Motor & Flywheel

Motor System

In order to spin the drum of the washing machine, the drum shell contains a motor attached to its side. The purpose of spinning the drum of the washing machine is to allow the water and cleaning fluids to cycle through the clothes for a good clean.

There are several parts necessary for this system to function properly:

Motor
Flywheel
Drive belt
Concrete counterweight

Motor

Although the inner workings of the motor are relatively complex and has multiple materials within it required for it to function properly, the two most significant parts in the motor are the wires inside that generate the magnetic field responsible for spinning the shaft of the motor, which are made from copper; and the shell containing the motor, which is probably made out of galvanized steel for its properties of being durable and resistant to rust. A coil is made of copper wire and wound onto an armature (the component of an electric machine which carries alternating current). The coil becomes an electromagnet when a current flows through it and it rotates due to the magnets on the outside.

The copper wire is definitely formed by being drawn through a die (a piece of material with a specifically shaped hole in the center through which the copper is pulled), as it has very high ductility. As for the shell of the motor, it is most likely made via die casting, judging by the lack of giveaway markings.

Copper

Copper is one of the best conductors of heat and electricity. It's extremely ductile and malleable. Copper is also fairly cheap compared to silver (arguably the best in electrical conductivity) Being a good electrical conductor and being easily drawn into wires, copper is optimal for use in electrical appliances, such as wires, circuit boards, and motors.

A video on the process of copper being drawn into wires can be seen below.

Galvanized Steel

The metal parts of the casing are made of galvanized steel that has been powder coated white. Hot dip galvanizing has been performed, where the metal is dipped in a bath of molten zinc, as opposed to electrogalvanizing where the process involves electroplating Zinc on steel. This type of galvanizing creates a coat of Zinc 5-10x thicker that can last 34 to 170 years. Galvanized steel allows resistance to rust and , to a certain extent, chemical corrosion.

A video on the process of steel being galvanized can be seen below.

A video on the manufacturing process of a motor can be seen below (Note: the process used in this washing machine motor would differ somewhat, as the motor in the video is far larger).

Flywheel

The flywheel in this system is made from aluminum. For this part of the mechanism to function properly and efficiently, it must fit several requirements. First and foremost, it must be hard and strong to resist the forces causing it to spin. Second, it must be lightweight in order to lessen the load on the motor as much as possible. Third, it should be resistant to corroding over time. Cast aluminum fits all three of these specifications, as it has a very high strength to weight ratio and resists rust by forming a protective layer on its surface when it reacts with oxygen.

The flywheel in this system was probably made by being die casted, judging by the lack of giveaway markings and the fact that it is more efficient to do that than other methods such as sand casting.

Cast Aluminum

Aluminum is a lightweight yet comparatively strong material. This lightness is one of the reasons why aluminum is valued in these kinds of driving systems, as it reduces the total weight of the rotating components, allowing for more energy efficiency. Aluminum is also corrosion resistant and more importantly, resistant to oxidization. Aluminum reacts with oxygen to form a hard film of aluminum oxide that prevents further oxidization.

A video on the manufacturing process of aluminum can be seen below.

Drive belt

The drive belt (ribbed in this case, meaning it has grooves running parallel to the edges of the belt) is made of an oil-resistant rubber, most likely an artificial rubber such as neoprene. The belt has lines of grooves on the inside which match the grooves on the motor, allowing for greater friction and grip. The flywheel is connected to the motor with this drive belt so as to make it spin the drum and allow for the clothes to be cleaned thoroughly.

To manufacture this part of the machine, the material goes through several processes. It must first be formed into usable strips, then cut into the appropriate length, before being compressed and stuck together. The belt goes through several treatment processes before it is fit to be used for its purpose.

Chloroprene Rubber (Neoprene)

Neoprene is a family of synthetic rubbers made from the polymerization of Chloroprene. Neoprene exhibits good chemical stability and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range. Neoprene is also waterproof , resistant to oil, and does not deform , keeping its shape.

The resistance of oil allows Neoprene to be used in drive belts as the lubricating oil wouldn't affect it. The ability to resist deformation allows it to maintain "tightness" and avoid slippage between the drive belt and motor/ flywheel.

A video on the manufacturing process of a drive belt can be seen below.

Concrete counterweight

Because the motor of the washing machine is relatively heavy for its size, it would throw the machine off balance. In order to counteract this imbalance, a small concrete counterweight with around the same weight as the motor is placed on the opposite end of the drum shell. There are several reasons as to why concrete is used for this purpose, reasons which are listed here.

This part of the machine is made by casting the concrete into a mold, then leaving it to harden, and finally opening the mold to remove the newly made concrete block.

Concrete

The property of concrete being dense, cheap and strong makes it the optimal material for a counter weight. Being dense allows the concrete to take up the least amount of space for its mass, taking up less space in the washing machine. Being cheap allows production costs to be lowered and make the washing machine more price competitive. Having tensile strength ensures the longevity of the counterweight to withstand repeated stress from spinning and allows it to resist deformation.

A video on the manufacturing process of concrete can be seen below (Note: this process is performed with a significantly different mold for the concrete found in washing machines).

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