A Saietta DC motor is an ultra-efficient, composite contact axial flux motor / generator.  The Lynch type design, invented by our Chief Scientist Cedric Lynch, provides an exceptionally robust, light and compact motor at a highly competitive cost.

You will find technical information on our web site under “Products”. Please contact us if you have a query not covered on our site.

If the motor goes wrong because of a manufacturing fault within one year, we will replace or repair it or send you the part(s) needed to repair it (whichever is the best/quickest solution to the problem).

Yes, all parts are available as spares. As we make enhancements to motors we ensure that parts remain available for motors made before the improvement, either by continuing to stock the earlier part or by supplying new parts together with any other part that is needed to make them fit the earlier version motor. Please note that motors should generally be returned to Saietta or your local factory-trained official Saietta distributor for expert repairs or servicing.

It depends on the application. In some applications with low inertia such as a hydraulic pump run on 24V or less, or where the motor is run directly from solar panels, you can simply use an on-off switch. For some other applications, especially ones in which the motor will be run at full speed most of the time but has to start gently, it is possible to use a mechanical switch that first makes contact through a resistance and then cuts the resistance out of circuit in a number of steps. For many applications including heavier vehicles and heavy boats an electronic controller is necessary. We found that a Curtis Wright controller is usually a good option here but alternatives are also available from Sevcon, Kelly, Brusa and Curtis instruments.

It is suitable for use with a fixed transmission ratio on a road vehicle whose total loaded weight in Kg multiplied by its intended top speed in Km/h come to a figure of 30,000 or less, if run on 60V (or 72V, which is safe if the motor is not overdriven above the speed at which it runs without a load). If the weight multiplied by speed come to more than 30,000 it will be necessary to use a gearbox (and accept a large reduction of speed when climbing hills) or to use more than one motor. With a fixed transmission ratio it will be possible to maintain near full speed when climbing hills, provided that the battery can supply the necessary power. Examples: (1) a motorcycle weighs 200 Kg loaded and is to have a top speed of 120 Km/h; multiplying these figures gives 24,000 and there should be no problems. The reduction ratio needed will be about 2.75:1 with typical size motorcycle wheels (3.00×17, 23 inches overall diameter including tyre) or 2:1 with typical scooter wheels (3.50×10, 17 inches diameter including tyre). These ratios can easily be obtained in a single stage with various types of chain or toothed belt. Note: motorcycle and scooter tyres have quite high rolling resistance and it would be much better to use radial-ply car tyres if you can obtain acceptable handling characteristics with them. They lack camber thrust when leaned from vertical and may need unusual steering geometry for best feel. (2) a delivery van weighs 1500 Kg loaded and is to have a speed of 60 Km/h; this comes to 90,000 and with a fixed ratio it will be necessary to couple three motors (two might be adequate if the vehicle is not to be used in a hilly area) or to use a gearbox, with which the speed on the steepest hills will be reduced to 20 Km/h with one motor or 40 Km/h with two motors. With a fixed ratio, or in top gear with a gearbox, the overall reduction ratio needed will be about 5.7:1 with typical size small van wheels (155/80×13, approx. 23 inches diameter including tyre). (If the drive is through a gearbox the ratio between motor and gearbox will probably be about 1.5:1 reduction). (3) a small car weighs 750 Kg loaded and is to have a speed of 80 Km/h; this comes to 60,000 and will be satisfactory with two motors and fixed ratio or with one motor and a gearbox. With a fixed ratio, or in top gear with a gearbox, the overall reduction ratio needed will be about 3.6:1 with typical size small car wheels (145/70×12, approx. 20 inches diameter including tyre). This ratio can be obtained in a single stage with various types of chain or toothed belt. (If the drive is through a gearbox the ratio between motor and gearbox will be quite close to 1:1). For vehicles to be used on soft and/or steep ground (trials/motocross motorcycles, golf cars etc) the figure of 30,000, quoted above as the product of weight and speed, should be HALVED, and the weight used in the calculation should include any trailer to be towed. Take into account also the power required to drive any accessory, powered by the same motor, which may be fitted to the vehicle. The power for an accessory may be considered separately rather than added to the traction power if the accessory is one (such as a lifting platform) that is only worked with the vehicle stopped. If the motor is to be run on less than 60V the figure of 30,000 should be reduced in proportion to the voltage. For example if the motor will be run on 12V the weight multiplied by speed should not exceed 6,000. Example: an electrically-assisted cycle-rickshaw has a loaded weight of 350 Kg and the motor, running on 12V, is to assist up to 15 Km/h; 350 x 15 = 5,250; the performance will be satisfactory. The reduction ratio needed will be about 5:1 with 28-inch wheels (used on Indian and Bangladeshi cycle rickshaws) or 3.5:1 with 20-inch wheels (used on some British cycle rickshaws). This can be obtained in a single stage with a small-pitch chain (25H duplex, 219, 8mm, 0.375 inch). For light rail applications gradients and rolling resistance are much lower, and a single motor can pull greater weights. With a design maximum speed of 30 Km/h and maximum gradient of 2.5% (1 in 40) a single motor can pull a total train weight of four or five tonnes. With driving wheels 10 inches diameter the reduction ratio needed is about 5:1, which can be obtained in a single stage with 25H duplex chain (19 teeth on motor, 95 teeth on axle) with sufficient clearance for the axle sprocket to pass over points without fouling. The drive can be transmitted to additional axles by further chains with 1:1 ratio or by coupling rods. Four-wheeled (as opposed to bogie type) vehicles with a long wheelbase should be avoided, because they have high rolling resistance on curves.

On a launch, a skiff, a canoe or a sailing boat with auxiliary drive it is possible to use the Saietta motor with direct drive to a propeller approx. 13 inches diameter, using 12 or 24 volts. The motor bearings can accept the propeller thrust and transmit it to the hull with no need for a separate thrust bearing. Using a larger propeller with a reduction by toothed belt, multi-rib belt or chain it is possible to use one Saietta motor to power river and canal boats weighing up to about 30 tonnes. With an 18-inch propeller (typical on a UK canal narrowboat) the reduction needed will be in the region of 4:1. (This is the largest propeller that can usually be fitted to a narrowboat, but it is better to use an even larger one if there is room for it, e.g. on some boats originally designed for steam power. On a heavy, slow boat, the larger the propeller the larger the proportion of the motor power that is translated into propulsion of the boat and the smaller the proportion that goes into propelling a jet of water backwards). Most boats operating at the speed typical of river or canal cruisers can take advantage of the high efficiency of the Saietta motor to be operated entirely on solar power if there is a canopy or roof on the boat that can be wholly or partly covered with solar (photovoltaic) panels. This means that there is no worry about finding a place where you can recharge your boat’s battery. A battery is of course necessary so that it is possible to run at night, in a tunnel or under heavy tree cover, but much of the time it is possible to run without it connected! A recent technical development, the lithium-ion or lithium-polymer battery in large sizes, makes possible an electric speedboat that can maintain planing speed for an hour or more. The Saietta motor’s high power-weight ratio makes it very suitable for projects of this type. The propeller size for direct drive on a speedboat will be approx. 7 to 8 inches. The thrust may be transmitted through the motor without a separate thrust bearing.

It is very suitable and cost-effective for solar-powered applications such as water pumping. For a power of about 3 KW a conventional DC motor is about 83% efficient, the Saietta motor 91 to 93%. This means that for 3 KW mechanical power you need 3.6 KW of electrical power with the conventional motor and 3.3 KW with the Saietta motor. The motor is also suitable for lifts, cranes, some machine tools and other industrial machinery.

 In many circumstances it is suitable for use both as a motor and generator.  For example, in a hybrid powertrain where there is also a conventional internal combustion engine, the Saietta motor will, uniquely, be configured to work as a motor and a generator equally well with an efficiency rating of over 93%.

 It will run in adverse conditions and has the same tolerance to water ingress as a car starter motor or alternator.  It should be protected against constant splashing (for example, from a road wheel running through deep puddles) by a simple guard.  For more extreme conditions, the motor should be cowled and provided with a protected air supply. We have seen applications where the motors are run under water but this is not recommended.

An axial flux motor (sometimes called a pancake motor) is a type of electric motor that is particularly suitable for moving vehicles.  It uses permanent magnets arranged on either side of a rotor which is electrically charged.  Thus, the rotor spins and produces motive power.  Axial flux motors are generally more compact and more efficient (especially in regeneration mode) than the more conventional radial flux (cylindrical type) motors.  Electric motors have existed for well over a century but they have generally been used in fixed applications at fixed speeds, for example: anything from a hairdryer to an industrial compressor.  Vehicles need electric propulsion motors which are very efficient because it has to carry its own power supply.  For the same reason, it also has to be compact and power dense.  On top of this, it has to be responsive to throttle inputs and feel like an internal combustion engine.  An axial flux motor is an ideal choice in these situations.

Where a brushless motor uses electrical sensors to “sense” the position of the rotor, a composite contact motor uses direct contacts with a unique silver / graphite / molybdenum material.  This composite material is extremely robust as well as featuring very cool running and low friction.  Equally as importantly, this method of commutating allows us to take advantage of 119 electrical phases where a brushless motor generally can only have three in total, of which only two are positive at any one time. In other words, a Saietta motor is exceptionally torquey and smooth running.  Also, a brushless motor has to be AC whereas the Saietta design is DC and automatically converts to AC inside the motor.  This allows us to connect to solar panels without having a complicated, power sapping inverter as well as allowing our motors to use much simpler, cheaper controllers.