Definition: Air Gap

Air Gap refers to the distance between the rotor and the stator. The amount of current needed to influence a motor's magnetic field is directly dependent upon the size of the air gap. Motors with larger air gaps consume more current than motors with smaller air gaps. If the air gap is too small, the variances in the magnetic field will overcome the stiffness of the drive shaft causing the rotor to bump against the stator as it rotates.

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