- 2080 Bhadra · 4 marks
Group drive vs multimotor drive
Short answer
Group drive has one motor driving many machines through shafts and belts, giving low initial cost but low efficiency, no individual control, and motor failure stops all. Multi-motor drive uses several motors on one machine, each driving a section, giving better efficiency, precise coordination and safety but higher cost and complex control.
Differentiate between group drive and multimotor drive. Discuss the merits and demerits.
In a group drive, one motor drives several machines through a line shaft, belts and pulleys. In a multi-motor drive, one machine has several motors, each driving a separate part of it (e.g. a crane with hoist, trolley and travel motors).
| Point | Group drive | Multi-motor drive |
|---|---|---|
| Motor-machine relation | One motor, many machines | Many motors, one machine |
| Transmission | Line shaft, belts, pulleys | Each motor coupled directly to its part |
| Control | No individual control | Each section controlled separately, coordinated |
| Efficiency | Low (shaft and belt losses) | High |
| Example | Old workshop line shaft | Cranes, rolling mills, paper machines |
Group drive
- Merits: low initial cost (one large motor); motor can be rated for the diversity of loads, so total rating is less.
- Demerits: low efficiency; failure of the motor stops all machines; no individual speed control; belts and pulleys are unsafe, noisy and untidy; machine layout fixed along the shaft.
Multi-motor drive
- Merits: each operation gets the most suitable motor and speed; precise, automatic coordination of sections; high efficiency; compact, safe and flexible.
- Demerits: high initial cost; complex control and coordination system; needs skilled maintenance.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)
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