The Japanese company, Hitachi said on Wednesday that it has developed a high-efficiency industrial strength motor without using rare earth metals like neodymium or dysprosium which is found in nearly all other motors. The company is aiming to commercialize the innovation starting in April 2014. The motor is said to be used for pumps or fans at factories or tunnels. Hitachi also stated that despite not using the rare earth metals, the company has managed to develop the motor to have the same efficiency of those that do.
Yuji Enomoto, who is a senior researcher at Hitachi Research Laboratory, said in a news conference that the prices of earth metals have been soaring in recent years and although it has recently dropped a little it is still very much in the high range of pricing. He added, “We are facing the urgent need to not use rare earth metals.”
The reason behind this is not just for the pricing but also because while the earth has an abundance of resources, by using it in an industry where products are mass produced, it could prove detrimental to nature. On top of that, with the high prices of said metals, it would translate into a high price when it does enter into a transaction. Enomoto also said that the company plans to adopt the technology to develop motors for other uses such as automobiles and home appliances in the future.
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