AN APPRENTICE’S GUIDE TO BRUSHLESS MOTORS

You’ve probably seen the term ‘brushless motor’ on power tools, but what does it mean and why does it matter?

In short, brushless motors deliver better performance and longer runtimes per battery charge, meaning you can get the job done faster. It does this by significantly reducing energy wasted as heat compared with brushed motors.

Tools With Brushes

Traditional motors use contact between carbon blocks – the brushes – and coils of wire on the rotor (the part of the motor that spins) to conduct electricity and create a magnetic field. This turns the rotor shaft and drives the action of the tool. While this type of motor is effective, the contact creates friction, generating heat and wasting energy. This friction also causes wear on the brushes, which must be replaced periodically throughout the life of the tool.

Brushless Tools

A brushless motor, on the other hand, avoids these issues by using contact-free electromagnetism to drive the tool. When the tool is activated, the on-board electronic circuit uses electric currents to convert the copper coils within the motor into electromagnets. This creates north and south magnetic poles that attract and repel the permanent magnets on the rotor shaft to rotate it continuously.

The Benefits of Brushless

By eliminating the friction and the associated wasted energy, a brushless motor can operate more efficiently. They also produce more torque per weight, meaning less power is needed to achieve the same results. These advantages can make a real difference to your work. A tool with a brushless motor can extend run times by up to 50% per battery charge, meaning fewer recharges during a day’s work.

Brushless motors also have other benefits. Firstly, with significantly less heat produced, the tools can be operated for longer, even on the most demanding tasks, without concerns about it overheating. Additionally, with fewer moving parts, the motor can be more compact, which allows a smaller and lighter tool, making it easier and more comfortable to use. Plus, brushless tools require less maintenance and overcome the need to replace brushes. This eliminates the hassle of regular maintenance and servicing, allowing you to concentrate on your jobs.

At Makita, we have a wide range of tools that utilise brushless motor technology including, drills, drivers, rotary hammers, circular saws, angle grinders, sanders, nailers, routers, mixers and dust extractors.

Find out more about our brushless motors here.