Abstract: | This paper reports on the highly efficient motor technologies used in home appliances in Japan. The permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) is especially suitable because the use of permanent magnets does not require any extra current to produce magnetic power in the rotor, or any other kind of energy. In Japan, there has been a rapid shift from induction motors to PMSMs, and in this paper we will show several examples of PMSMs as applied to the home appliance field. It can be seen that great improvements have been made in high‐efficiency motor technologies. Copyright © 2007 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |