Engine and motor
Engine and motor
(OP)
Is there a specific technical definition to what is an engine and what is a motor?
I have always that of an engine as being internal combustion, and a motor as being electrical.
It seems like more people are referring to an engine as a motor, especially when speaking about what provides power to a car or a motorcycle.
I have always that of an engine as being internal combustion, and a motor as being electrical.
It seems like more people are referring to an engine as a motor, especially when speaking about what provides power to a car or a motorcycle.





RE: Engine and motor
But anything electrical should be called a motor - IMHO.....
As an engineer - I don't think I want to be called a motoreer...
RE: Engine and motor
Have a look at a prevous discussion here:
http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=206484
Trevor Clarke. (R & D) Scientific Instruments.Somerset. UK
SW2007x64 SP3.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 4Gb Ram ATI FireGL V7100 Driver: 8.323.0.0
SW2007x32 SP4.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 2Gb Ram NVIDIA Quadro FX 500 Driver: 6.14.10.7756
RE: Engine and motor
RE: Engine and motor
RE: Engine and motor
The link posted above to a similar forum really covered this topic well, check it out if you haven't done that yet.
RE: Engine and motor
Cheers
Greg Locock
SIG:Please see FAQ731-376: Eng-Tips.com Forum Policies for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.
RE: Engine and motor
RE: Engine and motor
RE: Engine and motor
Don't ask Nasa either! http
However, I think that if major manufacturers of Solid Rocket Motors like Hercules Powder, Morton Thiokol, Alliant Techsystems and others around the world, choose to call them Motors, then we have to go along with it. Likewise, with Rocketdyne, Aerojet General, Pratt and Whitney, Rolls-Royce and others, who all call their liquid powered devices Engines. Perhaps we should ask them why!
I've always relied on the general principle that "Motors" are usually fairly simple devises with few or even no moving parts, whereas, "Engines" are complex devices with many intricate parts and supporting sub assemblies.
Trevor Clarke. (R & D) Scientific Instruments.Somerset. UK
SW2007x64 SP3.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 4Gb Ram ATI FireGL V7100 Driver: 8.323.0.0
SW2007x32 SP4.0 Pentium P4 3.6Ghz, 2Gb Ram NVIDIA Quadro FX 500 Driver: 6.14.10.7756
RE: Engine and motor
RE: Engine and motor
To me anything externally powered (electrical motor, hydraulic motor, steam turbine, etc.) is a "motor".
Anything internally powered (IC engine, gas turbine, rocket) is an "engine".
I don't plan to fall on my sword over this, but in my personal written and spoken usage I stick to the above break down and have for decades.
David
RE: Engine and motor
RE: Engine and motor
Kyle Chandler
www.chiefengineering.net
RE: Engine and motor
RE: Engine and motor
Bill
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RE: Engine and motor