Small motors play a vital role across diverse fields, from life-critical medical settings to everyday products, including medical devices, industrial equipment, optical instruments, and security systems. In today's era of increasingly compact and high-performance products, demand for small motors capable of delivering high performance in limited spaces continues to grow.

However, many development engineers face questions like "How should I select a small motor?" or "What specifications can solve the challenges in my product?"

This article provides a detailed explanation, covering the fundamentals of small motors, their application-specific advantages, the characteristics of coreless and Brushless motors, and key selection criteria. We will also be introducing the high-quality small motor products offered by C.I. Takiron Corporation, and hope this article will support your product development efforts.

WHAT ARE SMALL MOTORS? BASIC KNOWLEDGE AND MARKET POSITIONING

This section explains the definition of small motors, their market positioning, and technological evolution.

Topics covered in this section

• Definition and Size Classification of Small Motors
• Principles and Product Technologies of Small Motors

Small motors are utilized in diverse fields such as medical endoscopes and pumps, industrial handheld devices, camera lens drives, and electronic locks. As products become increasingly compact and lightweight, the importance of small motors - which enable high-precision operation in a space-saving design - continues to grow.

Generally, small motors refer to motors with an output of 100W (or 75W) or less. Within this category, Micromotors specifically denote those with an output of 3W or less. However, the industry lacks a unified standard for classifying small motors, resulting in multiple terms being used concurrently. Regarding output, technological advancements have enabled some small motors to achieve high outputs exceeding 100W. Furthermore, size depends heavily on design specifications, hence there is no universal standard.

In medical devices and portable equipment with stringent size and weight constraints, smaller, more efficient Micromotors are required. For example, in applications like endoscope camera drives or electronic lock mechanisms that must operate reliably within a limited space, selecting the right small motor is critical to the overall product performance.

C.I. Takiron Corporation. offers ultra-compact Micromotors from as small as φ4, capable of meeting stringent space constraints.

Alongside trends towards smaller and lighter products, the sophistication of medical devices and the proliferation of IoT devices have rapidly increased demand for high-performance motors that are space-saving and energy-efficient. The small motor market is expected to continue growing, with demand expanding particularly in fields requiring high-precision control.

Technological innovations have led to the development of new technologies such as coreless structures and brushless designs, enabling smooth rotation, long life, and low power consumption previously unattainable with conventional motors.

Since launching its Micromotors business in 1989, C.I. Takiron Corporation has consistently driven technological innovation, accumulating a track record in miniaturization technology, including the development of the world's smallest φ6 vibration motor and the ultra-compact φ4 motor at the time.

MAIN TYPES AND FEATURES OF SMALL MOTORS

There are several types of small motors, each differing in structure, operating principle, and suitable applications. This section provides a detailed explanation of the Coreless motors, Brushless motors, and gearheads offered by C.I. Takiron Corporation.

Contents covered in this section

• Features and Benefits of Coreless motors
• Features and Benefits of Brushless Motors
• Roles and Types of Gearheads

Coreless motors, lacking an iron core, exhibit minimal cogging (rotational irregularity), delivering smooth operation and excellent high-speed responsiveness. Brushless motors, operating electronically without brushes, achieve long life, high efficiency, low vibration, and low noise. Additionally, combining them with gearheads allows for reduced rotational speed and increased torque. Selecting the appropriate type for the application is key to maximizing product performance.

Coreless motors feature a structure without an iron core, making them lightweight with low inertia (moment of inertia), enabling rapid start-up and stop. The absence of an iron core eliminates magnetic cogging, resulting in extremely smooth rotation. This characteristic makes them ideal for high-precision applications where vibration is undesirable.

In applications where even minute vibrations are unacceptable, such as endoscopes, pumps, and autofocus mechanisms in cameras within medical equipment, the smooth operating characteristics of Coreless motors directly enhance product reliability.

C.I. Takiron Corporation's Coreless motors achieve high reliability through domestic design and thorough quality control, with a proven track record in the medical field.

Brushless motors eliminate degradation caused by brush and commutator wear, achieving a long service life. Electronic control precisely regulates rotation, enabling accurate realization of a wide range of characteristics while minimizing vibration and noise.

For industrial handheld equipment and devices requiring extended operation, the significant advantage lies in reducing maintenance frequency and lowering operational costs.

C.I. Takiron Corporation also offers customization of Brushless motors tailored to specific applications, enabling us to provide optimal proposals for your product specifications.

Gearheads are used to reduce motor rotational speed while increasing torque. They excel in applications requiring high torque unattainable with a motor alone, or where precise positioning is essential.

Combining a motor with a gearhead enables the realization of optimal rotational speed and torque characteristics for specific applications.

C.I. Takiron Corporation offers gear motors (gearheads affixed onto the motor) optimally matched with Coreless motors and Brushless motors. Since the optimal combinations are pre-verified, you can reliably achieve output characteristics difficult to achieve with a motor alone, contributing to shorter development times and space savings. We can propose the optimal gear motor for your specific application, so please feel free to consult with us.

APPLICATION-SPECIFIC BENEFITS OF SMALL MOTORS

Compact motors are utilized across diverse fields such as medical, industrial, optical, security, and safety, offering distinct advantages for each application. This section explains specific use cases and implementation benefits within each field.

Contents covered in this section

• Applications in the Medical Device Field
• Applications in Industrial Equipment and Handheld Devices
• Applications in Optical Equipment
• Applications in Security Equipment

Medical devices demand high reliability and precise control; industrial equipment requires low power consumption and durability; optical equipment needs high-precision focusing with low vibration; and security equipment requires low-voltage startup and long service life. Selecting the appropriate small motor enables product differentiation, performance enhancement, and reduced operating costs.

In life-critical medical devices like endoscopes and pumps, patient safety is paramount. Therefore, cogging-free smooth operation, high-speed responsiveness, and high reliability are essential. Coreless motors eliminate the iron cores, minimizing vibration to the limit and enabling precise control.

In medical settings, equipment failure can directly impact patient lives, demanding motors that maintain stable performance over extended periods.

C.I. Takiron Corporation's Coreless motors have a proven track record in the medical field, offering specification customization tailored to specific applications and support starting from the prototype stage.

Power tools and handheld devices require motors that are compact, lightweight, low-power consumption, and impact-resistant to enhance work efficiency. For battery-powered products, reducing current consumption extends operating time. Key performance requirements in industrial settings are as follows:

The coreless motor operates lightweight and efficiently, consuming less power during battery operation and enabling extended product usage. It can also be utilized not only for driving but also for alert vibrations, enhancing safety and convenience in the workplace.

C.I. Takiron Corporation can handle production from small lots to mass production, allowing consideration for introduction from the new product development stage.

For camera autofocus and image stabilization, lenses and sensors must move quickly and precisely. Smooth drive operation without micro-vibration is critical for image quality. The responsiveness and cogging-free characteristics of Coreless motors enable high-precision optical control.

In optical equipment such as digital cameras, surveillance cameras, and microscopes, even slight vibrations can cause image blur or focus shift.

C.I.Takiron Corporation's Coreless motors offer exceptionally smooth rotational characteristics, contributing to enhanced performance in next-generation optical equipment. They also support optimal matching adjustments with control circuits, enabling proposals tailored to your product specifications.

For battery-powered security devices like electronic locks and smart locks, low power consumption and long lifespan are critical challenges. Our compact motors, featuring low-voltage startup, small size, and long lifespan, enable product development that balances safety and convenience.

C.I. Takiron Corporation's Micromotors include models operating at an extremely low minimum voltage of 1.0V, enabling long-term operation even with limited battery capacity.

Due to their nature as safety equipment, failures are unacceptable, requiring strict review by quality assurance departments. C.I. Takiron Corporation supports customers' internal approval processes by providing test data and technical support.

SUMMARY

Small motors are indispensable in a wide range of fields, including medical, industrial, optical, and security applications.

Coreless motors offer cogging-free operation and excellent high-speed responsiveness, making them ideal for high-precision applications sensitive to vibration, such as medical and optical equipment. Brushless motors achieve long life and high efficiency, excelling in industrial equipment and applications requiring extended operation. Gear motors feature an optimal pairing between the motor and gearhead, reliably delivering output characteristics difficult to achieve with just the motor alone.

Selecting the appropriate motor for the application is critical to product performance, making it essential to clearly define requirements such as torque, rotational speed, voltage, and size.

Since launching its Micromotors business in 1989, C.I. Takiron Corporation has continuously driven technological innovation. We provide Coreless motors, Brushless motors, and geared motors, achieving high reliability through domestic design and rigorous quality control.

We provide flexible support from the development stage, including customization and flexible production from small lots to mass production, strongly backing our customers' product development.

Product Information & Inquiries

For detailed information on C.I. Takiron Corporation's Micromotors products, please visit the website below.

• Product Site: https://cik-ele.com/en/
• Coreless motors: https://cik-ele.com/en/products/list/coreless-motors-en/
• Brushless motors: https://cik-ele.com/en/products/list/brushless_motors-en/
• Geared motors: https://cik-ele.com/en/products/list/gearheads-en/
• Encoder: https://cik-ele.com/en/products/list/encoders-en/

If you are having trouble selecting a small motor for your product development, please feel free to consult us via the inquiry form. Our technical staff will discuss your application and requirements and propose the optimal solution.

• Contact Us: https://cik-ele.com/en/contact/