19
The cost of developing and manufacturing BLDC motors is often cited as a drawback
compared with brushed DC motors. True, the additional support circuitry needed in BLDC
motors raises their cost, but it is worth noting that some brushed DC motor applications
require sophisticated support circuitry, as well. On average, the component costs of
brushed and brushless motors are similar.
Additionally, when looking at the total product cost-/benefit life cycle, BLDC motors are not
necessarily more expensive to design and manufacture. For instance, designing processor
control module intelligence takes expertise and time, which may add to the cost, but
efficiencies gained can mean that devices are smaller and require lighter packaging, run
longer on a battery charge, and last longer than products with brushed DC motors. The
cost, benefits, and life cycle are especially important in products that see long-term or
continuous use.
Finally, cost also depends on choosing the right controllers and drivers for the application.
Cost Considerations
Chapter Four
Chapter Four: Cost Considerations
The total lifecycle
cost of a product
includes research and
development, materials,
manufacturing,
production and tooling,
and maintenance and
support costs."
Dr. Naveed-ur-Rehman Malik
Motor Drives Engineer,
Dyson
Efficiencies gained with BLDC motors compared with their brushed
DC motor counterparts are often worth the front-end design and
development costs.
Miguel Mendoza
Principal Technical Marketing Manager, Renesas Electronics
