Engineering English
PWM
Electrical Engineering · Electronics Engineering · Last updated: July 30, 2026 · How this entry was written
Definition: A modulation technique where the width of a pulse is varied in proportion to a control signal. It is used to encode information or regulate power delivered to loads.
Example in context
“Using PWM control, the variable speed drive smoothly adjusts motor torque from zero to full rated speed.”
“PWM kontrolü kullanarak, değişken hız sürücüsü motor torkunu sıfırdan tam nominal hıza kadar sorunsuz bir şekilde ayarlar.”
Where engineers use it
PWM is fundamental in inverters and converters for controlling output voltage and frequency. Engineers implement PWM to achieve efficient variable-speed operation in motor drives.
Synonyms: pulse width modulation
In Electronics Engineering
A technique that controls average power delivered to a load by rapidly switching a signal on and off and varying the proportion of on time in each period.
“By adjusting the PWM duty cycle, the controller smoothly changes the motor speed without wasting energy as heat.”
Practice: can you use “PWM” at work?
You need to regulate the speed of a conveyor motor using an inverter. Describe how PWM affects the motor's torque ripple.
Show a model answer
“Check the PWM frequency to ensure it does not cause excessive switching losses.”
“PWM” in 21 languages
| English | PWM |
|---|---|
| Turkish | Darbe Genişlik Modülasyonu |
| French | Modulation de Largeur d'Impulsion |
| German | Pulsweitenmodulation |
| Spanish | Modulación por Ancho de Pulso |
| Chinese | 脉宽调制 |
| Arabic | تعديل عرض النبضة |
| Portuguese | Modulação por Largura de Pulso |
| Russian | Широтно-импульсная модуляция |
| Japanese | パルス幅変調 |
| Italian | Modulazione a Larghezza di Impulso |
| Vietnamese | Điều chế độ rộng xung |
| Hindi | पल्स चौड़ाई मॉड्यूलेशन |
| Thai | การมอดูเลตความกว้างพัลส์ |
| Indonesian | Modulasi Lebar Pulsa |
| Korean | 펄스 폭 변조 |
| Bengali | পালস প্রস্থ মড্যুলেশন |
| Dutch | Pulsbreedtemodulatie |
| Swedish | Pulsbreddsmodulering |
| Finnish | Pulssinleveysmodulaatio |
| Ukrainian | Широтно-імпульсна модуляція |
Frequently asked questions
What does PWM mean in engineering?
A modulation technique where the width of a pulse is varied in proportion to a control signal. It is used to encode information or regulate power delivered to loads. In Electrical Engineering, the term carries a usage-frequency rating of 10/10 in the Engineering English library.
How do you pronounce PWM?
PWM is pronounced /piː dʌbəl juː ɛm/ (IPA). The Engineering English app plays audio for the term and checks your pronunciation with speech recognition.
How is PWM used in a sentence?
Example from an engineering context: “Using PWM control, the variable speed drive smoothly adjusts motor torque from zero to full rated speed.”
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