Motor controllers are devices (or groups of devices) that are used to control the start, stop and speed of an electric motor. They can either be manually operated or programmed to work automatically, with possible functions including selecting the rotational direction and speed, regulating or limiting torque, and stopping or starting the motor. A motor controller helps to protect the motor itself from overloading and/or electrical faults. At RS, we have a curated range of motor controllers from industry-leading brands such as Electromen OY, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Sprint Electric, and many more.
Motor controllers can be classified by the type of motor is designed to drive, e.g. servo, magnet, series, separately excited, direct current (DC) and alternating current (AC). Motor starters are specialized switching units used with larger motors, and connects the motor terminals directly to the power supply.
One of the widest categories of motor controllers is that of servo controllers, which use position feedback to close the control loop, which provide precise control over a closed loop. Stepper controllers are also popular, used for accurate positioning, rotation angles and speed control in stepper motors through.
Motor controllers are used to achieve more accurate control over motor speed, stops and starts than can be achieved with a manual control or mechanical switch. Motor controllers are also capable of controlling motors that exceed the current limitations of a mechanical switch.