Magmotor supplies methods for a spread of purposes, together with industrial robotics. Supply: Magmotor
Magmotor Applied sciences Inc., initially based in 1876 below the identify Kendrick and Davis, or Ok&D, in Lebanon, N.H., has been quietly manufacturing customized AC and DC fan motors.
In its 102nd yr, Herbert Peterson purchased the enterprise, modified its identify to Ok&D Magmotor, and relocated its workplaces to Worcester, Mass. Now in its sesquicentennial yr, Magmotor is planning a serious enlargement that it mentioned will triple its earnings and its variety of workers.
Manufacturing supervisor Jamie Willigar has been with the enterprise for 21 years; senior mechanical design engineer Scott Cerra is nearing his twentieth anniversary on the job; and fellow manufacturing staff members have over 25 years with the corporate.
A lot of Magmotor’s clients – in such industries as aerospace, protection, and high-tech – have been simply as loyal. The corporate famous that lots of its merchandise have lasted 15 to twenty years with no points.
Magmotor asserted that its high-quality designs, dedication to customer support, and skill to adapt to altering markets and shopper wants has introduced it from the horse-and-buggy period to designing engines for contemporary house journey.
Coaching has not been a problem, mentioned Willigar, however that’s about to alter. As the corporate continues to rebound from the COVID-19 period, it plans to rent a brand new era who will study from the 25-year veterans earlier than they retire.
And, with a rising buyer base and a few thrilling new ventures, Willigar mentioned he expects Magmotor – and its product portfolio – to be round for a few years to return.
Save the date for RoboBusiness 2026Magmotor focuses on brush motors
Cerra added that Magmotor nonetheless focuses on brush motors, at the same time as many different corporations have transformed to brushless motors. One key purpose is that legacy objects nonetheless want brush motors, that are so reliable that they’re usually most popular by NASA and the house business.
The majority of Magmotor’s work is within the area of personalized designs that match a selected firm’s wants — these that can’t be bought off the shelf (OTS).
Shortly after former U.S. President Invoice Clinton empowered China to attain most-favored nation standing, Magmotor moved most of its manufacturing work to Chinese language companions, which have maintained the agency’s high quality requirements. “That’s why we do all of the design work in home,” mentioned Willigar.
“We nonetheless do the ultimate meeting in home and want to deliver no less than some manufacturing again to the States, no less than on a smaller scale to assist U.S. gross sales, however there may be lots of overhead and prices concerned to take action,” acknowledged Cerra. “It additionally takes time and personnel.”
Magmotor supplies brushed motors with two- and four-pole choices. Supply: Magmotor
Firm serves a differentiated market
Magmotor mentioned its brush motors had been used within the NASA Rover and for BattleBots robots. An Italian firm just lately started utilizing its brush motors to energy robots that clear the edges of ships.
It famous that the reliability of its motors is a serious promoting level. Different makes use of embody elevators, diving corporations, electrical lawnmowers, GPS guided tools, and extra. “We imagine our motors can have rising utility within the robotics business,” mentioned Willigar.
Magmotor’s methods use neodymium magnets that it mentioned can achieve extra energy from small motors. The corporate’s smallest motors are about 1.5 by 2 in. (3.8 to five cm), and the most important weigh as much as 65 lb. (29.4 kg) and have working speeds as much as 6,000 rpm.
Willigar mentioned he used to think about different motor corporations as rivals — till he realized they do various things. They don’t make the motors Magmotor makes, and Magmotor doesn’t make the motors they make, he noticed.
“The motor business is giant, and it must be conducive to our working collectively, somewhat than being cutthroat to our mutual drawback,” mentioned Willigar. “The motor business serves many different industries, and the motors which we – they usually – manufacture usually save lives and make progress potential. In any case, motors are used in every single place – and robotics is opening up a completely new area for the motor business.”
Magmotor considers a return to AC
It has been a very long time since Magmotor constructed AC motors, that are rather a lot completely different from DC motors wherein it specializes at present, mentioned Cerra. However the firm is certainly once more considering of returning to constructing AC motors and in addition constructing extra brushless motors.
It’s not an enormous soar, however it does require effort and time to create new designs. Nonetheless, Magmotor is not going to abandon brush motors, which have been the spine of its product line for many years.
“At Magmotor, it’s actually not nearly modernization or pushing the latest expertise,” Cerra claimed. “For us, it’s extra about being current and really supporting the purchasers wants for the long run.”
“If we can’t present precisely what a buyer wants, we are going to do our greatest to assist level them in the best course or join them with somebody who can,” he added. “We need to modernize and enhance methods, however not on the expense of buyer assist and relationships.”
Magmotor additionally supplies four-pole brushless DC motors with neodymium magnets. Supply: Magmotor
Every OTS, customized undertaking will get equal therapy
Magmotor mentioned one other differentiator is that it’s keen to work on tasks that lots of producers wouldn’t even take into account until there may be excessive quantity or giant upfront spending concerned. The corporate mentioned it really works with everybody from small, mom-and-pop companies all the best way to multimillion-dollar firms.
“For instance, proper now, we’re working intently with a husband-and-wife firm within the U.Ok. on customized motor options, and we method that relationship the identical means we’d method our bigger industrial clients,” Willigar mentioned.
Cerra additional famous {that a} rising a part of Magmotor’s enterprise helps corporations cut back downtime and provide chain disruptions.
“We just lately had a buyer whose total system was down as a result of their authentic motor provider not supported the product,” he mentioned. “They got here to us with the previous motor, and we engineered a substitute that improved efficiency, sturdiness, and total construct high quality, whereas getting their tools again up and working. That’s the form of real-world downside fixing we concentrate on every single day.”
Customized motors can save designers time, cash, and frustration, Magmotor says. Supply: Magmotor
Magmotor works to strengthen U.S. partnerships
Magmotor mentioned it continues to strengthen partnerships with its U.S.-based clients for encoders, brakes, gearboxes, and different motion-control parts in an effort to present extra full built-in options.
“Internally, we’re constructing our stock of widespread off-the-shelf motors that may ship instantly to assist clients cut back downtime, and we encourage blanket POs so merchandise proceed flowing and arrive on time,” mentioned Willigar. “On the similar time, we’re at all times taking a look at methods to enhance our inner processes, motor efficiency, and engineering assist.”
“We work very intently with buyer engineers to ensure the motor specs are appropriate for the appliance, as a result of each system and atmosphere is completely different,” he mentioned. “Our purpose is not only to promote a motor, however to assist clients construct dependable methods that carry out higher and last more.”
Finally, Magmotor has an extended historical past as a New England producer and motor designer. That’s the American dream on show. Innovation, exhausting work, and honesty are among the many foundations that constructed this nation from the bottom up, and it’s thrilling to observe Magmotor Applied sciences play its position in an evolutionary atmosphere to assist rebuild our market stronger and extra resilient than ever.
Concerning the creator
Duggan Flanakin is the director of coverage analysis on the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow. A former senior fellow with the Texas Public Coverage Basis, Flanakin authored works on the creation of the Texas Fee on Environmental High quality and on environmental training in Texas. A short historical past of his multifaceted profession seems in his guide, Infinite Galaxies: Poems from the Dugout.