A major domestic appliance manufacturer, in the process of developing a new washing machine, was faced with the need for a motor drive capable of powering the high loads presented by a horizontal axis, 8 kg drum. The manufacturer; partnered with Emerson Appliance Motor Division, worked with SR Drives Ltd to develop an advanced solution based on a new switched reluctance SR Drive^® platform.

The three phase switched reluctance motor is ideally suited to the wide speed range and high low-speed torque required in a front loading washing machine.  The simple, robust construction of the SR Drive^® machine makes it highly appropriate for high-volume low-cost manufacture.

The motor operated the drum through a belt drive and used a patented technique to operate from a single position sensor. The electronic control board included a custom ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) containing a specially developed microprocessor and incorporating a number of novel features to extend washing machine control to new levels of performance.