About Motor Drives
Texas Instruments Motor Drives
A motor drive is an electronic circuit or equipment designed to control and increase the definition, velocity, torque and position of a motor. The two main categories of motor drives are AC motor drives and DC motor drives. AC motor drives use direct current (DC) to power the motor, while DC motor drives use alternating current (AC). Motor drives are used in a wide array of applications, ranging from manufacturing and industrial settings to consumer products. They are designed to operate motors in a wide range of environments and to control the speed and torque of the motor for an optimal performance. The primary purpose of a motor drive is to control the input power to a motor by regulating the current, voltage and frequency supplied to the motor. In most applications, the motor drive will have the ability to ramp the speed of the motor up and down as needed, as well as to change direction and perform other operations. Additionally, motor drives often include features such as overload protection, current monitoring and feedback circuits.