Electric Motor Noise
- There are numerous applications of electric motors and the type of noise produced by each may be very specific to the installation and type of motor. There are a number of reasons why the motor is perceived as being noisy:
- The loudness level of the sound
- Periodic variation of sound pitch due to motor speed variation
- Non-periodic variation of sound pitch due to motor speed variation
- Squeaks/scrapes generated by the moving component
- High frequency motor whine
- The primary excitation sources are:
- Direct radiated sound from the motor
- Sound generated from internal components such as gear trains, cables, etc.
- Structure-borne noise generated through the component mounting system or the component housing
- Sound generated by interference between the moving component and surrounding components/structures
- A number of other factors may influence the generation of sound:
- Load variation on the motor
- Acoustic isolation of motor
- Internal design of component geartrains, cables, etc. to minimize load variation
- Clearance and tolerance of component and surrounding structures
- Component/motor mounting
- Motor Speed
See also: Electric Motors.
Subjects: Electrical Engineering Electronics Noise & Vibration