An Optimized Magnet-Coil Force Actuator and Its Application to Precision Elastic Mechanisms

Abstract

Sprung translation mechanisms driven by electromagnetic force actuators are often used to produce controllable motions. This paper is concerned with one family of such devices incorporating linear spring mechanisms suitable for short-range, high-precision applications. In these, a permanent magnet is attached to the movable translating stage which is, in turn, surrounded by a solenoid coil attached to a fixed datum. Design considerations are discussed, principally an optimum dimensional design for a uniformly wound circular cylindrical coil. Design models are verified by the construction of a simple device in steel and aluminium which demonstrates an open-loop positional accuracy of better than 0.5 per cent over a displacement range of 100 nm to 50 μm.