About Electric Motor Brakes
Electric motor brakes are a type of brake used to stop and hold loads that are driven by AC or DC motors. Motor brakes are used in various material handling, marine and packaging applications and include various mounting styles such as NEMA C-Face, foot-mounted, servomotor, small gear motor and metric mount brakes.
How does an electric motor brake work?
Motor brakes are designed to work in conjunction with a motor to slow, stop and prevent motion on machines, conveyors, cranes and other material handling equipment. Industrial electronic motor brakes use electromagnetic force to control the rotary motion of high-load machinery. An electronic motor brake typically consists of three main components:
- Electromagnets which activate when charged with an electric current, or permanent magnets which reverse polarity when charged
- An armature which is riveted to a hub connected to the spinning shaft
- Springs that provide pressure that pull or push the armature away from the magnets, depending on configuration
When direct current is applied to a magnet’s field coil windings, its polarity is reversed. This engages a spring and pulls (or pushes, depending on the brake type) an armature connected to a hub on the rotating shaft to the magnetic surface. When the direct current is removed from the circuit, the spring redirects the armature away from the magnet, and the shaft is once again free to rotate.
Power off vs. power on electric brakes
Power Off/Spring Set Electronic Braking
These brakes engage and stop or hold a load in place when no electricity is applied to the magnets within the brake. This compresses springs that would otherwise apply braking pressure to the armature and shaft hub. They allow rotational movement only when power is applied.
Power On Electronic Braking
The inverse of the standard power off braking process - these types of electric motor brakes use magnets that, when their polarity is electrically reversed or activated, allow a spring to push the armature into contact with the magnets, which slows and stops the rotary motion of the applied shaft. They allow rotational motion only when power is removed.
Why Stearns?
Stearns is the market-leader and primary supplier to all US motor manufacturers. We carry standard AC voltage and DC voltage motor brakes.
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