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| NMERL was established in April, 2005, by NIDEC Corp. as a research centre to seek novel approaches to motor research. One of its major goals is to develop motor designs (including their drives and controls) based on a greater level of environmental awareness. NMERL believes that this will require a fresh approach. |
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The main activities of NMERL will be: |
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1. |
Promoting motology: A new paradigm for
fundamental and applied research on electric motors Motology’s areas of focus are: |
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A) |
Energy saving technologies, |
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B) |
Integrated motor controls, |
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‘Motography’, a new concept for basic
research directly derived from motology for the development of diagnostic
tools for the motor. |
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2. |
Continuing Engineering Education for NIDEC
group personnel, |
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Public dissemination of research results. |
| We, as citizens of modern industrial civilization, benefit from and depend on the fruits of science and technology. One of the major products to have come from our industrial heritage is the electric motor, which today forms an integral component of modern society, even if it is often unseen by the user. For instance, more than 200 motors are employed in a typical modern automobile, being used in : |
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power steering systems, |
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window wipers, |
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active suspensions, |
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navigation systems, |
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radiators, |
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air conditioners, |
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foldaway mirrors, etc. |
| In fact, close to 60% of the entire electric power consumption around the world is to drive motors of one kind or another. In the 20th century we developed motors which were smaller, quieter, more powerful and more economic. But as we enter the 21st century, motor technology must enter a new phase. Our industrial activities are seriously threatening the global environment. We face serious issues such as global warming due to the greenhouse gases we emit, extensive acid rain from industrial production, the damage to the earthfs ozone layer, marine pollution, extensive deforestation of the tropical rainforests and forests in the temperate and subarctic zones, the buildup of hazardous wastes and the resulting contamination of underground water reserves, just to cite some of the major ones. |
| NMERL believes that motors, because of their use of materials and electricity, must therefore meet the new demand of protecting the environment.
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| A. Environmentally-related and energy saving technologies
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1) |
Recycling of motors to minimize energy
consumption in the overall process by which motors are manufactured,
made use of, and discarded, |
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Safety issues and environmental impact associated with
the power cycle beginning with the generation to its consumption in a
motor, |
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3) |
Design of hybrid-drives for automobiles. |
| B. Integrated motor control |
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1) |
Modern motors represent an integration of diverse technologies. Control technologies utilizing LAN and computers are increasingly being used to achieve safer drives as well as energy saving drives. The major thrust of motor design is shifting from that of the magnetic circuit to the design of signal processing and information processing circuitry. The study of the motor in relation to the electromagnetic environment is another topic covered in this effort. An example of this is the drive-by-wire in the automobile. |
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Minimizing energy consumption and increasing the comfort
level of automobiles. |
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Motors and ergonomics: The automobile can be viewed
as an extension of the human body; research on power steering controls
for instance can be seen in this context. This represents a different
thrust from the development of industrial robots, whose purpose is basically
to free human workers from manual labour. The next-generation robots
will likely evolve towards greater interactive interfaces and ergonomic
design, just as in automobiles. Motor research must be able to meet these
new challenges. |
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As another new concept, a practical arm
for motology for the development of diagnostic tools for the motor, motography
is an application of motology for observing the interior of a motor based
on the electromagnetic waves, sounds and vibrations emitted by the motor. |
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