What is a Multimotor Electric Drive? (Types of Electric Drive)

The combination of an electric motor, energy transmitting shaft and control devices for motion control is known as an electric drive. The following figure shows the block diagram of a typical electric drive.

Based on their assembly, electric drives can be of the following three types −

• Individual Drive

• Group Drive

• Multi-motor drive

In this article, let's check the advantages and disadvantages of using a multi-motor drive.

Multi-motor Drive

A mechanism in which separate motors are used for operating different parts of the same machine is known as a multi-motor electric drive.

The block diagram of a multi motor drive is shown in the figure below.

Advantages of Multimotor Drive

The advantages of multimotor electric drive are listed below −

• Multimotor drives provide better control of process.

• With the help of multimotor drives, a complicated process can be automated.

• In a multimotor drive, each machine is driven by a separate motor. Hence it can be individually started and stopped as desired.

• In multimotor drives, the absence of belts and line shafts greatly reduces the power loss and risk of accidents.

• The layout of multimotor drive is flexible in the installation of different machines.

Disadvantages of Multimotor Drive

The disadvantages of multimotor drives include the following −

• Multimotor drives involve high initial cost.

• The maintenance of one motor causes disturbance to the entire process.

Applications of Multimotor Drive

Multimotor drives are used in −

• Hoists

• Lifts

• Cranes

• Long travel motion applications

• Cross travel motion applications, etc.