Zikouniversity

Motor Control Theory and Applied Motor Control for Everyone

The idea behind ZikoUniversity was to create a place where we could include a lot more detail on certain subjects. The Motor Control FAQ section of the website has proved very popular but there are occasions in which many people need a bit more detail. We’ve included theoretical and background questions as well as more practical studies. Questions in this section tend to be somewhat more theoretical in nature, with the FAQ section being much more practically focused questions. As always, if you don’t feel we’ve answered your question and are looking for a bit more information then please just ask.

Motor Control Theory

Explore the theory and key principles behind brushless DC motor operation.

Click here to learn how a brushless motor works.

Fundamentally, the difference between sensored and sensorless brushless DC motors is simple. One has sensors and the other does not. However, there are a range of important implications of this simple difference which can have a significant impact on choosing the right option for your application.

Click here to find out more about sensored vs sensorless brushless DC motors.

There are a number of drive patterns for brushless DC motors including trapezoidal and sinusoidal.

Click here to find out more about trapezoidal, sinusoidal and field orientated control of brushless DC motors.

Four (4) quadrant motor control enables complete control of the motor and is most commonly used in brushless DC and brushed DC motors.

Find out more about four quadrant motor control by clicking here.

Stepper motors are widely used in positional and low speed applications because of the high levels of accuracy they use.

Learn more about how stepper motors work and the theory behind their operation.

Quick definitions of key terms that you may have seen but didn’t understand.

Click here to browse the Zikodrive Motor Control Glossary.

Motor Control in Practice