How does direct drive washing machine work?

Anyone who has watched commercials on TV knows that there are direct drive washing machines. There are especially many such models among Korean brands. But few people know what kind of design this is and why this type of technology is now spreading so actively. What is the structure of a direct drive washing machine, is such a system really very reliable?

Design features

The essence of direct drive washing machines is that the motor is attached directly to the drum. Fastening occurs without the use of a belt and pulley, instead of which a special coupling is used. It is she who plays the role of the mechanism that drives the gearbox. This machine is more compact compared to its “relatives”, since there are no additional elements.

Typically, such washing machines use a three-phase brushless motor. Such equipment is designed with a permanent magnet-rotor and a stator, which is equipped with 36 inductance coils. The rotor is attached directly to the drum, that is, the rotor shaft is at the same time the shaft of the drum itself. The engine is controlled using signals sent from an electronic module.

Comparison with old technology

Standard washing machines use a belt to rotate the drum. The idea is that the drum is connected to a pulley, and the belt provides torque from the motor shaft. This technique has a weak point - the belts, which quickly become unusable and have to be changed frequently.And while washing and spinning clothes, the washing machine vibrates and makes a lot of noise.

Direct drive washing machines are distinguished by the fact that there are no contact components in the motor, such as brushes or belts. Thus, the engine becomes much more reliable and durable.

Important! In order to find out whether the equipment is equipped with direct drive, you need to carefully examine the case. In such a situation, there will be a special sticker on the front side that says “Direct Drive”.

A washing machine of this type can “afford” a larger drum and a more powerful engine due to the fact that there is more free space in the body.

During operation of a classic washing machine, the process is concentrated on the lower half of the drum, while in direct drive machines, dirt is removed due to the back and forth movements of the drum. This results in laundry being washed more efficiently and evenly.

What is good and what is bad about direct drive?

The direct drive system has a lot of positive qualities. We will now list the most obvious ones.

1. This design is more reliable, as it contains few fragile parts or components that will wear out quickly. For example, LG provides a 10-year guarantee on their engines, as they are absolutely confident in the quality of their equipment.
2. This technique works almost silently, producing only a slight rustling noise from the movement of the laundry being washed in the drum.
3. The operation of the drum in this technique is maximally balanced, so the laundry is distributed evenly in the metal tank.
4. The device hardly vibrates during operation, which has a positive effect on the quality of washing.The laundry is washed evenly, without concentrating on a specific part of the drum.
5. The engine does not require as much attention from technical specialists.
6. This technique automatically detects the mass of things in the drum, finds the appropriate mode and allows you to save resources: water and electricity.

But direct drive also has some disadvantages. You can come to terms with other disadvantages, but some are alarming.

• The price of the equipment itself and components is quite high. For the price at which such a device is sold, you can buy a high-quality machine of a classic design. This follows from the complex design of the module that controls the movement of equipment.
• Direct drive is vulnerable to voltage surges. This is why experts recommend using voltage stabilizing devices.
• There is a small chance that water can get into the engine through a worn oil seal, which will damage the unit. This case is not covered under warranty, so you should change the oil seal more often to avoid catastrophic consequences.
• Quite noisy drainage and collection of water, which some customers complain about.

The bearing assembly of such machines is not very well designed. In the future, engineers will have to work on increasing its wear resistance.

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