A future cost estimation on small DC motor using learning curve analysis

DC motors are no longer used for new applications due to their higher cost and higher maintenance with respect to induction motors. Moreover, since new electronics drives for induction motors are very accurate, the use of DC motors has no more advantages. However, DC motors have been used for many years as big drives, and those expensive DC motors will be working for many years because the replacement cost is really high. This paper describes a method for cost reduction estimation of a small DC motor. We used a cost reduction structure that consisted of six major subsystems for a small DC motor. Especially, we estimated the potential for cost reductions in a small DC motor as a function of time using the learning curve. Also, we estimated the potentials of cost by depreciation.