ETH Zurich Researchers Break 1 Million RPM Motor Barrier

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the development of a new drive system by researchers at ETH Zurich that achieves over 1 million revolutions per minute (rpm), surpassing the typical industrial motor limit of 250,000 rpm. The conversation touches on the implications of this advancement, including the size and design of the motor, particularly the bearings used.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express excitement about the achievement of over 1 million rpm and the implications for motor design.
  • One participant notes the impressive size of the motor and specifically highlights the bearings, mentioning their small inner diameter of 1 mm and the resulting dN value.
  • Another participant raises a question about the absence of air bearings in the design, suggesting curiosity about alternative bearing technologies.
  • A later reply humorously reflects on the potential implications of such high-speed motors in everyday applications, such as dental tools.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express interest and curiosity about the motor's design and implications, but there is no consensus on the specifics of the bearing technology used or its applications.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the design choices, such as the type of bearings used, remain unaddressed, and there is a lack of detailed technical specifications in the initial announcement.

wolram
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/11/081114081213.htm

Up to now, industrially-deployed motors have normally reached 250,000 revolutions per minute. Now, however, researchers from ETH Zurich’s Department of Power Electronics have developed a drive system in cooperation with its industrial partners that can achieve over 1,000,000 rpm.
 
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That's pretty cool. The first thing I thought was "how small is this thing going to be?" It is indeed tiny. I am most impressed by the bearings. Even with a ID of 1 mm, the dN for those things would still be 1 million which is pretty sporty.

It's a shame they can't go into a bit more detail in the story.
 
I'm surprised they didn't use some sort of air bearing.
 
I'm not sure if I want my dentist to find out about this or not.
 

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