ABSTRACT
A major application of electric energy is in its conversion to mechanical energy. Electromagnetic, or
‘‘EM’’ devices designed for this purpose are commonly called ‘‘motors.’’ Actually the machine is the
central component of an integrated system consisting of the source, controller, motor, and load. For
specialized applications, the system may be, and frequently is, designed as a integrated whole.
Many household appliances (e.g., a vacuum cleaner) have in one unit, the controller, the motor, and
the load. However, there remain a large number of important stand-alone applications that require
the selection of a proper motor and associated control, for a particular load. It is this general issue that
is the subject of this chapter.