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Assembly process of small and medium-sized motors

Date:2026-04-25   Author:Shandong Xinda Motor Co., Ltd.

01

stator assembly


In China, most motor manufacturers use external press-fitting technology when producing small motors. After the stator core is wound and impregnated, its axial position must meet the drawing requirements when pressed into the frame. Otherwise, one end of the coil will extend too far, causing assembly difficulties and increasing the air gap magnetomotive force, affecting motor performance. It will also exacerbate wear caused by the axial force on the rotor. The axial position of the stator core within the frame is generally ensured by the press-fitting fixture. The dimensions of the press cap are controlled to ensure that the position of the core conforms to the drawing requirements after press-fitting.


The method for determining the size is as follows: after the press-fitting is completed, in order to ensure that the stator core does not rotate in the frame, the contact between the inner circle of the frame and the outer circle of the stator core is not enough. Therefore, each motor must also be equipped with a locking screw to completely fix the core to the frame.





02

Rotor assembly


The rotor assembly of an asynchronous motor includes the assembly of the rotor core and shaft, the assembly of bearings, and the assembly of the fan.



1

Assembly of rotor core and shaft


Electric motors output mechanical power through their shafts during operation; therefore, the reliability of the rotor core-shaft connection is crucial. When the rotor's outer diameter is less than 300mm, the rotor core is typically press-fitted directly onto the shaft. When the rotor's outer diameter is greater than 300mm to 400mm, the rotor support is first press-fitted into the core, and then the shaft is press-fitted into the rotor support. Y-series motors employ a structure where the rotor core is directly press-fitted onto the shaft. There are three basic assembly methods for the rotor core and shaft: knurled cold-press fit, heat-fit fit, and keyed connection fit.


In a knurled cold press fit, the shaft machining process is as follows: precision turning of the core retaining ring, knurling, grinding, then pressing in the rotor core, followed by precision grinding of the shaft extension and bearing retaining ring, and precision turning of the core outer diameter. Excessive interference is not permitted when using the knurling process. This is because the cold pressing pressure is directly proportional to the interference; if the interference is too large, it may not be able to be pressed in, or it may cause excessive internal stress in the material, leading to deformation or damage.


Hot-fitting typically utilizes the residual heat from the rotor's aluminum casting process (or reheating the rotor) for hot fitting. This process saves on cold-pressing equipment and ensures a more reliable connection between the rotor core and shaft. Because hot fitting involves heating and expanding the housing, followed by cooling, the housing's opening contracts to grip the enclosed component, guaranteeing sufficient interference fit and high reliability.


Keyed connections offer the advantage of reliable connection and facilitate streamlined production; however, they increase machining steps, and keyways on the shaft reduce its strength, especially in small motors. When using keyed connections, the key width is selected according to specifications. To simplify the process, the same keyway width as the shaft extension can usually be used.





2

Bearing assembly


Rolling bearings are widely used in small and medium-sized asynchronous motors. They are lighter than sliding bearings, require less maintenance during operation, and consume less lubricating grease. Furthermore, rolling bearings have small radial clearance, making them more suitable for asynchronous motors with small air gaps.



03

General Assembly


The final assembly of small and medium-sized motors includes fitting the rotor into the stator, installing other components such as end covers, junction boxes, external fans, and brush devices. After final assembly, testing and surface finishing of the motor are also required.



1

Rotor fitting into stator assembly


Inserting the rotor into the stator is a crucial step. Improper operation can easily damage the windings, and sometimes even deform the shaft. When inserting the rotor, attention must be paid to the corresponding position of the shaft extension and the junction box. For rotors weighing less than 35kg, they can be inserted into the stator by hand. Larger rotors require lifting tools. During operation, first lift the tool at lifting ring 2 and place it on the rotor shaft. Then, lift the rotor at lifting ring 1 and use the control lever 3 to guide the rotor horizontally and smoothly into the stator.



2

Install end cap


When installing end covers, generally install the non-shaft extension end first. Apply a thin layer of machine oil to the mounting surface to prevent rust. After inserting the end cover into the mounting surface, gently tap around the end cover to ensure it fits snugly against the machine base. Then, tighten the bolts diagonally. When installing the second end cover, the rotor needs to be leveled (this is not necessary for small motors). Then, tap the end cover mounting surface together and tighten the bolts. If the two end covers are not aligned or their end faces are not parallel, the rotor may rotate sluggishly. In this case, gently tap around the end cover with a hammer to eliminate the misalignment and ensure the rotor rotates freely. Finally, install the outer bearing cover and tighten the bearing cover screws.





3

Breathing adjustment


For medium-sized motors with rolling bearings using round end caps, after the rotor is inserted into the stator, the end caps for the ball bearings should be installed first, followed by the end caps for the roller bearings, to prevent damage to the rolling bearings. If it is necessary to install the end caps for the ball bearings first, the screws on these end caps should not be tightened until the ball bearing end cap is installed, at which point the screws are tightened. After the end caps are installed, the air gap must be adjusted. The adjustment method is to use jacks (four at both ends) to adjust the relative positions of the end caps. Use a feeler gauge to measure at a 120° difference (at both ends) until the air gap uniformity meets the technical specifications. After adjusting the air gap, tighten the screws, drill locating pin holes at the positions specified in the drawing on a horizontal punch press, and insert the locating pins.



4

Assembly of the brush system



In motors with slip ring contacts (such as large and medium-sized wound-rotor asynchronous motors), the quality of brush assembly has a significant impact on current conduction. In motors with commutators, the quality of commutation is closely related to the assembly quality of the brush system.

Slip rings and commutator brushes are generally electrographite brushes and metal-graphite brushes. Electrographite brushes are made from natural graphite after processing to remove impurities and then sintering. Depending on the raw material ratio, they can be further divided into graphite-based, coke-based, and carbon black-based types. Carbon black-based brushes have higher resistivity and contact voltage drop, making them suitable for motors with difficult commutation; graphite-based brushes are commonly used in normal motors. Electrographite brushes have lower hardness and slower wear, and the current density can generally be selected at 10-12 A/cm². Metal-graphite brushes are suitable for low-voltage, high-current motors; they are made by adding 40%-50% copper powder to graphite and then sintering the mixture. It has a high density, low hardness, low wear resistance coefficient, low resistivity, low contact voltage drop, and slow wear. The current density can generally be selected between 17-20A/cm2.




In DC motors, the brushes are arranged in a staggered pattern because the wear on the commutator differs between positive and negative brushes.





04

Small motor assembly automation



To improve labor productivity, reduce production costs, and shorten product development or production cycles to enhance market competitiveness, both domestic and international motor industries are vying to introduce automation technology into motor assembly. Early automated motor assembly systems were represented by semi-automated assembly lines, used for assembling small motors in large batches with few specifications. These semi-automated assembly lines included automatic rotor loading machines, bearing press-fit machines, end cover press-fit machines, and screw tightening machines. Their functions included: stator feeding, rotor insertion into the stator, bearing press-fitting, end cover installation, and screw tightening. The main assembly processes were completed mechanically, while auxiliary work was done manually. The equipment in these semi-automated assembly lines was fixedly installed, had a certain working cycle, and high efficiency, reaching 25-40 seconds per unit.

To meet the requirements of automated assembly of diverse, small-batch products, foreign countries have successively developed Flexible Assembly Units (FACs) and Flexible Assembly Systems (FAS), both using computer-controlled robots as core equipment, thus possessing a high level of automation. A Flexible Assembly Unit includes one handling robot and multiple assembly robots. The handling robot is responsible for transporting various parts and sequentially delivering the assembled components to the assembly robot's workstation. The assembled components are then moved onto a conveyor belt and transported away. The assembly robot is equipped with workbenches and presses to assemble various parts. The flexible assembly unit can assemble different types of components and its computer program can be modified to assemble motors of different specifications.

Based on the flexible assembly unit, a fully automated flexible assembly system has been further developed. This system mainly includes programmable assembly units, a system storage warehouse, and a flexible logistics conveyor system, with the programmable assembly unit at its core. The programmable assembly unit controls the assembly robot by modifying its computer program and assembles motors of various specifications. To ensure unimpeded supply of components to the assembly system and to act as a buffer in case of system failure, the flexible assembly system includes a storage warehouse. The warehouse is equipped with programmable shelf control devices, allowing the computer to randomly access each storage unit. The flexible logistics conveyor system, consisting of conveyor belts or automated guided vehicles (AGVs), is responsible for material handling and the exchange of materials between different processes within and outside the system. Automated Guided Vehicles (FAS) are flexible, unrestricted, and possess high positioning accuracy (up to ±1mm), making them a key component of flexible conveyor systems. FAS systems typically employ a hierarchical distributed computer control system to manage and control various automated devices within the system. The computer system includes a main computer, a FAS management computer, a logistics computer, and multiple FAC computers.





Through these computers, the FAS system can easily modify programs and control the assembly system to achieve automated assembly of motors of various specifications. For example, an automated assembly system developed abroad can automatically assemble 450 different specifications of small motors. This demonstrates that the FAS flexible assembly system not only has a high degree of automation but also strong adaptability, representing the current direction of automation in small motor assembly. In addition to assembly automation, there are also automated lines for motor factory testing and automated electrostatic painting. Using these automated lines will greatly improve working conditions and increase labor productivity, creating favorable conditions for achieving dehumanized production in motor factories.