Direct Drives
Lightweight & Power-Dense
Direct Drives
A direct drive is an electric motor that drives a load without an intermediate mechanical transmission, like a gear, belt transmission or pulley. This method increases the torque requirement of the motor, but also eliminates problems like backlash, wear, transmission efficiency, weight of the gears, vibrations and noise by removing the gear altogether. Direct drive motors are typically torque motors with high ID/OD ratio, high torque density and high accuracy.
Alva’s direct drive slotless frameless motors are made capable thanks to the revolutionising FiberPrinting™ manufacturing technique. These motors consist of a Halbach array rotor, paired with a FiberPrinted™ stator with a high copper fill factor and non-skewed windings. These factors, together with the high number of poles and the overall compact shape, helps to create a design that fits perfectly as a direct drive. The slotless winding, without the typical slotted iron core, experiences no torque saturation which makes higher peak torques possible, and experiences virtually no cogging torque. The compact shape and large ID also makes integration with encoders and sensors easier.
SlimTorq™
Direct Drives
The Alva SlimTorq™ product range is a good fit for direct drive applications. There are a total of 8 sizes with additional options to tailor the motors for lightweight applications (L) or where maximum torque is required (M). Additionally all motors come with different winding patterns to adjust the torque constant for the proper purpose. Options to include temperature sensors or hall effect sensors are available, and the terminal direction can protrude either axially or radially. With all these options, a great fit for most direct drive projects can be delivered. If you are looking for a motor for your project, please have a look in our product catalog or use the product selector to find a suitable product.
Custom Direct Drives
Alva has the possibility to create custom direct drive motors for any application if a suitable motor can’t be found in our standard product range. This thanks to the flexible FiberPrinting™ technique where custom motors are achievable by changing the width, length and winding pattern of the manufactured stator mats. In this process, it’s also possible to optimize for specific motor characteristics, whether it is low weight, high motor constant or something else. Alva's own design program, called Rapid Design Tool, can iterate many motor designs to find the best version for your project, and suggests a concept quickly. If you are considering a project where a custom motor might be needed, reach out to us to discuss the specification with one of our experts.
| Header | Header | Header | Header |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cell | Cell | Cell | Cell |
| Cell | Cell | Cell | Cell |
| Cell | Cell | Cell | Cell |
| Cell | Cell | Cell | Cell |
Alvas SlimTorq™ direct drive motors cover a wide range of sizes, weights, rated torques and speeds. The table gives an overview of the different specifications, and more information can be found in our product catalog. If there are any questions or you need help, please contact us and we will be happy to assist in finding the best direct drive for your project.
Direct Drive Applications
There are a number of direct drive applications where Alvas SlimTorq™ products are suitable. The motors are compact and lightweight, have high torque density and high efficiency, which are traits that many projects need. With the high pole-number and no cogging, high precision applications are also a good fit. Here is a list of examples:
- High precision Gimbals
- Robotic surgery equipment
- Robot arms
- UGVs
- Metrology equipment
- Indexing tables
- Delta robots
- Rotation stages
- Packaging Machines actuators
- Aerospace actuators
Normally, that would take 16-20 weeks from complete specification to first prototypes.
There are several options to integrate these direct drive motors, including axial clamping, bonded joints or using an interference fit. Please consult us or have a look in our product catalog for more information.
Yes, because of the slotless technology with no cogging torque and a high pole count, high accuracy systems are possible with these direct drive motors.
There is the possibility to include either a NTC temperature sensor or Hall effect sensors.
Normally the lead time is 6-8 weeks.
Get in Touch
Talk to an engineer or request a quote today.
All rights reserved ©2025