An electric motor is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. There are multiple types of electric motors. There are motors that run on direct current (DC), and there are motors that run on alternating current (AC). Both are used extensively in industrial facilities. Both operate on the principle of magnetism and electromagnetic induction, but those principles are applied differently in the different types of motors.
In this module, we will first look at the operating principle of DC motors and some DC motor design variations. Next, principles and variations of both three-phase and single-phase AC motors will be covered.
