Optically Controlled PermanentMagnet Motor

Above is a stator of a permanent magnet motor I built in the about 2003.

This gallery shows the addition of many of the supports to the magnet holders. With the addition of the rod for the rotor added last. The rotor is the orange cylinder with the silvery cubes on it. On the rotor you can see the electromagnets are positioned at 60 degrees. The offset nature of the permanent magnets allows for there to always be some torque from them to the iron cores of the electromagnets.

On the rotors right you can see a clear plastic and some electrical tape. The tape is used to control the timing of the electromagnets. The permanent magnets are set 60 degrees apart and are offset 20 degrees from each other from the sets of left to right.

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I brought this motor to one of the physics profs at ULeth and we were playing with it. pumping around 20 amps into it and getting it rotating very fast. If I can find my notes I will give exact numbers.

Unfortunately it was about the time digital photography was just starting so I don't have any videos of it operating. I I cant seem to find any of pictures of it in an operational state with LEDs, photo-diodes and control transistors in place.

I still have all the parts so one day I'll put it back together and get some imiages then.