Cebu Technological University – Main Campus

College of Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering
Rotating Electric Machines- DC Motor
Laboratory Exercises

Activity 8: Motor Torque and Speed Calculations

Name: ____________________________

I. Objectives:
1. Familiarize in calculating torque and speed of dc motor.
Torque is a measure of the turning effort caused by a force acting on apart that rotates.

The amount of torque created is determined by the amount of force applied and the
distance from the pivot point to where the force is applied.
Torque Formula: T = F x r
English unit:
T = torque in foot pounds (ft.-lb.) or inch ounces (in.-oz.)
F = force in pounds (lb.) or ounces (oz.)
r = radius distance from center of rotation in feet (ft.) or inches(in.)
S.I. unit:
T = torque in Newton meters (N-m)
F = force in Newtons (N)
r = radius distance from center of rotation in meters (m)
Torque is increased by either applying the force further from the pivot point or by
increasing the amount of force applied.
II. Procedure:
1. In this activity, you will calculate the torque using the torque formula.
2. a. Force = 5.5 Newtons
Distance from pivot point force applied = 0.5 meter
Torque =_________
b. Force = 50 ounces
Distance from pivot point force applied = 7 inches
Torque= __________
c. Force = 40 ounces
Distance = 9 inches
Torque =_________
d. Convert the torque produced with the rachet in letter c to ft-lb.
Torque = ________
e. Force = 12 Newtons
Distance = 0.7 meter
Torque = _______
f. Torque = 8.75 N-m
Distance = 48 cm
Force = ________
 3. The electric motor must generate a torque that exceeds the torque requirements of
the load. The load on an electric motor is the amount of torque the motor must
generate at its shaft to overcome the resistance caused by the device the motor is
driving. If the resistance that is caused by the driven device increases, the load on
the motor also increases. The effect a load has on a motor is to cause the motor to
draw more current to produce the torque needed to keep the motor rotating.

Electric motors often drive other devices through some type of gear or belt drive.
By using these types of systems, a motor is often able to drive a load much larger than it
would normally be able to drive.

A. Calculate the load on an electric motor with a gear or belt drive

The torque that a motor generates when driving a load through a gear system
depends on the relative sizes of the gears. As an example, a motor driving a load through
two gears. The torque needed to turn the load is 20 N-m, but the torque that the motor
must generate is only 10 N-m because of the gear drive.

The relationship between the torque input and output of a gear drive depends on the
ratio of the number of gear teeth of the two gears.
Gear System Torque Formula
T2
T 1=
Gear Ratio

Where: T 1 = torque of the drive gear (G1)

T 2 = torque of the drive gear (G2)
 Gear Ratio = ratio of the number of teeth of the driven gear divided
N2
by the number of teeth of the drive gear ( )
N1
Using this formula, the torque that is delivered to the load through the gear system can
be calculated as:

20
T 1= 20
60 = = 10 N-m
2
30

The same relationship is true for a belt drive system, the ratio that is used is the
ratio of the diameters of the pulleys.

Drive Belt System Torque Formula

T2
T 1=
Pulley Ratio

Where: T 1 = torque of the drive pulley ( P1)

T 2 = torque of the driven pulley ( P2)
Pulley Ratio = ratio of the diameter of driven pulley divided by the
D2
diameter of the drive pulley ( )
D1

In this procedure you will calculate the torque that a motor must produce to drive the
load to which it is coupled. The particular formula you use will be determined by which
type of drive system is being used.
1.Calculate the motor torque that must be produced to drive the load that is coupled
with the figure as shown. The motor is directly connected to drive the gear. The load is
connected to the driven gear.
Tin = ________________

2. Calculate the torque the motor as shown in the figure must produce to provide
the torque necessary to drive the load.
Tin = _______________
 3. Calculate the torque a motor must produce to drive the load given the
following information.
a. Drive gear teeth =20
Driven gear teeth = 80
Torque needed to drive load = 20 N-m
Tin = _________
b. Drive pulley diameter = 10 inches
Driven pulley diameter = 30 inches
Torque needed to drive load = 45 in-oz

4. Determine the gear ratio of the gear system that will be needed to deliver 7.5N-m of
torque to a load if the motor produces 1.25 N-m of torque.
Gear ratio = ______________
5. Determine the pulley ratio of the drive belt system that will be needed to deliver 35
in-oz of torque to a load if the motor produces 17.5 in-oz.
Pulley ratio =__________

B. Calculate the speed of a load that is driven with a belt drive or gear system
Not only does the gear or pulley ratio affect the torque that a motor can deliver to a
load, the ratio also affects the speed at which a load is turned. If the gear that is attached
to the load has more teeth than the gear on the motor, or if the pulley on the load is larger
in diameter than the pulley on the motor, more torque is delivered to the load than is
produced by the motor.
The exact opposite is true of speed. If the gear on the load has more teeth than the gear
on the motor, the speed of the load will be less than that of the motor. The same is true of
a belt drive system if the driven pulley is larger in diameter than the drive pulley.
 Gear System Speed Formula
S1
S2 =
Gear Ratio

Where: S1 = speed of the driven gear (G2)

S2 = speed of the drive gear (G1)
Gear Ratio = ratio of the number of teeth of the driven gear divided
N2
by the number of teeth of the drive gear ( )
N1

Drive Belt System Speed Formula

S1
S2 =
Pulley Ratio

Where: S2 = speed of the driven pulley ( P2)

S1 = speed of the drive pulley ( P1)
Pulley Ratio = ratio of the diameter of driven pulley divided by the
D2
diameter of the drive pulley ( )
D1
In this procedure, you will calculate the speed of a load given the speed of the motor and
the gear or pulley ratio.
1.Calculate the speed of the load as shown in the figure.
Speed of load = __________
 2. With same figure in no.1, calculate the speed of the load if the speed of the motor
is 1725 rpm.
Speed of load = _________
3.Calculate the speed of the load based on the following information:
a. motor speed = 1200 rpm
diameter of drive pulley = 4.5 inches
diameter of driven pulley = 9 inches
Speed of load= ________
b. motor speed = 2350 rpm
diameter of drive pulley = 15 cm
diameter of driven pulley = 45 cm
Speed of load= ________

Conclusion: