Electric machine

In electrical engineering, electric machine is a general term for machines using electromagnetic forces, such as electric motors, electric generators, and others. They are electromechanical energy converters: an electric motor converts electricity to mechanical power while an electric generator converts mechanical power to electricity. The moving parts in a machine can be rotating (rotating machines) or linear (linear machines). While transformers are occasionally called "static electric machines",^[1] since they do not have moving parts, generally they are not considered "machines",^[2] but as electrical devices "closely related" to the electrical machines.^[3]

Electric machines, in the form of synchronous and induction generators, produce about 95% of all electric power on Earth (as of early 2020s),^[4] and in the form of electric motors consume approximately 60% of all electric power produced. Electric machines were developed beginning in the mid 19th century and since that time have been a ubiquitous component of the infrastructure. Developing more efficient electric machine technology is crucial to any global conservation, green energy, or alternative energy strategy.