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50 DESIGN007 MAGAZINE I JUNE 2025 eventually be able to take on many forms with improved performance and weight reduction. Figure 2 shows the weight of the iron core stator and the copper windings. e electric motor has always been bulky. e focus on miniaturization has led to the need for smaller and more efficient electric motors to create an interaction of the copper windings and the magnets for torque and speed. is is essential for the future of EVs and robots. PCB Stators For the last 100 years, electric motors and their iron core and windings have used radial flux to drive the moving iron stator. However, the printed circuit and rare earth magnets axial flux motor (AFM) (shown in Figure 3) are usable, and they allow many innovations for the traditional electric motor, particularly in efficiency, size, weight, and precision. The PCB or Pancake Motor Design Figure 4 shows a typical new generation axial flux pancake motor. Engineers use these motors in applications where compact, light- weight design and high reliability are required, such as portable products, medical equipment, and aerospace/defense devices. ey are: • Up to 70% lighter than conventional options • Achieve efficiencies greater than 90% • Require 20% of the raw materials (notably copper) • Acoustically quieter by up to 30 dB • Printed circuit motors have the armature and commutator printed on a PCB, reduc- ing the number of components and result- ing in smaller, lightweight motors • e motors have lower armature induc- tance and a smaller time constant • e motors quickly develop full-load torque Figure 2: A modern iron core AC electric motor and its copper windings compared with the PCB windings 3 .