St. Louis Demonstration Motor, Open Design for Educational Purposes

The DC or direct current St. Louis Motor is a visual tool that allows students to see all the working parts of a motor. Understanding how a motor works will provide your student with the foundation for understanding the function of a motor as well as a generator. Motors and generators are just the inverse of each other. A motor is a device that converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, and a generator is a device that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. If a permanent magnet is used as a magnetic energy supply, then a motor can become a generator or a generator can become a motor.