NEMA

NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) in United States and IEC in Europe has
classified the design of the squirrel cage induction motors based on their speed-torque
characteristics into some classes. These classes are Class A, Class B, Class C, Class D, Class E and
Class F.

In Class A Design

- A normal starting torque.

- A normal starting current.
- Low slip.
- In this Class, pullout torque is always of 200 to 300 percent of the full-load torque and it occurs at a
low slip (it is less than 20 percent).
- For this Class, the starting torque is equal to rated torque for larger motors and is about 200 percent
or more of the rated torque for the smaller motors.

In Class B Design

- Normal starting torque,

- Lower starting current,
- Low slip.
- Induction Motor of this Class produces about the same starting torque as the class A induction motor.
- Pullout torque is always greater than or equal to 200 percent of the rated load torque. But it is less
than that of the class A design because it has increased rotor reactance.
- Again Rotor slip is still relatively low (less than 5 percent) at full load.
- Applications of Class B design are similar to those for design A. But design B is preferred more
because of its lower starting-current requirements
In Class C Design

- High starting torque.

- Low starting currents.
- Low slip at the full load (less than 5 %).
- Up to 250 percent of the full-load torque, the starting torque is in this class of design.
- The pullout torque is lower than that for class A induction motors.
- In this design the motors are built from double-cage rotors. They are more expensive than motors
of Class A and B classes.
- Class C Designs are used for high-starting-torque loads (loaded pumps, compressors, and conveyors).

In Class D Design

- In this Design of Class motors has very high starting torque (275 percent or more of the rated torque).
- A low starting current.
- A high slip at full load.
- Again in this class of design the high rotor resistance shifts the peak torque to a very low speed.
- It is even possible at zero speed (100 percent slip) for the highest torque to occur in this class of design.
- Full-load slip (It is typically 7 to 11 percent, but may go as high as 17 percent or more) in this class of
design is quite high because of the high rotor resistance always.

In class E Design

- Very Low Starting Torque.

- Normal Starting Current.
- Low Slip.
- Compensator or resistance starter are used to control starting current.

In Class F Design
- Low Starting Torque, 1.25 times of full load torque when full voltage is applied.
- Low Starting Current.
- Normal Slip.
 TORQUE CHARACTERISTICS of NEMA DESIGN A,B,C,D & E MOTORS

Motor designers can change the characteristics of motors by modifying windings, rotor slot geometries, end ring
size, rotor bar and end ring resistances, number of slots, number of rotor bars, amount and type of magnetic
steel, etc. Most standard T-frame, squirrel cage induction motors (SCIMs) are designed to have NEMA design
B characteristics. Some applications require torque characteristics that are outside the normal design
parameters of a design B motor. Some applications may require higher starting torque (e.g. a loaded conveyor)
than a Design B motors capability. Either a Design C motor can be chosen or a higher HP Design B motor must
be selected. Some manufacturers motors, such as Toshibas EQPIII series motors, have Design C starting
characteristics and in excess of Design B Breakdown torques. Such a motor, though more expensive to
manufacture, can provide the advantages of Design C designs and meet all of the criteria of Design B.

(Note that manufacturers will have different characteristics than those defined by NEMA as minimum required
values.) Locked Rotor Torque (LRT) is the torque developed by the motor at standstill. This is sometimes also
referred to as starting torque. Pull Up Torque (PUT) is the minimum torque developed by the motor as it
accelerates from standstill to the speed at which breakdown torque occurs. Break Down Torque (BDT) is the
maximum torque that the motor is capable of developing. In the case of a Design D motor, this may be the
same as LRT.
TYPICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND APPLICATIONS OF FIXED FREQUENCY SMALL
AND MEDIUM AC SQUIRREL-CAGE INDUCTION MOTORS

Locked Break Locked

Pull-Up
Rotor Down Rotor
Torque
Torque Torque Current
(Percent Polyphase Typical Relative
(Percent (Percent (Percent Slip
of Rated Characteristics Applications Efficiency
of Rated of Rated of Rated
Load
Load Load Load
Torque)
Torque) Torque) Current)
Fans, blowers,
centrifugal
Design A pumps
Normal locked and
rotor torque compressors, Medium
70 - 275 65 - 190 175-300 Not Defined 0.5 - 5%
and motor-generator or high
high locked sets, etc. where
rotor current. starting torque
requirements are
relatively low
Fans, blowers,
centrifugal
Design B pumps
Normal locked and
rotor torque compressors, Medium
70 - 275 65 - 190 175-300 600 - 700 0.5 - 5%
and motor-generator or high
normal locked sets, etc. where
rotor current. starting torque
requirements are
relatively low
Conveyors,
crushers, stirring
Design C motors,
High locked agitators,
rotor torque 200 - 190 - reciprocating
140 - 195 600 - 700 1 - 5% Medium
and 285 225 pumps and
normal locked compressors,
rotor current. etc., where
starting under
load is required
High peak loads
with or without
flywheels such
Design D
as
High locked
punch presses,
rotor torque
275 N/A 275 600 - 700 5 - 8% shears, Low
and
elevators,
normal locked
winches, hoists,
rotor current.
oil-well pumping
and wire drawing
motors
Fans, blowers,
centrifugal
Design E
pumps
Normal locked
and
rotor torque
compressors,
and 75 - 190 60-140 160-200 800 - 1000 0.5 - 3%
motor-generator
low slip. High
sets, etc. where
locked rotor
starting torque
current.
requirements are
relatively lo