Instrument dashboards, microscopes, audio mixers and other moving applications are benefiting from patented new technology that integrates a motor directly onto a PCB (printed circuit board) together with the motor controller. Henrik Staehr-Olsen, CEO of PCBMotor, the Danish company behind the technology explains: “Traditional design methods use PCBs as motor controllers with connections to a physical motor located somewhere in the vicinity of the card.  Our technology builds accurate and powerful motors directly onto the PCB itself. It significantly reduces application cost - and introduces a world of new design opportunities.” 

This innovation:

·         Reduces the amount of material and space required for the application.

·         Enables multiple motors to be integrated on one PCB.

·         Eliminates gears and connections – creating extremely compact motors.

·         Results in superior accuracy due to very fast start and stops.

A practical example of the technology can be illustrated with a radio tuner.  A conventional motor solution requires external mounting and wiring of standard motors. Compare with a PCBMotor that can have several motors positions integrated on one single PCB to tune different frequencies – where all the motors are switched by a single driver. The PCBMotor results in a smaller bill of material, lower building height and less assembly cost. Given the high holding torque of the PCBMotor, it will keep its position during power off. In contrast, the conventional motor solution degrades the stability and precision of the movements. And to top it off, PCBMotors are built using standardized components and well established assembly techniques.


Key features of the PCBMotor

• Easy integration of several motors on the same PCB
• Small form factor, flat ring shape and variable diameter
• Low weight
• Customizable to fit application
• Economy of scale
• Direct drive - no gears
• High torque and holding torque
• Fast start and stop
• Optional position sensor (relative)
• Non magnetic
• Built-in clutch, tamper-proof and safe

Integrate the driver directly onto on the stator PCB.