Most would be open to trying other brands of motors and drives, but easier programming and configuration are needed, says Control Engineering research.
Ninety-five percent of respondents to the 2025 Control Engineering “Motors and Drives Study” research are open to exploring new brands for their next motor or drive purchase. Among leading factors that could drive this change are low initial product cost, ease of integrating with existing product/systems, and brand reputation.
Motors and drives: Current challenges, future innovations
Programming or configuration (53%) tops the list of significant challenges respondents face when working with motors and drives in control systems, up from 49% in 2024. Other challenges include control complexity (50% up from 46%) and system integration with existing automation and/or networks (46% about the same at 47%). In 2024, Significantly, those remain the top three challenges in 2025. If vendors have improved in those areas, the message hasn’t reached potential buyers.
Respondents are looking forward to energy-saving motor and drive technologies (65%, same in 2024) in the next few years, along with enhanced durability features (54% same in 2024) and advanced control algorithms (51% up from 46% in 2024), among other innovations. Again, if vendors are supplying these innovations, word hasn’t reached potential buyers.
Motor and drive survey methods, demographics
The 2025 research, conducted by Control Engineering in late August through late September, was to obtain insights from automation engineering professionals on brand awareness, purchasing behavior, and current and future trends related to motors and drives. With the 151 subscriber respondents contacted via email, margin of error was 8.0% with 95% confidence level. A chance to win a gift card was offered as incentive.
The top five job responsibilities among respondents, all above double digits, were: System integration or consulting; System or product design, control or instrument engineering; Process, production or manufacturing engineering; Operations or maintenance; and other engineering.
Average number of people employed at each respondent’s location was 350.
Top five among more than 20 primary business at locations were:
- System integration, consulting, business or technical services
- Machinery manufacturing
- Food, beverage or tobacco manufacturing
- Instrumentation, control systems, test, measurement, medical equipment
- Oil, gas and petroleum, including refining.
Motor and drive selection criteria
When selecting motors and drives, respondents are most influenced by:
58% Alignment of the brand’s product/service with their project’s requirements (53% in 2024, fourth)
53% Previous experience with the brand (54% in 2024, third)
52% Technical and customer support (60% in 2024, first)
50% Product quality (56% in 2024, second)
48% Easier system integration with existing products (33% in 2024, tenth)
Initial product cost and required by company specifications were 38% in 2024, tied for fifth were 36% and 29% respectively in 2025)
Four out of every 10 respondents report an increase to their motors and drives budget over the past 2 years; 45% said this budget has remained the same; 13% decreased.
Two-thirds of respondents said budget constraints have impacted their ability to upgrade or implement motors and drives; 14% reported a significant impact.
Budgets for upgrading existing systems for better control are expected to increase over the next 2 years, according to 53% of respondents—16% of whom anticipate a significant increase.
Write-in advice on motors and drives
Subscribers answering the survey questions were asked to submit advice about motors and drives. A sampling follows.
I work with some 30+ year old equipment that would require a complete controls overhaul to bring them up to modern capabilities. The money just isn’t there. What can I do to modernize the control capabilities without breaking the bank?
Drives should include secure boot, encrypted firmware updates, and network segmentation tools by default, not as add-ons.
I’m not really interested in AI or IoT on my connected drives due to security concerns. Making the industrial communications technologies more reliable, robust and secure is more important. Predictive maintenance also is important, having the drives provide harmonics and power analysis would also be very helpful.
Easier integration with existing systems and platforms is critical for overall function of all components.
For motor and drive systems in automation, focus on understanding your specific application’s performance needs (speed, torque, position) before selecting a motor and drive, prioritizing factors beyond initial cost like efficiency, reliability and safety. Ensure proper motor-drive matching and compatibility with your control system, select standardized communication protocols for better integration and support, and consider long-term factors like maintenance, cybersecurity, and the potential benefits of integrated solutions for easier design and better performance.
Reliability and repairability.
Use AI for adaptive control and remove harmonics
AI in automation, control, reduction of harmonics and better thermal characteristics.
Integration with other product features and ease of programming.
Most field replacement and initialization requires support. As features and requirements for interconnection increase the training and complexity lag far behind. Clients want improvements, but question the costs of implementation and support.
Integration of motor, drive, controls, cabling and mechanisms.
Common troubleshooting steps/solutions for issues most often seen on motors and drives.
Cybersecurity protection for interface and software.
Permanent magnet (PM) motors more available
Durability on high thermal conditions
VFD programming is too complicated and has many restrictions.
Highlight the safety ratings on the drives. Safe-torque off (STO), zero speed, PL(rating). Interoperability with safety controllers.
Use of state-of-the-art electronic power devices for best efficiency, best reliability, less weight.
Most of my projects are for delivering high precision motion systems into science infrastructure. Power density and lower torque ripple are becoming increasingly important. I have a “specified controller” that motors and drives need to work under, and this can create challenges.
Improving programing, configuration and integration with other components in the system would be time well spent.
Mark T. Hoske is editor-in-chief, Control Engineering, WTWH Media, [email protected]. Research and related report were conducted by Amanda Pelliccione, marketing research manager, WTWH Media and Control Engineering.
Keywords
Motors and drive research, motor and drive features
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What features in new motors and drives would be most useful for you?
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Many more graphics are available in the full report available here www.controleng.com/research, soon. Compare to the 2024 report, also available there.
Article about 2024 motors and drives research:
Motor and drives research on purchasing, challenges, future
2024 research: Learn that motor and drive research reveals technical and customer support and product quality are among factors highly considered in selecting motors and drives. Understand that desired features in motors and drives include sustainability, durability and better controls.
