Linear and compound electric motors

The electric motor, first conceived in the second half of the 19th century, was initially envisaged in linear form and then, almost immediately, in rotating form. For obvious technological reasons, the rotating motor developed as we know it today.

The spread of automated industrial systems and, to a lesser extent, land transport, led to the resurrection of the linear motor, which went from the research stage between 1965 and 1975 to series production from 1980 onwards. The first applications of linear motors were undoubtedly the work of Russian (Soviet) engineers, who published some remarkable works (in particular G.I. Shturman in 1946 and A.I. Voldeck in 1968).

The advent of robotics and the replacement of complex mechanical drives by "electronic axes" are currently leading to motors combining rotary and translatory movements (linear rotary motors), and more generally to motors capable of multidirectional movements (compound motion motors).