DESIGN OF MOTORS

Technology is advancing.

Latest softwares are available. For motor designers, we have Dos/UNIX/LINUX/Windows etc based Text/Graphic analytical as well as Finite Element based software for motor design.

Life, hence, is simple for a motor designer. No worry about formulae, no worry about mistakes in calculations, no worry about reading wrong set of graphs for material data - every thing taken care of by the software - and its developer.

Well - the software developer has taken all (?) factors while developing the software. HAS HE ?

But - let us think how he developed the software.

Well - why we should apply our mind to this ? We have a beautiful software, we are using it and are happy - are we not ? Why worry about how he develped the software !

Let us have an analogy. We drive a vehicle - say a car. We know all the controls and are able to steer it around and go wherever we want. We want to know something more about the car - like some basics of putting it right if it breaks down.

But do we want to know about what makes the engine run ? What are the elements of the transmission system ? About the Brake system ? May be a little for some basic knowledge.

But - suppose we want to study the car to make a better car - well, why should we want to do this? Well- sombody is doing and developing a newer car - is he not ? Why not we do it?

May be one in million car users would venture to study AUTOMOBILE DESIGN to make a better car. He will study all the theory about the engine combustion, fuel compositions, ignition systems, better materials - and eventually he will develop a car which is more efficient, more safe, more comfortable , more everything - at lesser cost.

Well - this should also apply to the Motor Design Tools - like software - sombody somewhere has to develop newer and newer software for Motor Design. Motor Applications, Motor Efficiencies, Motor Reliablity - and what not.

A motor designer who wants to develop this type of software has to know the theory thoroughly - he must know the fundamentals, the formulae, the applications.

THE ONLY WAY TO DO IS BY NOT USING ANY READY MADE SOFTWARE !
Do manual calculations using paper, pencil, calculator ( may be Spreadsheets) again and again - vary the constants and see the effect on the results ! Compare with test results of the motor and redo this a number of times - may be 1000 or more designs. Then one can get the hang of the basic ALGORITHM to use in the software.

Develop new FEA, ANALYTICAL or Graphic software - test it gain and again.

BEST OF LUCK.