N4007 diodes
- Two 2N5551 NPN transistors
- Wires
- Wooden rod (3 milimeters diameter)
- Pieces of wooden or plastic
- Three 6V 100 mA solar panels (optional)”