Present State and A Futuristic Vision of Motor Drive Technology

One of the main driving forces behind the industrial revolution was the invention of the electric motor more than a century ago. Its widespread use for all kinds of mechanical motion has made life simple and has ultimately aided the advancement of human kind.

The advent of the inverter that facilitated speed and torque control of AC motors has propelled the use of electric motors to new realms that was inconceivable just a mere 30 years ago.

This paper reviews Yaskawa’s role in the development and application of inverter technology to AC motor drives and introduces some futuristic vision for motor drive technology.