Manufacturing overview · Typical process
Iron-core / ironless / tubular linear motors · voice-coil actuators · direct drive
Direct-drive actuators that produce force along a straight line with no ball screw, belt or gearbox. The main reference here is the iron-core flat linear motor: a coil unit (forcer) of laminated iron core with concentrated three-phase coils, potted in thermally conductive epoxy with Hall and thermal sensors, running over a magnet track of NdFeB magnets bonded to a steel back plate. Ironless U-channel motors put an epoxy coil blade between two magnet rows for zero cogging and no attraction force; tubular motors use a round magnet rod inside a cylindrical coil stack; voice-coil motors move a single-phase coil in a magnetic gap over a short stroke (typically a few to 50 mm). Used in semiconductor and electronics equipment, laser and CNC machines, 3D printers, automation stages and medical devices.
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Click a model for full specifications and curves.
| Model | Voltage | Rated power | Rated torque | Rated speed | Current | Rated efficiency | Body length |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LSMF110203A-S-H-NC | 310 V | — | 0 N·m | — rpm | 3.2 A | — % | 191 mm |
| LMC270-060-S1 | 330 V | — | 0 N·m | — rpm | 3.5 A | — % | 0 mm |
| LSMSS01-38-144-01 | 310 V | — | 0 N·m | — rpm | 1.7 A | — % | 0 mm |
| VCMF301503A | 48 V | — | 0 N·m | — rpm | 1.5 A | — % | 0 mm |
| T-VC35-L25-H2 | 48 V | — | 0 N·m | — rpm | 2.5 A | — % | 0 mm |
| VCM17-56A | 63 V | — | 0 N·m | — rpm | 2.13 A | — % | 0 mm |
| VCM28-15A | 27 V | — | 0 N·m | — rpm | 1.59 A | — % | 0 mm |
12 main assembly steps. Each step lists its key equipment and instruments, their main suppliers, and the technical control points.
Electrical steel is punched into comb-shaped (straight-tooth) laminations in a progressive die and stacked to the forcer width, then fixed by interlocking, bonding or laser welding; long forcers are built from repeated core sections.
Technical control points:
Concentrated coils are wound on insulating bobbins (or directly on insulated teeth) with a precise turn count; voice-coil and ironless coils are wound on formers with self-bonding wire and baked into a rigid coil.
Technical control points:
Bobbins are slid onto the teeth with slot insulation, coils are connected in phase sequence (A-B-C groups) into a star point, and joints are soldered or crimped and sleeved.
Technical control points:
Before potting, the wired core is tested so that defects can still be repaired.
Technical control points:
Hall sensor board and PTC / KTY sensors are fitted (thermal sensors in contact with the end windings), the power and sensor cables are connected and strain-relieved, and the assembly is fixed to the aluminium mounting plate.
Technical control points:
The coil unit is placed in a mould and potted with thermally conductive epoxy under vacuum to remove voids, then cured in an oven; the potting gives heat transfer to the mounting plate, insulation and mechanical rigidity, and forms the flat air-gap face.
Technical control points:
The potted forcer face and mounting holes are finish-machined where required, and flatness and the height from the mounting surface to the coil face are measured to guarantee the air gap.
Technical control points:
Pre-magnetised NdFeB magnets are placed one by one on the ground steel back plate in a non-magnetic pitch jig with alternating polarity, bonded with structural adhesive and cured. Operators use non-magnetic tools and safety fixtures because of the very high attraction forces.
Technical control points:
The magnet surface is covered with a thin stainless-steel cover or epoxy coating and sealed at the edges against coolant and swarf; the finished track is scanned for flux density along its length. Where magnets are bonded unmagnetised, the track is magnetised with a multi-pole fixture before this check.
Technical control points:
For VCMs, magnets and steel yoke (or pole piece) are bonded concentrically, and the coil on its bobbin or holder is fitted into the gap with guide bushings or flexures; the gap concentricity determines friction and force uniformity.
Technical control points:
100% hipot and insulation-resistance test of the finished coil unit (all phases to housing and to sensor circuits), plus sensor function check.
Technical control points:
The forcer is mounted over a magnet track on a test stage with a load cell and linear encoder to measure force constant, back-EMF, cogging and attraction force; samples undergo a thermal run at continuous current.
Technical control points:
Suppliers are representative examples (international / mainland China), not an exhaustive or endorsed list.
Progressive stamping and in-die interlocking of stator and rotor laminations.
Selection criteria: Tonnage 60–200 t, 200–800 spm, bottom-dead-centre accuracy.
Used in: 1. Forcer lamination stamping & stacking
Equipment page →Forms and interlocks laminations; determines core accuracy and burr.
Selection criteria: Number of stations, regrind interval, stack-height control method.
Used in: 1. Forcer lamination stamping & stacking
Equipment page →Verifies dimensions, geometry and runout.
Selection criteria: Measurement uncertainty, probing system.
Used in: 1. Forcer lamination stamping & stacking, 7. Forcer machining & flatness check, 8. Magnet track bonding, 10. Voice-coil motor assembly, 12. Performance test on linear stage
Equipment page →Winds concentrated coils on inner-rotor stators.
Selection criteria: Spindles, wire-diameter range, tension control, layering accuracy.
Used in: 2. Coil winding
Equipment page →Winds concentrated coils on the outward-facing teeth of outer-rotor stators (flyer or nozzle type).
Selection criteria: Number of spindles / flyers, wire-diameter range, indexing accuracy, tension control, automatic wire hooking and cutting.
Used in: 2. Coil winding
Equipment page →Inserts slot-liner insulation into stator slots.
Selection criteria: Slot geometry range, cycle time, paper forming method.
Used in: 3. Coil insertion & connection
Equipment page →Solders winding ends to lead wires or a terminal PCB; solderable enamel is stripped by the solder heat.
Selection criteria: Tip temperature stability, solder-wire feed, positioning repeatability, fume extraction.
Used in: 3. Coil insertion & connection, 5. Sensor & cable assembly
Equipment page →Joins enamelled wire to terminals without pre-stripping.
Selection criteria: Closed-loop control of current, force and time; joint monitoring.
Used in: 3. Coil insertion & connection
Equipment page →Winding resistance, turn-to-turn insulation, hipot and insulation resistance.
Selection criteria: Surge voltage, waveform-comparison algorithm, test cycle time.
Used in: 4. Coil unit in-process test, 11. Electrical safety test
Equipment page →Cuts, strips and crimps terminals onto lead wires.
Selection criteria: Crimp-force monitoring, strip-length accuracy, applicator changeover.
Used in: 5. Sensor & cable assembly
Equipment page →Verifies crimp geometry and pull-out force.
Selection criteria: Image resolution, force range.
Used in: 5. Sensor & cable assembly
Equipment page →Applies adhesive for bonding rotor magnets.
Selection criteria: Shot-volume accuracy, 1K / 2K adhesive capability.
Used in: 6. Vacuum potting & curing, 8. Magnet track bonding, 9. Track cover, sealing & magnetic check, 10. Voice-coil motor assembly
Equipment page →Impregnates windings with varnish and cures it for insulation, heat transfer and vibration resistance.
Selection criteria: Vacuum level, heating method (current or oven), temperature profile.
Used in: 6. Vacuum potting & curing
Equipment page →Detects internal porosity and shrinkage in castings.
Selection criteria: Resolution, automatic defect recognition.
Used in: 6. Vacuum potting & curing
Equipment page →Mills spigots, holes and keyways on housings and end caps.
Selection criteria: Positioning accuracy, 4th axis, tool changer.
Used in: 7. Forcer machining & flatness check
Equipment page →Multi-pole magnetizing of rotor magnets, followed by surface-field measurement.
Selection criteria: Stored energy, peak current, fixture pole count and cooling.
Used in: 9. Track cover, sealing & magnetic check
Equipment page →Rotor-to-shaft and bearing press-fits with force–displacement monitoring.
Selection criteria: Force / displacement resolution, curve evaluation windows.
Used in: 10. Voice-coil motor assembly
Equipment page →End-of-line electrical safety tests.
Selection criteria: Output voltage, leakage-current resolution.
Used in: 11. Electrical safety test
Equipment page →No-load, load, T–N curve, efficiency, back-EMF and Hall-phase testing.
Selection criteria: Torque range and accuracy, speed range, data acquisition.
Used in: 12. Performance test on linear stage
Equipment page →Main raw materials, purchased components and auxiliary materials. ★ marks items critical to performance or cost. Quantities are typical and vary by model.
| Part | Class | Material | Key specification | Qty | Supply chain / regions | Representative suppliers | Process | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Forcer core laminations | Raw material | Non-oriented Electrical Steel | 35W300 / 50W470, 0.35–0.5 mm | Per forcer length | Mills are outside the Pearl River Delta (Baosteel, Shougang, Ansteel); Pearl River Delta buyers get slit coil from mill service centres and steel distributors in Foshan (Lecong) and Dongguan, or buy finished cores from stamping houses. Ask for the mill certificate with every coil. | WcanFoshan, HongwangFoshan, Fulwealth SteelDongguan+3 more → | Process → | View → |
| ★Coil winding | Raw material | Enamelled Copper Wire | Class 180–200 polyesterimide / polyamide-imide; self-bonding wire for VCM and ironless coils, Ø0.3–1.0 mm | Per coil design | The Pearl River Delta has its own enamelled-wire makers in Zhuhai, Foshan, Jiangmen and Huizhou, alongside the big Anhui and Jiangsu producers. Local supply shortens lead time; still audit the thermal class and in-line test records per spool. | RonsenZhuhai, Jingda GuangdongFoshan, Suntek WireJiangmen+2 more → | Process → | View → |
| ★Magnets (track / VCM) | Raw material | Sintered NdFeB Magnet | N42SH / N45SH rectangular blocks (arc or ring for VCM), Ni-Cu-Ni or epoxy coated | 2 per pole pitch per track metre (e.g. ≈ 60–120 pcs/m) | Sintered blocks come mainly from Ningbo, Baotou and Ganzhou; Dongguan, Shenzhen and Jiangmen host magnet makers and finishing plants that cut, grind, coat and magnetise to drawing. Specify grade, coating and Hcj at temperature, and ask which plant sinters the block. | Dawa MagnetDongguan, Jiada MagnetDongguan, Courage MagnetDongguan+6 more → | Process → | View → |
| ★Magnet track back plate / VCM yoke | Bought-in part | — | Low-carbon steel (Q235 / 1018 / 1045), ground flat, nickel plated or blackened | 1 per track segment | — | — | — | — |
| ★Magnet adhesive | Auxiliary material | Magnet Bonding Adhesive | Structural epoxy / acrylic, rated ≥ 120 °C, high shear strength | Per track | Huizhou, Dongguan and Shenzhen have domestic structural-adhesive makers that supply motor magnet bonding, next to local offices of international brands. Ask for shear strength at operating temperature and run a trial on your own rotor. | KafuterHuizhou, MaxAdhesiveDongguan, YaonengShenzhen+2 more → | — | View → |
| ★Thermally conductive potting epoxy | Auxiliary material | Potting Compound / Conformal Coating | 2K filled epoxy, thermal conductivity 0.8–1.5 W/m·K, class F / H, UL94 V-0 | Per forcer volume | Guangdong has the densest cluster of potting, conformal-coating and adhesive makers in China (Dongguan, Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhuhai). Check cure shrinkage and CTE against the components on your board. | MaxAdhesiveDongguan, YaonengShenzhen, BornsunShenzhen+4 more → | — | View → |
| Coil bobbins & insulation | Auxiliary material | Insulation Bobbin & Slot Liner | Bobbin PA66+GF / PPS UL94 V-0; slot liner NMN / polyimide film, class F / H | 1 set | Shenzhen and Huizhou have makers of insulation films, sleeving and moulded bobbins; slot liners (DMD, NMN, PET film) are also stocked by Dongguan distributors. Confirm the thermal class matches the insulation system and keep UL file numbers on record. | FuweiHuizhou, WoerShenzhen, JDDShenzhen | Process → | View → |
| Forcer mounting plate / housing | Raw material | Aluminium Extruded Housing | 6061-T6 / 6063-T5 aluminium, machined mounting holes, anodized | 1 | Foshan (Nanhai, Dali) is China's largest aluminium-extrusion cluster, with more in Zhaoqing and Jiangmen; most extruded motor housings in South China are made there. Machining of the bore and spigot is often done by a second shop — agree who owns concentricity. | Honstar AluminumFoshan, Guoyao AluminiumZhaoqing, Kam KiuJiangmen | Process → | View → |
| Hall sensor board (PCBA) | Sub-assembly | Hall Sensor Board (PCBA) | 3 digital or analogue (sin/cos) Hall ICs on a small FR-4 board, positioned to the pole pitch | 1 (optional) | SMT / EMS subcontractors in the Pearl River Delta (Shenzhen, Dongguan) and the Yangtze River Delta; many motor makers run their own small SMT line. | KingbrotherShenzhen, KaifaShenzhen, EDADOCShenzhen+1 more → | Process → | View → |
| ★Temperature sensors | Purchased component | Passive Components (chip resistors, MLCC) | PTC thermistor triplet (e.g. 120 °C switching) and / or KTY84 / PT1000 | 1–2 sets | Zhaoqing, Shenzhen and Dongguan host chip-resistor and MLCC makers, and Shenzhen's Huaqiangbei and Futian are the distribution hub for Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese brands. Use authorised channels and avoid the spot market for production lots. | FenghuaZhaoqing, EYANGShenzhen, MilliohmShenzhen+1 more → | — | View → |
| ★Power & sensor cables | Purchased component | Lead Wires & Connectors | Shielded high-flex PUR cables rated for cable-chain use; M17 / M23 circular or flying leads | 1 set | Shenzhen and Dongguan are a major cluster for wire, harness and connector makers, including offices of international connector brands. Ask for crimp-force monitoring and pull-test records on terminated leads. | MolexShenzhen, WoerShenzhen, XSD CableDongguan+2 more → | Process → | View → |
| Track cover | Bought-in part | — | 0.2–0.3 mm non-magnetic stainless steel (304 / 316) sheet, bonded, or epoxy coating | 1 per track segment | — | — | — | — |
| Thermal interface (heat-sink mounting) | Auxiliary material | Thermal Interface Pad / Grease | Thermal pad or grease between forcer plate and carriage, 1–5 W/m·K | Optional | Shenzhen, Dongguan, Huizhou and Guangzhou have many thermal-pad and grease makers serving the electronics industry. Specify thermal resistance at your clamping pressure, not just conductivity. | KafuterHuizhou, YaonengShenzhen, BornsunShenzhen+3 more → | — | View → |
| Fasteners & small parts | Auxiliary material | Fasteners & Small Parts | Stainless socket-head screws, end stops, cable clamps; VCM guide bushings or flexures | 1 set | Dongguan and Shenzhen have many fastener makers and specialists in retaining rings and wave washers for small motors, so standard parts no longer have to come from Wenzhou or Ningbo. Check plating and hardness certificates per lot. | JinyiDongguan, LiangguDongguan, Lock TechnologyShenzhen+3 more → | Process → | View → |
How each key raw material and purchased component is made: process steps, the equipment and instruments used at each step with their main suppliers, and the technical control points. Click a material to expand.
Steelmaking & vacuum degassing → Hot rolling → Pickling & cold rolling → Continuous annealing → Insulation coating → Testing & slitting
Hot metal is refined in a converter, then RH-degassed to ultra-low carbon; silicon and aluminium are added to the target grade.
Technical control points:
Slabs are reheated and rolled into hot-rolled coils of about 2 mm.
Technical control points:
Scale is removed and the strip is cold-rolled to final gauge (0.50 / 0.35 mm).
Technical control points:
Recrystallization annealing in a protective atmosphere grows grains to the size that minimises core loss.
Technical control points:
A thin inorganic / organic insulation coating is applied and cured to limit interlaminar eddy currents and aid punchability.
Technical control points:
Magnetic properties are tested per coil, then coils are slit to the stamping width.
Technical control points:
Rod drawing → In-line annealing → Enamelling & curing → Lubrication, in-line testing & spooling
8 mm oxygen-free copper rod is drawn through successive diamond dies to the target diameter.
Technical control points:
Resistance annealing restores ductility after drawing.
Technical control points:
Base coat (polyesterimide) and overcoat (polyamide-imide) are applied in many thin passes, each cured in the oven.
Technical control points:
A surface lubricant is applied for winding, diameter and film faults are tested continuously, and wire is spooled.
Technical control points:
Melting & strip casting → Hydrogen decrepitation → Jet milling → Field orientation & pressing → Cold isostatic pressing → Sintering & ageing → Machining → Surface coating → Final inspection
Nd/Pr, Dy/Tb, Fe, B and additives are vacuum-induction melted and cast onto a water-cooled wheel into thin flakes.
Technical control points:
Flakes absorb hydrogen and crack along grain boundaries into coarse powder, followed by dehydrogenation.
Technical control points:
Coarse powder is milled in nitrogen to fine single-crystal particles.
Technical control points:
Powder is aligned in a strong magnetic field and pressed into blocks inside a protective glove box.
Technical control points:
Sealed green blocks are pressed isostatically to raise and even out density.
Technical control points:
Blocks are vacuum-sintered at about 1,050–1,100 °C, then aged in one or two stages to develop coercivity.
Technical control points:
Blocks are sliced, ground or wire-cut into arc segments, then chamfered and cleaned.
Technical control points:
Ni-Cu-Ni electroplating, zinc or epoxy coating protects the magnet from corrosion.
Technical control points:
Magnetic properties, dimensions and appearance are checked per lot.
Technical control points:
Resin drying → Injection moulding → Inspection
PA66+GF pellets are dried before moulding.
Technical control points:
Bobbins (end plates) are moulded, optionally with insert-moulded terminals.
Technical control points:
Dimensions, appearance and flammability conformance are checked.
Technical control points:
Billet heating & extrusion → Stretching, cutting & ageing → CNC machining → Anodizing
6063 billets are heated and extruded through a die into the square housing profile, quenched at the press.
Technical control points:
Profiles are stretched straight, cut to length and artificially aged to T5.
Technical control points:
Spigot, bore, mounting holes and slots are machined.
Technical control points:
Parts are anodized (and optionally dyed) for corrosion protection and appearance.
Technical control points:
Solder-paste printing & SPI → Placement & reflow → AOI & electrical test → Lead-wire soldering & final inspection
Solder paste is printed through a stencil and its volume inspected.
Technical control points:
Hall ICs and passives are placed and reflow-soldered.
Technical control points:
Joints are optically inspected and boards functionally tested before depaneling.
Technical control points:
Lead wires are soldered to the board pads, sleeved or potted, and each board is checked before it goes to motor assembly.
Technical control points:
Cut, strip & crimp → Crimp verification → Housing insertion & continuity test
Wires are cut and stripped, and terminals crimped automatically.
Technical control points:
Cross-sections and pull tests verify each setup and lot.
Technical control points:
Terminals are inserted into connector housings and the harness is continuity-tested.
Technical control points:
Cold heading & thread rolling → Heat treatment & surface treatment → Optical sorting
Wire is cold-formed into screw blanks and threads are rolled.
Technical control points:
Parts are hardened as required, then zinc-plated or passivated.
Technical control points:
100% sorting removes dimensional and visual defects.
Technical control points:
Materials without a process here (bought-in chemicals, chips and some purchased components) are covered by incoming inspection and approval tests only.
Material-level tests are used for incoming inspection and supplier approval (PPAP / sample approval); motor-level tests for product validation (DV / PV). Conditions and criteria depend on the application and customer specification.
Applies to: Forcer core laminations
Applies to: Coil winding
Applies to: Magnets (track / VCM)
Applies to: Magnet adhesive
Applies to: Thermally conductive potting epoxy
Applies to: Coil bobbins & insulation
Applies to: Forcer mounting plate / housing
Applies to: Hall sensor board (PCBA)
Applies to: Temperature sensors
Applies to: Power & sensor cables
Applies to: Thermal interface (heat-sink mounting)
Applies to: Fasteners & small parts
| Test | Standard / condition |
|---|---|
| High-temperature operation and low-temperature start | IEC 60068-2-1 / -2-2 |
| Temperature cycling / thermal shock | IEC 60068-2-14 |
| Damp heat, steady state (e.g. 85 °C / 85% RH) | IEC 60068-2-78 |
| Salt spray | IEC 60068-2-11 |
| Sinusoidal / random vibration | IEC 60068-2-6 / -2-64 |
| Mechanical shock | IEC 60068-2-27 |
| Temperature-rise test | IEC 60034-1 |
| IP protection rating | IEC 60529 |
| Hipot and insulation resistance | IEC 60034-1 |
| Locked rotor and overload | Per customer specification |
| Endurance test (continuous rated load) | Per customer specification, typically 3,000–20,000 h |
| Noise and vibration | ISO 1680, IEC 60034-14 |
Motor for high-voltage drives: Covers motors sold in low-voltage and high-voltage versions. Versions driven above 75 V DC / 50 V AC (e.g. from 220 V AC drives) fall under low-voltage-directive safety rules and need reinforced insulation and hipot evidence.
Listed alphabetically, not in order of preference. Confirm accreditation scope with each body.
Cost analysis, supplier sourcing and audits, production-line planning and equipment selection, and export certification planning — consulting by a senior motor engineer.
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