7 Axial Gap Motor Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for axial gap motor as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 7 axial gap motor manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked axial gap motor companies as of November, 2024: 1.Miba Industrial Bearings U.S. LLC, 2.Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd, 3.LUCCHI R. S.R.L..
Table of Contents
What Is an Axial Gap Motor?
An axial gap motor is a motor that rotates by generating an attractive or repulsive force between a permanent magnet attached to a disk, which is fixed to a rotating shaft, and a coil facing it. The disk rotates like a record, creating motion.
The greatest advantage of this PM (permanent magnet) synchronous motor, which uses a permanent magnet as the rotor, is that torque loss is minimal, even when the motor is thinner than traditional radial gap motors.
Uses of Axial Gap Motors
Axial gap motors are used in robots, electrically assisted bicycles, drones, and various industrial equipment. Research and development are also underway to use them as in-wheel motors for electric vehicles and motors that drive electric airplane propellers.
Compared to radial gap motors, the greatest advantage of axial gap motors is that they maintain torque even when their thickness is reduced. Motors typically need to increase current to achieve greater torque, but axial gap motors can be thinner and still produce the same torque with less current than radial gap motors.
This feature has expanded their use in applications where thin motors are necessary due to space constraints, but power consumption must also be minimized.
Principle of Axial Gap Motors
Axial gap motors rotate a shaft using the magnetic flux generated by an electric current passing through a coil and the magnetic flux from a permanent magnet, which attracts or repels each other depending on the flux direction.
In conventional radial gap motors, a permanent magnet is attached along the axis of rotation, and several coils are wound in the same direction as the axis, arranged around the magnet in a cylindrical shape. When an electric current is applied, a magnetic flux is generated perpendicular to the axis, and the interaction between this flux and the magnet’s flux causes the shaft to rotate.
1. Radial Gap Motors
In radial gap motors, reducing the motor’s thickness decreases the height of the coil and magnet, which lowers the torque.
2. Axial Gap Motors
In axial gap motors, multiple magnets are concentrically arranged on a disk attached to the rotating shaft. Thin coils are arranged in the same concentric manner on a doughnut-shaped substrate opposite the disk. The coils are wound perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and the substrate has no contact with the rotating axis.
When an electric current is applied to the coils, a magnetic flux is generated parallel to the axis of rotation. This flux creates an attractive or repulsive force with the disk-shaped magnets, causing the disk and the axis of rotation to move.
By adjusting the disk's diameter, or modifying the size, shape, and arrangement of the magnet and coil, it is possible to create a thinner, more energy-efficient motor with higher torque than radial gap motors. Research and development are ongoing to create designs that surpass radial gap motors in these areas.
Axial gap motors can achieve higher torque than radial gap motors, especially when the aspect ratio (motor thickness divided by the outer diameter) is less than 0.75.
How to Select an Axial Gap Motor
When selecting an axial gap motor, ensure it offers clear advantages over radial gap motors for the intended application. Compared to radial motors with the same output, axial gap motors tend to be more expensive and fewer pre-made models are available. Custom development by a manufacturer can be even more costly.
The advantages of axial gap motors include:
- They are structurally better suited for thinner motor designs than radial gap motors.
- They provide higher torque compared to radial gap motors of the same thickness.
- They can directly drive vehicle wheels and airplane propellers without requiring reduction gears, due to their compact yet powerful design.
List of 7 Axial Gap Motor Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
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- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- Japan
・According to the application, optional transmission can be integrated to drive system
・Water-cooling provides high continuous output density.
・Two supply voltage levels are available.
Voltage: 48V/96V 、Peak output: 21kW/45kW 、
Peak torque: 135Nm
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Miba Industrial Bearings U.S. LLC
Axial Gap Motor
Manufacturer Overview
Miba Industrial Bearings U.S. LLC, founded in 1968, and located in Grafton, Wisconsin, is a manufacturer of hydrodynamic/fluid film bearings and seals. Some of the products that the company offers include journal and thrust bearings and labyrinth seals. These products are used in critical rotating equipment, such as turbines, compressors, generators, motors, and industrial pumps. The company operates more than 20 production facilities and sales offices in Europe, America and Asia and works with other companies worldwide.
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Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd
Axial Flux Motors
Company Overview
Sumitomo Electric Industries Ltd. is an ISO 45001-certified manufacturer of optical fiber and electrical wire cables that was established in Osaka, Japan, in 1897. The company produces optical fiber products for data communication or telecom applications, wire cable products for power transmission and automotive electronics, and flexible printed circuits for electronic device assembly. It also offers compound semiconductors for use in optical and wireless communication. The company’s products are commonly used by clients in the aerospace, telecommunications, and consumer electronics industries.
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LUCCHI R. S.R.L.
AXIAL FLUX MOTORS
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Evolito Ltd
Axial Gap Motor
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Phi-Power AG
Axial Flux Motor
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EMRAX d.o.o.
Axial flux motor
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Axial Gap Motor Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Miba Industrial Bearings U.S. LLC |
36.8%
|
| 2 | Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd |
26.3%
|
| 3 | LUCCHI R. S.R.L. |
15.8%
|
| 4 | Evolito Ltd |
10.5%
|
| 5 | Phi-Power AG |
5.3%
|
| 6 | EMRAX d.o.o. |
5.3%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the axial gap motor page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- Miba Industrial Bearings U.S. LLC: 7,546
- Dynax Corporation: 1,294
Newly Established Company
- Dynax Corporation: 1973 (51 years ago)
Company with a History
- Dynax Corporation: 1973 (51 years ago)
Global Distribution of Axial Gap Motor Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
Japan
|
1 | 100.0% |
