Contact TECO Electric: A Quality Inspector's 7-Step Checklist for Servo Motors, Stepper Motors, and Small DC Motors

Who This Checklist Is For

If you're getting ready to contact TECO Electric about servo motors, stepper motors, small DC motors, or drives, this checklist is for you. It's also for anyone who has been burned by a motor order that arrived with the wrong connector, a missing brake, or a lead time that quietly slipped two weeks.

I'm a quality/compliance manager at a motion control distributor. I review every motor shipment before it goes to a customer — roughly 200+ unique items each year. In Q1 2024, I rejected 4% of first deliveries because of mismatched nameplates, damaged shafts, or incomplete documentation. Almost every one of those issues could have been caught before the order was placed.

This is a 7-step checklist. It won't tell you which motor to pick in two minutes, but it will make sure your inquiry gives a motor manufacturer enough information to give you a usable answer.

Step 1: Define the Machine's Motion, Not Just the Motor

Why does this matter? Because the motor is only a piece of the system. The machine has to move a load in a certain way, and that determines the torque, speed, inertia, and duty cycle.

Before reaching out, write down what the machine actually does:

• Is it continuous rotation or indexing?
• What is the moving mass and how is it coupled (direct, gearbox, belt, ballscrew)?
• How many cycles per hour, and how many hours per day?
• What about ambient temperature, washdown, dust, or vibration?
• What power supply is available — AC single-phase, AC three-phase, or DC?

The more specific you can be, the better. Instead of 'I need a small motor,' say 'I need a small DC motor, 24 VDC, 3000 rpm, about 0.15 Nm continuous, with an integrated encoder.' That's a starting point an applications engineer can work with.

Step 2: Gather the Nameplate-Level Details

If you're replacing a motor, nothing beats the original nameplate. According to NEMA MG 1, motor nameplates are supposed to include frame size, output, speed, voltage, current, and service factor, among other items (Source: NEMA MG 1). Snap a photo and keep the full model number. It saves an hour of back-and-forth.

If you're designing a new machine, list the electrical and mechanical specs that are non-negotiable:

• Continuous torque and peak torque
• Rated speed and maximum speed
• Control interface (pulse/direction, analog, EtherCAT, etc.)
• Feedback required — resolver, absolute encoder, incremental encoder?
• Holding brake?
• Mounting and shaft dimensions
• Enclosure rating (IP20, IP65, whatever the application needs)

Three numbers matter more than the rest: continuous torque, peak torque, and inertia ratio. In that order.

Step 3: Figure Out Whether You Actually Need a Stepper or a Servo

People often ask 'what stepper motor should I use?' before they ask the more important question: open-loop or closed-loop?

A stepper motor moves in discrete steps. It's simpler, lower cost, and works well for moderate-speed positioning with predictable loads. But it can lose steps if you push it past its torque curve or drive it outside its rated speed. A servo motor has a feedback device and a drive that corrects for errors, giving you more torque per frame size and reliable holding at standstill.

If your application is simple point-to-point with low load variation, a stepper may be enough. If you need speed stability, dynamic loads, or precise holding under load, a servo is the safer choice. TECO Electric's product line covers servo motors, stepper motors, AC motors, gear motors, VFDs, and linear actuators, so you're not limited to one technology. Start with the machine, not with the motor.

Step 4: Contact TECO Electric With a Complete Inquiry

Search for 'teco-electric contact' or 'contact TECO Electric' and use the official contact form or a local distributor. Include the specs from Steps 1 and 2, plus your target date and quantity. If you're an OEM, say so. If you're replacing a motor in the field, say that too — the support path is different.

The quality of the inquiry sets the quality of the answer. A vague question like 'what do you have in a servo motor?' gets a catalog response. A specific question like 'I need a servo motor with 2.4 Nm continuous, 3000 rpm, EtherCAT, with a brake, for 230 VAC' gets a real selection review.

TECO Electric has been building motors since 1956, so they have seen plenty of incomplete inquiries. That doesn't mean you should send one. When you're choosing a servo motor manufacturer, their willingness to ask questions is part of the evaluation. A manufacturer that rushes you to a part number without understanding the load is not saving you time; they're deferring the problem.

Step 5: Ask About Lead Time — and What That Date Actually Means

This is where the time-certainty conversation comes up.

I have mixed feelings about expedite fees. On one hand, they feel like a penalty for having a deadline. On the other, after watching standard lead times stretch from four weeks to seven, an expedite fee starts to look like insurance.

Uncertainty is more expensive than an expedite fee.

In March 2024, a customer of ours needed a servo motor to get a production line back up. The standard lead time was six weeks. The expedite premium was 25% — about $420. The alternative was a second full day of downtime, which was roughly $15,000 in lost output. Paying for guaranteed delivery wasn't about the speed; it was about knowing the date would hold.

Ask the manufacturer directly: Is the lead time based on the confirmed PO? Does it include shipping? Is it a shipment date or a delivery date? What happens if they miss it? If the sales person says 'probably around four weeks,' that's a red flag.

I've been on the other side too. A spreadsheet comparison once said a lower-cost motor importer was 15% cheaper with similar specs. My gut said their responsiveness was a warning sign. We stayed with the established servo motor manufacturer, and the cheap vendor later missed every promised shipment by at least two weeks. The cost difference disappeared when the schedule was at risk.

Step 6: Confirm the Interface Details Most People Skip

This is the step I see get ignored most often. The motor itself can be perfect, but the connector, the cable length, or the pinout can sink the installation.

I once assumed a motor feedback connector would match a drive because both were from the same brand. That was the one time the connector style had been changed in a production revision. Physically identical, different pinout. The installation crew didn't discover it until the machine was on the floor (ugh).

Before you send a PO, confirm:

• Motor cable length and whether it needs a mating cable or terminal block
• Feedback connector type and pinout
• Brake voltage and whether the drive supports it
• Ingress protection for the interface — a motor with an IP65 body but an open vented connector shouldn't be hit with washdown spray
• Mounting bolt pattern and shaft keyway or flat

(Note to self: include the connector drawing in every RFQ. It saves a week of troubleshooting.)

Step 7: Get the Commercial Terms in Writing

Verbal agreements are a trap. I knew I should get written confirmation on a promised delivery date, but I thought 'we've worked with this supplier for years.' That was the one time the verbal date got forgotten. The order arrived two days later than promised, and the plant had already postponed the installation window.

Every order should have a written quotation that includes:

• Manufacturer part numbers and descriptions
• Unit price and currency
• Lead time and shipping terms
• Payment terms
• Validity date of the quote
• Warranty terms
• Expedite policy — what does it cost, and what guarantee do you actually get?

The most frustrating part of this work is that the same issues recur even with clear communication. You'd think written specs prevent misunderstandings, but interpretation varies wildly. That's why the final review happens before the PO, not after.

What to Do if You're Still Unsure

If the application engineer starts asking about inertia ratio and ambient temperature, that's a good sign. If they quote a motor after two sentences, slow down. The quality of the manufacturer shows in the questions they ask.

If you're still not sure whether you need a stepper, a servo, or a small DC motor, go back to Step 1. Define the machine. Then contact TECO Electric and let a qualified engineer sanity-check your torque and inertia calculation. The phone call costs an hour; the wrong motor costs a shipment.

And when you get the quote, ask about the date. A motor that arrives at the right price on the wrong day is not a win.