Three phase induction motors employ a simple construction composed of a stator protected with electromagnets, and a rotor composed of conductors shorted at each end, arranged as a “squirrel cage”. They focus on the theory of induction in which a rotating electro-magnetic field it made through the use of a three-phase current at the stators electromagnets. Therefore induces a current within the rotor’s conductors, which in turns generates rotor’s magnetic field that attempts to check out stator’s magnetic field, pulling the rotor into rotation.

Great things about AC Induction Motors are:

Induction motors are basic and rugged in construction. They are more robust and can operate in virtually any environmental condition

Induction motors are cheaper in expense due to simple rotor construction, lack of brushes, commutators, and slip rings

They are free of maintenance motors unlike dc motors due to the lack of brushes, commutators and slip rings

Induction motors could be operated in polluted and explosive conditions as they don’t have brushes which can cause sparks

AC Induction motors are Asynchronous Devices and therefore the rotor does not convert at the exact same speed as the stator’s rotating magnetic field. Some difference in the rotor and stator speed is necessary in order to generate the induction in to the rotor. The difference Induction Motor between the two is called the slip. Slip must be kept in a optimal range in order for the motor to use efficiently. Roboteq AC Induction controllers could be configured to operate in another of three modes:

Scallar (or Volts per Hertz): an Open loop mode where a command causes a simultaneous, fixed-ratio Frequency and Voltage alter.

Controlled Slip: a Shut Loop speed where voltage and frequency are managed to keep slip inside a narrow range while operating at a desired speed.

Field Oriented Control (Vector Drive): a Closed Loop Acceleration and Torque control that works by optimizing the rotating field of the stator vs. this of the induced field in the rotor.

Discover this video from Learning Engineering for a visual illustration on how AC Induction Motors are constructed and function.