It is a flat faulhaber motor, but Franco had them make a 9v version with more torque and rpms and thats what we are using in our machines. This 9v motor was designed for the requirements of tattooing. If you require a motor faster then this you need to go take some tattooing classes. People always say oh i tattoo fast so i need a fast machine... And their work always looks like they move to fast... This motor is perfect for the window of speed and torque for tattooing. It being a direct drive, motor straight to cam, i cant see this machine ever dieing unless it falls victim to human error. All the Evader 2 have this same motor. This machine by Franco is nice little tool to have in line up for cartridge users.