The first treadmills were used to generate power for operating equipment and were often part of the equipment itself; mills, irrigations systems, lathes and other machinery. The motive power for early treadmills was “Shank’s Mare,” or the legs and feet of the person using the machine. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution and electrical power, the need for treadmills was gone. Exercise and fitness trainers and equipment developers saw the treadmill as an excellent machine for personal fitness. Modern iterations of the treadmill are very sophisticated and quite complex machines. The amount of work performed may be carefully controlled by varying the speed and attitude of the device.
Instead of being used to produce power, the exercise treadmill uses electrical power to operate the belt, elevate the plane and supply the computer that monitors all the activity and reports the exercise levels achieved. The heart of the performance treadmill is the motor that supplies the power for the track and elevator. There are many brands of fitness treadmills, but the basic operation is the same on all, and the dc motor is the center of it all.
Treadmill motors must be properly serviced to assure a long productive life. This involves lubricating the machine and motor as recommended by the manufacturer. Servicing may be extended to replacing components when they wear, or replacing the motor completely, depending on the mechanical capability of the user.
Some treadmill producers make products with a variety of brand names. For example, IKON Fitness makes machines for NordicTrack, Weslo, Perform, Healthrider and several other brands. The Nautilus Company makes the treadmills branded BowFlex as well as their own brand. These treadmills are made to the specifications established by the brand, so there may be differences between brands, but the major components are similar or the same.
Treadmill motors are readily available from the manufacturers or from parts distributors and dealers. They may also be purchased and installed by a qualified service company technician. It is best to use a qualified tech to diagnose any treadmill problems, as many minor tics may be misdiagnosed as a dc motor problem, when it may take only a fuse to correct the malaise.