Design of a novel 6-DOF planar maglev system

This paper describes a novel single-deck and six degree-of-freedom (DOF) planar maglev positioning system design. The proposed design uses an array of solenoids to levitate and to hold a permanent magnet carrier in place. The solenoids are excited separately to generate restoring forces when the permanent magnet carrier is displaced from its equilibrium position. The research uses the ANSOFT finite element analysis simulation to analyze the solenoid restoring forces and to motivate a suitable permanent magnets arrangement. Active control on the solenoid currents is then used to maintain the carrier position. The system identification is carried out by perturbing the experimental set-up from its equilibrium position. The simulation results based on the identification models show that simple control is effective for maintaining the carrier position. Initial implementation has also showed that the concept is feasible. (C) 2006 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.