When stopping heavy loads without a brake, what happens due to inertia?

• A. The motor continues to rotate after ramp-down voltage stops.
• B. The motor immediately stops and holds position.
• C. The motor reverses direction.
• D. The motor stalls briefly before stopping.

Answer: (A)

Rotational inertia makes a spinning mass want to keep its current speed. When you remove the drive and ramp-down the voltage, there’s no motor torque left to oppose that motion, so the rotor continues turning and coasts. It will slow only as losses—friction, windage, and the load’s opposing torque—dissipate the energy, eventually bringing it to a stop.