The distinction between AC and DC motors has become blurred as controllers for DC motors make increasing use of pulse-width modulation, which can be viewed as a form of alternating current. All motors that consume DC power are referenced in the DC motor section of this encyclopedia, regardless of whether they modulate the power internally. […]
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Electronic Components
DC motor What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it,What Can Go Wrong
In this section, the term “traditional DC motor” is used to describe the oldest and simplest design, which consists of two brushes delivering power via a rotating, sectioned com mutate to two or more electromagnetic coils mounted on the motor shaft. Brushless DC motors (in which DC is actually converted to a pulse train) are […]
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diode What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it and What Can Go Wrong
The term diode almost always means a semiconductor device, properly known as a PN junction diode, although the full term is not often used. It was formerly known as a crystal diode. Before that, diode usually meant a type of vacuum tube, which is now rarely used outside of high-wattage RF transmitters and some […]
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field effect transistor What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it and What Can Go Wrong
The term field-effect transistor encompasses a family primarily consisting of the junction field-effect transistor (or JFET, which is the simplest generic type) and the metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (or MOSFET, also sometimes known as an insulated- gate field-effect transistor, or IGFET). Because the principles of operation overlap considerably, the entire -FET family is grouped in […]
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bipolar transistor What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it and What Can Go Wrong
The word transistor, on its own, is often used to mean bipolar transistor, as this was the type that became most widely used in the field of discrete semiconductors. However, bipolar transistor is the correct term. It is sometimes referred to as a bipolar junction transistor or BJT. What It Does A bipolar transistor amplifies […]
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unijunction transistor What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it and What Can Go Wrong
The unijunction transistor (UJT) and programmable unijunction transistor (PUT) are different internally, but are sufficiently similar in function to be combined in this entry. What It Does Despite their names, the unijunction transistor (UJT) and programmable unijunction transistor (PUT) are not current-amplification devices like bipolar transistors. They are switching components that are more similar to […]
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stepper motor What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it and What Can Go Wrong
Also often referred to as a stepping motor, and sometimes known as a step motor. It is a type of induction motor but merits its own entry in this encyclopedia as it has acquired significant and unique importance in electronics equipment where precise positioning of a moving part is needed and digital control is available. […]
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servo motor What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it and What Can Go Wrong
Should be referred to as an RC servo if it is intended for use in small devices that are remote-controlled and battery powered. However, in practice, the RC acronym is often omitted. What It Does A servo motor is actually a combination of a motor, reduction gearing, and miniaturized control electronics, usually packaged together […]
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solenoid What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it,What Can Go Wrong
The term solenoid was historically used to describe any coil without a magnetic core. More recently and more commonly it describes a coil inside of which a cylindrical plunger moves in response to the magnetic field generated by the coil. In this encyclopedia, the term electromagnet has its own entry, and describes a coil with […]
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electromagnet What It Does,How It Works,Variants,Values,How to Use it,What Can Go Wrong
The term electromagnet is used here to mean a coil containing a core of ferromagnetic material that does not move relative to the coil. The core is used solely to create a magnetic field that attracts or repels other parts that have appropriate inherent magnetic properties. Where a center component moves in response to the […]
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