A quantitative comparison between BLDC, PMSM, brushed DC and stepping motor technologies

Brushless DC machines (BLDC), Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (PMSM), Stepping Motors and Brushed DC machines (BDC) usage is ubiquitous in the power range below 1,5kW. There is a lot of common knowledge on these technologies. Stepping Motors are ideally suited for open loop positioning, BLDC machines are the most obvious candidate for high-speed applications, etc. However, literature lacks comprehensive research comparing these machines over a large range of applications. In this paper, more than 100 motors are considered. Their characteristics are compared and presented in a comprehensive way. These results support the common knowledge concerning the field of application of each technology and new insights follow from this quantitative comparison.