Automated Optimization in the Design Process of a Magnetically Levitated Table for Machine Tool Applications

• Published in: IEEE transactions on magnetics Vol. 46; no. 8; pp. 2787 - 2790
• Main Authors: Banucu, Remus, Albert, Jan, Reinauer, Veronika, Scheiblich, Christian, Rucker, Wolfgang M., Hafla, Alexander, Huf, Alexander
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.08.2010; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Acceleration; Actuators; boundary element methods; Computer programs; Computer simulation; Control engineering; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Design optimization; Devices; Exact sciences and technology; Force measurement; Machine tools; Magnetic levitation; Magnetism; Manufacturing; Materials science; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Motion control; Optimization; optimization methods; Other topics in materials science; Physics; Position measurement; Process design; Simulation; Tables (data); Design; Actuators; boundary element methods; magnetic levitation; Machine tools; optimization methods; Application; Boundary element method; Magnetic properties
• ISSN: 0018-9464; 1941-0069
• DOI: 10.1109/TMAG.2010.2042434

A novel magnetically levitated work piece table has been designed. This device is able to perform linear and rotational motions in four axes with high accuracy, so that different operations can be run on the work piece. Numerical simulations support the design of this table. Since the table's motion is idle in a certain range, simulations have to be run for a high number of potential positions. When optimizing the device's layout by varying different parameters, simulations are needed for all positions in which the device shows an extreme behavior. The numerousness of simulations leads to very high efforts concerning pre- and post-processing. Therefore, a new software is developed, which fully automates the whole design process consisting of drawing, meshing, calculating, and optimizing the magnetically levitated table.