Question about making a 3d printed brushless motor

Thread Starter

Davidgo06

Joined Aug 16, 2021
13
Hello,
I've been searching online how to make a brushless motor and I tried to make one but it didn't work. So know I want to do it better.
First of all, I have a 30A ESC so I think I will not have to make the motor very big, the first question is how do I know how many poles does the motor need and how many coils, because I searched throw a lot of websites and I did't find anything.
Another question is how do I know the turns that I have to make in the winding, there are some specific calculations?
For the moment I dont have more questions thank you.
 

LowQCab

Joined Nov 6, 2012
4,026
There are Printers that can Print metallic objects,
but the magnetic properties that will result are any one's guess.

There are very few parts of the Motor that can be made out of Plastics, without
incurring heavy efficiency penalties.
What is commonly referred to as the "Bell",
(the Rotating part that holds the Magnets),
must be extremely rigid, and made to extremely close tolerances.
This generally requires using a precision machined metal part.

Unless this project is strictly for demonstration purposes,
or just to "see if You can do it",
it's not a viable project idea,
that is, if You actually expect to provide usable Motor-Power for a project.

The RC-Hobby-Market is absolutely flooded with excellent designs,
for very reasonable prices.
.
.
.
 

scorbin1

Joined Dec 24, 2019
103
I'm honestly a little disappointed to see so many people discouraging the OP from pursuing this project. Is this not a forum for makers? By that logic.. why create any project!? There's almost always someone out there that has done it better. I have seen many 3D printed motors made such as this one:
. I have seen WORKING 3D printed jet engines. The commenters here are clearly unfamiliar with the vast amounts of engineering materials available for 3D printers. Magnetics is still a very young concept in 3D printing but even it, with the right equipment, can absolutely be achieved!

To say this is not a viable project idea is quite absurd. We build things in order to learn about them and advance our knowledge. For all we know this guy could make some kind of ground-breaking advancement in 3D printed motors and force conventional motor design to the wayside. Unlikely as that may be, it's entirely possible and something we should be encouraging. After all that's exactly how everything we currently know came to be... experimentation!!

I have seen many motors made from 3D printing that was absolutely 100% usable. Obviously it isn't going to be anywhere near as efficient as a commercial product, but what do we really learn by buying a drop-in jellybean part? It's pretty obvious that the OP is sincerely interested in motor design and is looking to improve his knowledge. Why would we encourage them to give up and send them to by some cheap piece of Chinese crap!?

Davidgo06 This is an area that I have planned on exploring for quite some time now. Haven't gotten around to it but definitely still on the ToDo list.

Firstly, the number of poles has to be a multiple of the number of phases you are feeding into the motor from the ESC. That's almost always 3, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. Your ESC looks like it is indeed a 3 phase controller. The more poles the smoother the torque throughout the cycle. Your ESC may have a limit to the number of poles it supports. The more turns on each winding the more torque that is felt by a given pole, so the more windings the more power the motor can put out. There are other factors, such as the size of the wire, that limits the amount of current a coil can handle before burning out as well. There are indeed formulas to calculate the forces generated by a given configuration but I don't have any links on hand at the moment. My personal approach would be to experiment with it. Give it a few windings and run it. If you don't get the power out that you're looking for, try increasing the turns. Obviously keep in mind that other factors could contribute. Check out the link I gave above. I haven't watched this particular video but it could have some useful information in it. Many makers on youtube do a pretty good job explaining most of the theory behind their projects. There was a really good video on creating a brushless DC motor I seen several months back but I can't seem to find it. It was pretty large, but it was a damned solid design and worked great!! Probably just not searching for the right terms. If I find it I will post the link.

Don't let people discourage you from pursuing a project of this sort. 3D printing is a wonderful tool and gives the average user the ability to make and experiment with things we otherwise wouldn't have to opportunity to play with. Of all of the tools I own, my 3D printer is by far the MOST useful!!
 

Thread Starter

Davidgo06

Joined Aug 16, 2021
13
I'm honestly a little disappointed to see so many people discouraging the OP from pursuing this project. Is this not a forum for makers? By that logic.. why create any project!? There's almost always someone out there that has done it better. I have seen many 3D printed motors made such as this one:
. I have seen WORKING 3D printed jet engines. The commenters here are clearly unfamiliar with the vast amounts of engineering materials available for 3D printers. Magnetics is still a very young concept in 3D printing but even it, with the right equipment, can absolutely be achieved!

To say this is not a viable project idea is quite absurd. We build things in order to learn about them and advance our knowledge. For all we know this guy could make some kind of ground-breaking advancement in 3D printed motors and force conventional motor design to the wayside. Unlikely as that may be, it's entirely possible and something we should be encouraging. After all that's exactly how everything we currently know came to be... experimentation!!

I have seen many motors made from 3D printing that was absolutely 100% usable. Obviously it isn't going to be anywhere near as efficient as a commercial product, but what do we really learn by buying a drop-in jellybean part? It's pretty obvious that the OP is sincerely interested in motor design and is looking to improve his knowledge. Why would we encourage them to give up and send them to by some cheap piece of Chinese crap!?

Davidgo06 This is an area that I have planned on exploring for quite some time now. Haven't gotten around to it but definitely still on the ToDo list.

Firstly, the number of poles has to be a multiple of the number of phases you are feeding into the motor from the ESC. That's almost always 3, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. Your ESC looks like it is indeed a 3 phase controller. The more poles the smoother the torque throughout the cycle. Your ESC may have a limit to the number of poles it supports. The more turns on each winding the more torque that is felt by a given pole, so the more windings the more power the motor can put out. There are other factors, such as the size of the wire, that limits the amount of current a coil can handle before burning out as well. There are indeed formulas to calculate the forces generated by a given configuration but I don't have any links on hand at the moment. My personal approach would be to experiment with it. Give it a few windings and run it. If you don't get the power out that you're looking for, try increasing the turns. Obviously keep in mind that other factors could contribute. Check out the link I gave above. I haven't watched this particular video but it could have some useful information in it. Many makers on youtube do a pretty good job explaining most of the theory behind their projects. There was a really good video on creating a brushless DC motor I seen several months back but I can't seem to find it. It was pretty large, but it was a damned solid design and worked great!! Probably just not searching for the right terms. If I find it I will post the link.

Don't let people discourage you from pursuing a project of this sort. 3D printing is a wonderful tool and gives the average user the ability to make and experiment with things we otherwise wouldn't have to opportunity to play with. Of all of the tools I own, my 3D printer is by far the MOST useful!!
Thank you for all the information that you've given to me!!
I'll do my best
 

Thread Starter

Davidgo06

Joined Aug 16, 2021
13
I only want to do an experimental motor but if this project goes well I think I will try to do one for a GoKart (but I think it will be very difficultCaptura de pantalla 2021-08-26 a las 20.04.17.png)
 

LowQCab

Joined Nov 6, 2012
4,026
Printing a Permanent-Magnet-Loaded Rotor for a large Automotive Alternator
will make an extremely powerful BLDC Motor.
You can produce as much as 3 to 5 Horsepower if done carefully.
.
.
.
 

Juhahoo

Joined Jun 3, 2019
302
I'm honestly a little disappointed to see so many people discouraging the OP from pursuing this project. Is this not a forum for makers? By that logic.. why create any project!? There's almost always someone out there that has done it better. I have seen many 3D printed motors made such as this one:
. I have seen WORKING 3D printed jet engines. The commenters here are clearly unfamiliar with the vast amounts of engineering materials available for 3D printers. Magnetics is still a very young concept in 3D printing but even it, with the right equipment, can absolutely be achieved!

To say this is not a viable project idea is quite absurd. We build things in order to learn about them and advance our knowledge. For all we know this guy could make some kind of ground-breaking advancement in 3D printed motors and force conventional motor design to the wayside. Unlikely as that may be, it's entirely possible and something we should be encouraging. After all that's exactly how everything we currently know came to be... experimentation!!

I have seen many motors made from 3D printing that was absolutely 100% usable. Obviously it isn't going to be anywhere near as efficient as a commercial product, but what do we really learn by buying a drop-in jellybean part? It's pretty obvious that the OP is sincerely interested in motor design and is looking to improve his knowledge. Why would we encourage them to give up and send them to by some cheap piece of Chinese crap!?


Don't let people discourage you from pursuing a project of this sort. 3D printing is a wonderful tool and gives the average user the ability to make and experiment with things we otherwise wouldn't have to opportunity to play with. Of all of the tools I own, my 3D printer is by far the MOST useful!!
Just buy that "Chinese crap" first and try to make them better with your skills, that's the easiest and simplest way to learn how stuff works. Wind them, change what ever you need to to find its secrets and figure things out. Internet is full of motor platforms to start with. Starting from scratch is like hitting your head to a tree. Nobody discourages to try, but the way you start a project needs often guidance. 3D printer is nothing to start with. Manipulate the existing motors and invent and when you are ready, build your own.
 

Thread Starter

Davidgo06

Joined Aug 16, 2021
13
I'm honestly a little disappointed to see so many people discouraging the OP from pursuing this project. Is this not a forum for makers? By that logic.. why create any project!? There's almost always someone out there that has done it better. I have seen many 3D printed motors made such as this one:
. I have seen WORKING 3D printed jet engines. The commenters here are clearly unfamiliar with the vast amounts of engineering materials available for 3D printers. Magnetics is still a very young concept in 3D printing but even it, with the right equipment, can absolutely be achieved!

To say this is not a viable project idea is quite absurd. We build things in order to learn about them and advance our knowledge. For all we know this guy could make some kind of ground-breaking advancement in 3D printed motors and force conventional motor design to the wayside. Unlikely as that may be, it's entirely possible and something we should be encouraging. After all that's exactly how everything we currently know came to be... experimentation!!

I have seen many motors made from 3D printing that was absolutely 100% usable. Obviously it isn't going to be anywhere near as efficient as a commercial product, but what do we really learn by buying a drop-in jellybean part? It's pretty obvious that the OP is sincerely interested in motor design and is looking to improve his knowledge. Why would we encourage them to give up and send them to by some cheap piece of Chinese crap!?

Davidgo06 This is an area that I have planned on exploring for quite some time now. Haven't gotten around to it but definitely still on the ToDo list.

Firstly, the number of poles has to be a multiple of the number of phases you are feeding into the motor from the ESC. That's almost always 3, but it doesn't necessarily have to be. Your ESC looks like it is indeed a 3 phase controller. The more poles the smoother the torque throughout the cycle. Your ESC may have a limit to the number of poles it supports. The more turns on each winding the more torque that is felt by a given pole, so the more windings the more power the motor can put out. There are other factors, such as the size of the wire, that limits the amount of current a coil can handle before burning out as well. There are indeed formulas to calculate the forces generated by a given configuration but I don't have any links on hand at the moment. My personal approach would be to experiment with it. Give it a few windings and run it. If you don't get the power out that you're looking for, try increasing the turns. Obviously keep in mind that other factors could contribute. Check out the link I gave above. I haven't watched this particular video but it could have some useful information in it. Many makers on youtube do a pretty good job explaining most of the theory behind their projects. There was a really good video on creating a brushless DC motor I seen several months back but I can't seem to find it. It was pretty large, but it was a damned solid design and worked great!! Probably just not searching for the right terms. If I find it I will post the link.

Don't let people discourage you from pursuing a project of this sort. 3D printing is a wonderful tool and gives the average user the ability to make and experiment with things we otherwise wouldn't have to opportunity to play with. Of all of the tools I own, my 3D printer is by far the MOST useful!!
How many slots, phases and pols do you recomend me?
May be 4 poles and 3 slots and phases?
 

scorbin1

Joined Dec 24, 2019
103
Any servo tester should work with this. For that matter any uController if you program it to output pwm.

I honestly don't have any experience building them myself yet, so I really couldn't say what would be a good number to start with. I mean 1 pole per phase would theoretically work, but wouldn't be too efficient. I would use as many poles as you afford and can physically fit in the space you are willing to let that motor utilize.
 
Top