ROTATING

ELECTRIC
MACHINES
HANDS-ON SKILLS FOR LEARNING ACTIVITY PACKET 4:

MOTOR PERFORMANCE

ITEMS NEEDED FOR HANDS-ON SKILLS

Amatrol Supplied
1 85-MT2-XGJ Rotating Electric Machines Learning System

School Supplied
1 3/16-inch Allen Wrench
1 Roll Electrical Tape
1 Graph Paper
1 Calculator

FIRST EDITION, LAP 4, REV. B

Amatrol, AMNET, CIMSOFT, MCL, MINI-CIM, IST, ITC, VEST, and Technovate are trademarks or registered trademarks of Amatrol, Inc. All other brand and
product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
Copyright © 2018, 2016 by AMATROL, INC.
All rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, optical, mechanical,
or magnetic, including but not limited to photographing, photocopying, recording or any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission
of the copyright owner.
Amatrol, Inc., 2400 Centennial Blvd., Jeffersonville, IN 47130 USA, Ph 812-288-8285, FAX 812-283-1584 www.amatrol.com

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
 SKILL 1 CALCULATE THE POWER OF A MOTOR

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
In this procedure, you will calculate the power output of various motors based on given information. This is the first
step necessary to size an electric motor.

1. Calculate the horsepower of a motor given the following information.

Torque = 50 ft-lb.
Speed = 1200 rpm
(T  S )
Pout 
5252
(50  1200)
Pout 
5252
60000
Pout 
5252
Pout = ___________________________________________________________________________________ (Hp)
Pout = 11.42 Hp
The units of horsepower can be converted to kW as follows:
PkW = Hp × 0.746
PkW = 11.42 × 0.746
PkW = 8.52 kW
2. Calculate the power of a motor given the following information. Show all calculations.
Torque = 10.3 N-m
Speed = 164.76 rpm
(T  S )
PkW 
9549
Pout = ___________________________________________________________________________________ (kW)
It should be approximately 0.178 kW.
3. Calculate the power of a motor given the following information. Show all calculations.
Torque = 350 ft-lb.
Speed = 2500 rpm

Pout = ___________________________________________________________________________________ (Hp)

It should be approximately 166.60 Hp.

4. Calculate the power of a motor given the following information. Show all calculations.
Force = 3.75 N-m
Radius distance = 1.2 m
Speed = 1200 rpm

Pout = ___________________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S01, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S01-1

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 1 CALCULATE THE POWER OF A MOTOR

5. Calculate the maximum torque that can be generated by a motor given the following information. Show all calculations.
Round off to the nearest 0.1 N-m.
Speed = 1140 rpm
Pout = 0.25 kW

Maximum Torque = ____________________________________________________________________________

(N-m)
6. Calculate the maximum speed of a motor based on the following information. Show all calculations. Round off to the
nearest rpm.
Maximum Torque = 425 ft-lb.
Pout = 100 Hp

Maximum Speed = _____________________________________________________________________________

(rpm)
7. Solve the following design problem:
Select the best small DC motor from the list in figure 1-1 based on the following information. Choose the rating closest
to your calculated value. However, be careful not to undersize your selection.
Show all calculations.
Torque required = 1.25 N
Speed required = 1200 rpm

Calculated Power = ____________________________________________________________________________

(kW)

Selected Motor’s Power = _______________________________________________________________________

(kW)

STANDARD FRACTIONAL POWER RATINGS FOR SMALL DC MOTORS

Hp 1/20 1/12 1/8 1/6 1/4 1/3 1/2 3/4 1
kW 0.037 0.083 0.093 0.124 0.187 0.250 0.373 0.560 0.746

Figure 1-1. Common Power Ratings for Small DC Motors

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S01, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S01-2

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
 SKILL 2 CONVERT BETWEEN U.S. CUSTOMARY AND S.I. UNITS OF MOTOR POWER

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
In this procedure, you will convert motor power values from U.S. Customary to S.I. units, and from S.I. to U.S.
Customary units. This is a common task you will do if you work with products made throughout the world.

1. Convert the S.I. power value from step 2 of skill 1 to PHp. The conversion formula is as follows:
PkW = PHp × 0.746

PHp = ________________________________________________________________________________________
(Hp)
It should be approximately 0.239 Hp.
2. Convert the PHp value from step 3 of skill 1 to kW.

PkW = _______________________________________________________________________________________
(kW)
The output power in kW is 124.28 kW.
3. Convert the PkW value from step 4 of skill 1 to PHp.

PHp = ________________________________________________________________________________________
(Hp)
4. Convert the PkW values in the table below to PHp.

MOTOR POWER RATINGS U.S. CUSTOMARY MOTOR POWER RATINGS

(kW) (Hp)
15.7
10.5
9.2
1.7
0.65

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S02, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S02-1

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 2 CONVERT BETWEEN U.S. CUSTOMARY AND S.I. UNITS OF MOTOR POWER

5. Solve the following design problem:

Calculate the S.I. output power value (PkW) of the motor in figure 2-1. Show all calculations.

PkW = ___________________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

TO LOAD

SPEED =
MOTOR 1750 rpm

TORQUE = 7.8 ft-lb

Figure 2-1. Motor Power Application

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S02, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S02-2

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
 CALCULATE THE EFFICIENCY OF A MOTOR GIVEN INPUT AND OUTPUT
SKILL 3 POWER

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
In this procedure, you will calculate the efficiencies of a number of motors based on the given information about
each motor.

1. Perform the following substeps to calculate the efficiency of the motor in figure 3-1 given the following information.
Applied Voltage = 120 VDC
Armature Current (I) = 10.7 A
Horsepower = 0.5 Hp

IA = 10.7A

120V MOTOR

OUTPUT
POWER

Figure 3-1. DC Motor Application

A. Calculate the input power.

Ein  I in
Pin 
1000

Pin = __________________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

It should be 1.284 kW.
B. Calculate the output power.

Pout = PHP × 0.746

Pout = _________________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

It should be 0.373 kW (0.5 × 0.746 = 0.373).
C. Calculate the efficiency of the motor.

 Pout 
Eff .   100
 Pin 

Eff. = ___________________________________________________________________________________ %
The efficiency should be 29.05%.
As you can see, this motor is not very efficient. In fact, most DC motors are not very efficient. You will learn more
about this later in this LAP.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S03, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S03-1

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 3 CALCULATE THE EFFICIENCY OF A MOTOR GIVEN INPUT AND OUTPUT POWER

2. Calculate the efficiency of the motor in figure 3-2. Show all calculations.

NOTE
If you already know the horsepower rating of a motor, the formula for calculating the output power in kilowatts is
PkW = PHp × 0.746.

Input Power = _____________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

Output Power = ___________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

Efficiency = ________________________________________________________________________________ %

IA = 8.9A

240V MOTOR

1/4 Hp

Figure 3-2. DC Motor Application

The input power should be 2.136 kW. The output power should be 0.187 kW. The efficiency of the motor should be
approximately 8.73%.
3. Calculate the efficiency of a motor given the following information. Show all calculations.
Motor Configuration - DC Shunt
Applied Voltage = 120 VDC
Armature Current = 7.2 A
Power Rating = 3/4 Hp

Input Power = _____________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

Output Power = ___________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

Efficiency = ________________________________________________________________________________ %
4. Determine the power of a motor given the following information about the motor. Calculate both the U.S. Customary
and S.I. power rating. Show all calculations.
Motor Efficiency = 25%
Applied Voltage = 240 VDC
Armature Current = 5.2 A

Output Power = ___________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

Output Power = ___________________________________________________________________________ (Hp)

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S03, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S03-2

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 3 CALCULATE THE EFFICIENCY OF A MOTOR GIVEN INPUT AND OUTPUT POWER

5. Solve the following design problem:

Determine the amount of power lost by a motor based on the following information. Show all calculations.
Motor Configuration - DC Compound
Applied Voltage = 240 VDC
Armature Current = 4.5 A
Power Rating = 0.746 kW

HINT
What percentage of the input power is not used? This will help you determine what power was lost.

Motor Efficiency = ___________________________________________________________________________ %

Power Lost = _____________________________________________________________________________ (kW)

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S03, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S03-3

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A
SKILL 4 DC MOTOR

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
In this procedure, you will measure the speed, input current, and voltage at different load levels for the three DC
motor configurations and record each motor’s performance data. You will then use the measurements to calculate
the output power and efficiency.

1. Perform a tagout.
2. Perform the following substeps to perform a motor safety check.

YES/NO SAFETY CHECKOUT

Wearing safety glasses
Wearing tight fitting clothes
Ties, watches, rings, and other jewelry are removed
Long hair is tied up or put it in a cap or under shirt
Wearing heavy duty shoes
Wearing short sleeves or long sleeves are rolled up
Floor is dry
Workstation circuit breaker off
Workstation connected to wall outlet
Emergency stop push button depressed
Mounting station clean and dry
Proper motor for skill selected
Motor clean and dry
Assistance needed for mounting motor
Any untrained persons in area
Loose parts removed from motor area

NOTE
If you are unsure about any of these questions, tell your instructor and review the safety rules. Do not proceed any
further.

3. Locate the DC motor and mount it to the workstation.

4. Install the brake drum on the motor shaft.
5. Mount the prony brake to the workstation and couple it to the motor.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-1

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

6. Perform the following substeps to prepare to measure the voltage and current.
A. Locate a multimeter.
B. Attach the multimeter red (V) lead to the (+) jack of the 120 VDC power supply on the workstation front panel.
C. Attach the black (COM) lead to the (-) jack of the 120 VDC power supply on the workstation front panel.
D. Set the multimeter function switch to measure 120VDC or higher.
E. Locate an AC/DC clamp meter.
F. Set the range/function switch to the appropriate setting (DC Amps).
G. Press the meter’s Zero button to calibrate the meter.
H. Open the ammeter jaws.
I. Fully enclose the (+) Lead Wire running from the variable 120 VDC power supply jack on the workstation front
panel to the motor connection post S1.
7. Connect the motor in the series configuration, as shown in figure 4-1.
You are now ready to operate the DC series motor.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-2

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

PICTORIAL DIAGRAM

ELECTRIC MOTORS WORKSTATION

50
40 AXI MUM OU 60
OF M
S2 A2 F2 C2 CE
NT
AGE
TPU
T
VO

LT
R
PE

AG
30
EMERGENCY

70
E
STOP
50
40 60

80
20
30 70

20 80

90
10
10 90
0 100
0 100
FIELD
ADJUST

S1 A1 F1 C1 V L1 L2 L3

GND

N N

0-140/235 VAC 0-120 VDC

VARIABLE 8 AMPS 120/208 VAC 0-0.5 AMPS DC
FIXED

45033

VDC
Hz

~V V
200A 40A
~ ~
200A
40A
MA

ZERO
HOLD

X/M
IN

ON
OFF
EXTE
0

AC/
DC
INSTR

Min
10
CH UMEN

i Cla
TS

mp
20

Met
er
30
3809
40
41

Hz
V
MAX

COM
600
V

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
SERIES
WINDING C1 C2

S1 S2 INTERPOLE A1 A2
AC/DC MULTIMETER
A AMMETER COMMUTATOR
CLAMP METER V

Figure 4-1. Pictorial and Schematic Diagram for DC Series Motor Connections

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-3

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

8. Perform the following substeps to prepare the motor shaft for the use of the photo tachometer.
A. Cut a strip of reflective tape 1/16-inch wide and approximately one inch long.
B. Wrap electrical tap around the exposed portion of the motor shaft (between the brake drum and the motor housing).
C. Peel off the backing material from the reflective tape strip and place it on the motor shaft where the black tape is
located.
9. Notify your instructor that you are ready to operate the motor.
The instructor must check your setup and reset the emergency stop pushbutton before you can proceed.
10. Perform the following substeps to operate the DC series motor.
A. Make sure the voltage control knob is turned fully counterclockwise (0%).
B. Remove the tagout.
C. Turn on the Main Power circuit breaker.
D. Slowly turn the voltage control knob clockwise to 50%.
E. Set the prony brake load to 4 ounces using the wingnut.
11. Perform the following substeps to measure and record the performance characteristics of the motor.
A. Measure the speed of the motor with a four-ounce load using the photo tachometer. Record the reading in the
appropriate space in the following Measured Motor Characteristics table.

CAUTION
Remember to check the water in the brake drum frequently and add water as needed. Do not let the brake drum
run dry.

DC SERIES MOTOR
MEASURED MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS TABLE
LOAD (oz.) 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
INPUT VOLTAGE
(volts)
INPUT CURRENT
(amps)
SHAFT SPEED
(rpm)

B. Record the DC voltage reading from the multimeter in the appropriate space in the table.
C. Record the DC amp reading from the AC/DC clamp meter in the appropriate space in the table.
D. Repeat substeps A-C for each load setting in the table.
Remember, to increase the load, turn the wingnut on top of the prony brake clockwise. Watch the scale to determine
the correct load setting.

NOTE
When the load is near 24 ounces, the brake drum may start to squeal. Don’t panic, this is okay.

CAUTION
Remember to periodically check the brake drum and add water when needed.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-4

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

12. Turn the voltage control knob fully counterclockwise to 0%.

13. Turn off the Main Power circuit breaker.
In the steps that follow, you will perform calculations using the measured data you just recorded to determine the
output power and efficiency. To do this, you will also calculate the shaft torque and input power.
14. Perform a tagout.
15. Use the motor torque formula to calculate the torque produced by the motor.
Use either U.S. Customary or S.I. units. Enter each answer into the appropriate column in the Torque row of the
Calculated Motor Characteristics table.
Motor torque is needed in order to calculate the output power for each load setting.

MOTOR TORQUE FORMULA

T=F×r

NOTE
1 oz. = 0.28 N
1 in. = 0.025 m

DC SERIES MOTOR
CALCULATED MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS TABLE
LOAD (oz.) 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
TORQUE / / / / / / / / / /
(in-oz/N-m)
INPUT POWER
(kW)
MOTOR POWER / / / / / / / / / /
(Hp/kW)
EFFICIENCY
(%)

16. Perform the following substeps to calculate the input power for each load setting.
This is necessary in order to calculate efficiency.
A. Locate the Input Voltage and Input Current readings for a 4 ounce load in the measured motor performance
characteristics table from step 11.
B. Use these two values to calculate the input power for that load value and enter your calculated answer into the
appropriate column in the Input Power row of the Calculated Motor Characteristics table.
C. Repeat substeps A and B for each of the other load settings.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-5

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

17. Use the motor output power formula to calculate the power output of the motor for each load setting. Use either U.S.
Customary units or S.I. units. Enter each answer in the appropriate column in the Motor Power row of the Calculated
Motor Characteristics table.

MOTOR POWER FORMULA

U.S. Customary Units: S.I. Units:

(T  S ) (T  S )
Pout  Pout 
5252 9549

You will need to use the speed readings from the measured motor performance characteristics table you filled out
earlier and the calculated torque values from the Calculated Motor Characteristics table.
18. Use the efficiency formula to calculate the efficiency of the motor for each load setting. Enter each answer in the
appropriate column in the Efficiency row of the calculated motor performance characteristics table.

EFFICIENCY FORMULA

P 
Eff .  out 100
 Pin 

This will complete all the entries in the table.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-6

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

19. Connect the motor in the self-excited shunt configuration, as shown in figure 4-2.

PICTORIAL DIAGRAM

ELECTRIC MOTORS WORKSTATION

50
40 AXI MUM OU 60
OF M
S2 A2 F2 C2 CE
NT
AGE
TPU
T
VO

LT
R
PE

AG
30
EMERGENCY

70
E
STOP
50
40 60

80
20
30 70

20 80

90
10
10 90
0 100
0 100
FIELD
ADJUST

S1 A1 F1 C1 V L1 L2 L3

GND

0-140/235 VAC 0-120 VDC

VARIABLE 8 AMPS 120/208 VAC 0-0.5 AMPS DC
FIXED

45033

VDC
Hz

~V V
200A 40A
~ ~
200A
40A
MA

ZERO
HOLD

X/M
IN

ON
OFF
EXTE
0

AC/
DC
INSTR

Min
10
CH UMEN

i Cla
TS

mp
20

Met
er
30
3809
40

Hz
41

V
MAX

COM
600
V

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM

C1 C2

INTERPOLE A1 A2

COMMUTATOR
SHUNT WINDING

F1 F2
A
+ -
V

Figure 4-2. Pictorial and Schematic Diagram for a Self-Excited DC Shunt Motor

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-7

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

20. Repeat steps 9-18 to collect and calculate performance data for the shunt configured DC motor.
Enter your data in the following two tables.

DC SHUNT MOTOR
MEASURED MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS TABLE
LOAD (oz.) 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
INPUT VOLTAGE
(volts)
INPUT CURRENT
(amps)
SHAFT SPEED
(rpm)

DC SHUNT MOTOR
CALCULATED MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS TABLE
LOAD (oz.) 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
TORQUE / / / / / / / / / /
(in-oz/N-m)
INPUT POWER
(kW)
MOTOR POWER / / / / / / / / / /
(Hp/kW)
EFFICIENCY
(%)

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-8

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

21. Connect the motor in the cumulative compound configuration, as shown in figure 4-3.

PICTORIAL DIAGRAM

ELECTRIC MOTORS WORKSTATION

50
40 AXI MUM OU 60
OF M
S2 A2 F2 C2 CE
NT
AGE
TPU
T
VO

LT
R
PE

AG
30
EMERGENCY

70
E
STOP
50
40 60

80
20
30 70

20 80

90
10
10 90
0 100
0 100
FIELD
ADJUST

S1 A1 F1 C1 V L1 L2 L3

GND

0-140/235 VAC 0-120 VDC

VARIABLE 8 AMPS 120/208 VAC 0-0.5 AMPS DC
FIXED

45033

VDC
Hz

~V V
200A 40A
~ ~
200A
40A
MA

ZERO
HOLD

X/M
IN

ON
OFF
EXTE
0

AC/
DC
INSTR

Min
10
CH UMEN

i Cla
TS

mp
20

Met
er
30
3809
40

Hz
41

V
MAX

COM
600
V

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM
SERIES
WINDING C1 C2

S1 S2 INTERPOLE A1 A2

COMMUTATOR
SHUNT WINDING

F1 F2
A
+ -
V

Figure 4-3. Pictorial and Schematic Diagram for a Cumulative Compound DC Motor

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-9

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 4 MEASURE AND CALCULATE THE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS OF A DC MOTOR

22. Repeat steps 9-18 to collect performance data for the compound configured DC motor.
Enter your data in the following two tables.

DC COMPOUND MOTOR
MEASURED MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS TABLE
LOAD (oz.) 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
INPUT VOLTAGE
(volts)
INPUT CURRENT
(amps)
SHAFT SPEED
(rpm)

DC COMPOUND MOTOR
CALCULATED MOTOR CHARACTERISTICS TABLE
LOAD (oz.) 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40
TORQUE / / / / / / / / / /
(in-oz/N-m)
INPUT POWER
(kW)
MOTOR POWER / / / / / / / / / /
(Hp/kW)
EFFICIENCY
(%)

23. Perform the following substeps to shut down the system.

A. Press the emergency stop pushbutton.
B. Turn off the Main Power circuit breaker.
C. Disconnect all lead wires and store them.
D. Shut off the multimeter and AC/DC clamp meter and disconnect them.
E. Store meters in proper locations.
F. Remove the prony brake from the workstation and return it to its designated location.
G. Remove the brake drum from the motor shaft and place it in its designated location.
H. Remove the motor from the workstation and place it in its designated location.
I. Remove the reflective tape and electricians tape from the motor shaft.

CAUTION
If the motor is too heavy for you, get someone to help you move it.

In the next segment you will analyze the data that you have created. Proceed to the Self Review.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S04, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S04-10

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
 SKILL 5 PLOT AND ANALYZE THE TORQUE VS. SPEED CURVE OF A DC MOTOR

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
In this procedure, you will use the data you collected earlier to plot the torque vs. speed curves for the three DC
motor configurations. You will then analyze and compare the curves.

1. Perform the following substeps to plot the torque vs. speed curves for the three DC motor configurations.
A. Plot the torque vs. speed for the DC series motor using either U.S. Customary and S.I. units.
Use the graph provided on the data sheet. You should have 10 points on the graphs, each corresponding to a
torque and speed value for a given load setting.
B. Repeat substep A to plot the torque vs. speed curves for the DC shunt and compound configurations.
Use the same graph.
2. Compare the curves and determine which of the configurations offers the best speed regulation.

TORQUE VS SPEED

240/1.695

220/1.550

200/1.412
TORQUE (in-oz / N-m)

180/1.271

160/1.130

140/.989

120/.847

100/.706

80/.565

60/.424

40/.282

20/.141

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900

SPEED (rpm)

NOTE
Speed regulation refers to the motor’s ability to maintain speed as the load increases.

Configuration ____________________________________________________________ (Series/Shunt/Compound)

The shunt configuration offers the best speed regulation of the three configurations, as you learned previously. This is
indicated by the almost vertical torque vs. speed curve. This is the type of curve that you would look for when selecting
a motor with good speed regulation.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S05, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S05-1

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 5 PLOT AND ANALYZE THE TORQUE VS. SPEED CURVE OF A DC MOTOR

3. Compare the three curves that you just plotted with the three theoretical curves of figure 5-1 and determine which of
the theoretical curves most closely matches the shape of the one you plotted.
Curves that match ________________________________________________________ (Series/Shunt/Compound)
The series curves should match fairly closely in shape. The curves in figure 5-1 are for a wide range of torque and
speed measurements. For this particular motor, the rated full-load speed is 1750 rpm. For the series configuration,
you were actually close to the range of the curve in figure 5-1.

500

450

400
% RATED FULL LOAD TORQUE

350

300
COMPOUND
250

200
SERIES
150

100 SHUNT

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240

% RATED FULL-LOAD SPEED

Figure 5-1. Typical Torque vs. Speed Curves for the DC Motor Configurations

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S05, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S05-2

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 5 PLOT AND ANALYZE THE TORQUE VS. SPEED CURVE OF A DC MOTOR

The shunt and compound configuration curves, however, do not resemble the theoretical curves of figure 5-1. This is
because you did not plot enough points to create the entire curves for these configurations. This means that you are
only looking at a small segment of the overall curves. Figure 5-2 shows the section of the overall curve that you have
plotted for the shunt configured motor.

500

400
% RATED FULL LOAD TORQUE

300 RANGE PLOTTED

FOR SHUNT
CONFIGURATION

200

100

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240

% RATED FULL-LOAD SPEED

Figure 5-2. Narrow Range Plotted for the Shunt Configured Motor

Figure 5-3 shows the section of the overall curve for the compound configured motor that you have plotted.

500

400
% RATED FULL LOAD TORQUE

RANGE PLOTTED
FOR COMPOUND
CONFIGURATION
300

200

100

20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240

% RATED FULL-LOAD SPEED

Figure 5-3. Range Plotted for the Compound Configured Motor

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S05, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S05-3

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
 SKILL 6 PLOT AND ANALYZE THE EFFICIENCY VS. POWER CURVE OF A DC MOTOR

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
In this procedure, you will use the data that you collected earlier to plot the efficiency vs. power curves for the DC
motor configurations. You will then analyze and compare the curves.

1. Perform the following substeps to plot the efficiency vs. power curves for the three motor configurations.
A. Plot the efficiency vs. power of the DC series motor.
Use either U.S. Customary or S.I. units on the graphs provided on the data sheet. You should have 10 points on the
graphs, each corresponding to a torque and speed value for a given load setting.

EFFICIENCY VS. POWER

100

90

80

70
EFFICIENCY (%)

60

50

40

30

20

10

0 0.033 0.066 0.099 0.132 0.165 0.198 0.231 0.264 0.297 0.330
0.025 0.049 0.074 0.098 0.123 0.148 0.172 0.197 0.222 0.250

POWER (Hp/KW)

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S06, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S06-1

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 6 PLOT AND ANALYZE THE EFFICIENCY VS. POWER CURVE OF A DC MOTOR

B. Repeat substep A to plot the efficiency vs. power curves for the DC shunt and compound configurations on the
same graph.
C. Compare the curves of the three configurations and determine which motor appears to be able to maintain its
efficiency as the output power increases.

Configuration _________________________________________________________ (Series/Shunt/Compound)

The shunt configured motor is best able to maintain its efficiency as the output power of the motor is increased.
This is a direct result of the good speed regulation of the shunt motor.
Because the shunt configured motor is able to maintain its speed as the load increases, it is able to more efficiently
drive a load than the series or compound configurations. This is one reason why a DC shunt motor is a good choice
to drive an elevator, where the load will vary but you want the speed to be constant.
If you notice the series configuration curve, the curve reaches a point where both the efficiency and the power
output begin to drop off rapidly. The point where this rapid drop off begins represents the breakdown torque.
The breakdown torque is the point at which the motor can no longer provide the torque necessary to drive the load
without a rapid and sizable decrease in speed. Figure 6-1 shows the breakdown torque point on the curve. Driving
an electric motor past the breakdown torque point will finally cause the motor to stall, which can cause damage to
the motor.

EFFICIENCY VS. POWER

100

90

80

70
EFFICIENCY (%)

60

50
BREAKDOWN
TORQUE
40 POINT

30

20

10

0 0.033 0.066 0.099 0.132 0.165 0.198 0.231 0.264 0.297 0.330
0.025 0.049 0.074 0.098 0.123 0.148 0.172 0.197 0.222 0.250

POWER (Hp/KW)

Figure 6-1. The Point of Breakdown Torque

As you can see, the series configured motor will reach breakdown torque much earlier than the other configurations.
This adds yet another limitation to the applications of a DC series motor.
For example, you would not want to use a series motor to drive an elevator, when the speed must be constant even
if the load is increased.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S06, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S06-2

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
 SELECT THE CORRECT DC MOTOR FOR AN APPLICATION BASED ON
SKILL 7 MOTOR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

PROCEDURE OVERVIEW
In this procedure, you will analyze the characteristics you charted in the previous activities to help you select a DC
motor for an application.

1. Determine which type of DC motor would best satisfy this application for a wood lathe, like the one in figure 7-1. Use
the graphs you created in the previous skills and the following information.

NOTE
You may have to refer to several different graphs in order to make your selection.

Figure 7-1. A Wood Turning Lathe

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S07, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S07-1

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 7 SELECT THE CORRECT DC MOTOR FOR AN APPLICATION BASED ON MOTOR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

Device the motor is to drive: Wood lathe

Device drive requirements: 120 VDC
1/3 Hp
Good speed control
Low starting torque
Full-load current - 3.5 A

Correct Motor Type ____________________________________________________________________________

Reason for Selection ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Select the best DC motor for the following crane application using the graphs you created earlier.
Device the motor is to drive: Crane
Device drive requirements: 120 VDC
1/3 Hp
High starting torque
Speed control not important
Full-load current - 2.5 A

Correct Motor Type ____________________________________________________________________________

Reason for Selection ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

CABLE
REEL
AND
MOTOR ARM

LIFT
CYLINDER HOOK
SUPPORT
COLUMN

CONTROLS
BASE

BASE MOTOR

Figure 7-2. A Crane

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S07, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S07-2

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.
SKILL 7 SELECT THE CORRECT DC MOTOR FOR AN APPLICATION BASED ON MOTOR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS

3. Select the best DC motor for the following conveyor application using the graphs you created earlier.
Device the motor is to drive: Conveyor
Device Drive requirements: 120 VDC
1/3 Hp
Moderate starting torque
Fair speed control
Full-load current - 2.75 A

Correct Motor Type ____________________________________________________________________________

Reason for Selection ___________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________

CONVEYOR

MOTOR

Figure 7-3. A Conveyor

4. Solve the following design problem:

Based on the graphs you created in the earlier activities, select the type of DC motor that has the highest average
efficiency of the three types of DC motors over the range of loads tested.

Motor With Highest Average Efficiency _____________________________________________________________

NOTE
Most motor manufacturers have already tested their motors as you did in the previous activities. The manufacturers
usually include their findings in the specifications for the motor.

Proceed to the Self Review.

LB862-XG04JEN-E1 -S07, REV. B MOTOR PERFORMANCE S07-3

Copyright © 2018 Amatrol, Inc.