Small, efficient, injection-moulded stepper motors

The injection-moulding method of construction makes more space available internally, enabling the motors to be thinner while producing greater torque.

A 30-per-cent increase in efficiency is possible because the space-saving design enables the use of more windings with lower resistance, resulting in a 27-per-cent reduction in temperature rise.

The technique also allows greater precision in assembly, leading to significantly improved step-angle accuracy - typically 2.5 per cent compared with 4-5 per cent in competitor models.

A further advantage of the design is that noise generated by vibration between the stator and the winding is eliminated since the injection moulding technique effectively locks the parts into a single unit.

Noise is further reduced by the use of significantly larger bearings, which also increases the available load as well as prolonging working life.

The reduced size is particularly beneficial with smaller motors, which are typically used in applications such as security cameras, stage lighting, medical equipment, semiconductor manufacture and office automation products such as scanners and printers.