In this study, the effect of the material characteristics of electrical steel sheet on permanent magnet direct current (PMDC) motors is investigated using finite-element analysis. The motor design and test results are examined and verified through fabrication. The characterizations of brushless direct current (BLDC) motors according to the materials used in their cores have been actively studied. On the other hand, the effect of material
characteristics on a PMDC motor consisting of brushes and commutators has not been studied as much. In the case of the PMDC motors, electrical steel sheets are infrequently used because this motor is relatively
smaller than the BLDC motor. However, the iron loss characteristics, which are proportional to the frequency and the magnetic flux density, affect the efficiency even in small motors. Further, the output of the motor
changes owing to saturation due to iron loss. The outcome presented in this study provides core materials selection guidelines to improve motor efficiency.