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Unlike a conventional direct current (DC) motor, a brushless DC motor has no mechanical connections between the voltage source and rotating components. The advantage to this system is that it lowers the possibility of component failure, and keeps maintenance to a minimum. Because there are fewer parts making physical contact, brushless DC motors will often outlast conventional DC motors. They also generate less electromagnetic interference and have fewer possible friction-related problems.

Brushless DC motors use an electronic controller to replace the brush system in conventional DC motors. This controller replicates the effects of the series of electrical switches activated by the moving brush in a brushed motor. Essentially, as the armature in a conventional motor turns, it drives a set of connected stationary brushes. As the brushes move, they make a circuit for the appropriate armature coil (the one nearest the permanent magnet). This causes the armature to continue rotating, eventually changing the circuit. Brushless DC motors accomplish this same power allotment with an electronic controller. This controller activates the necessary components and causes the rotor to turn.

Although more expensive than brushed DC motors, brushless DC motors are used in a wide range of industries. In fact, the home electronics and computer fields use them in a majority of devices. Everything from CD players to hard drives uses brushless motors. This is not to say that brushless motors are always the best choice; they have more stringent and complicated design requirements and contain more costly parts. They do provide better efficiency, but the results of this may be negligible in certain applications.

Brushless DC motors are also used in propulsion systems for electric vehicles, where they are incorporated into servo loops. They have the added benefit of better heat dissipation capabilities than conventional motors, and their designs continue to become more affordable.