INSIDE A ELECTRIC MOTOR

INSIDE A ELECTRIC MOTOR

Have you ever wondered what goes on inside an electric motor? We've taken apart a simple electric motor that you would typically find in a toy to explain how all the parts work. See the next page to get started

From the outside, you can see the steel can that forms the body of the motor, an axle, a nylon end cap and two battery leads

The nylon end cap is held in place by two tabs that are part of the steel can. By bendin­g the tabs back, you can free the end cap and remove it.

Inside the end cap are the motor's brushes. These brushes transfer power from the battery to the commutator as the motor spins.

he final piece of any DC electric motor is the field magnet. The field magnet in this motor is formed by the can itself plus two curved permanent magnets.

Two piece of magnets can been seen inside the metallic cap

One end of each magnet rests against a slot cut into the can, and then the retaining clip presses against the other ends of both magnets.