Can a New Technology Redefine Industrial Motor Efficiency?

Industrial motors may not be the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of a 21st-century entrepreneur tinkering in his garage. Anthony Wong didn’t even have a garage; he only had an extra bedroom.

Wong was riding a streetcar in Toronto about five years ago, thinking about bicycle drivetrains and how to make them more efficient. Five years later, Wong’s company inMotive is almost ready for prime time with a mechatronic variable-speed drive (MVSD) — essentially a transmission for industrial motors.

A more efficient variable-speed drive for motors could help the ubiquitous, energy-sucking devices make another leap in energy efficiency. The problem is that most motors are oversized because of high torque requirements that are only needed for a small portion of the motor’s use.

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