Another advantage of a BLDC motor is that it can be made smaller and lighter than a brush type with the same power output, making the former suitable for applications where space is tight.
The downside is that BLDC motors do need electronic management to run. For example, a microcontroller – using input from sensors indicating the position of the rotor – is needed to energize the stator coils at the correct moment. Precise timing allows for accurate speed and torque control, as well as ensuring the motor runs at peak efficiency.
This article explains the fundamentals of BLDC motor operation and describes typical control circuit for the operation of a three-phase unit. The article also considers some of the integrated modules – that the designer can select to ease the circuit design – which are specifically designed for BLDC motor control.