Basic study on edge supported electromagnetic levitation system for flexible steel plate

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Oda, Yoshiho^a | Kida, Masahiro^a | Suzuki, Toshiki^a | Narita, Takayoshi^b; | Kato, Hideaki^b | Moriyama, Hiroyuki^b

Affiliations: [a] Course of Mechanical Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka-shi, Japan | [b] Department of Prime Mover Engineering, Tokai University, Hiratsuka-shi, Japan

Correspondence: [*] Corresponding author: Takayoshi Narita. 4-1-1 Kitakaname, Hiratsuka-shi, 259-1292, Japan. E-mail: [email protected]

Abstract: In the transport system of a thin steel plate production line, the quality of the plate surface deteriorates over time because of contact with rollers. As a solution to this problem, the noncontact transportation of steel plates using an electromagnetic force has been proposed. To improve the levitation performance of the conventional magnetic levitation system, we have proposed the use of an electromagnet to control the horizontal displacement of the steel plate. By using a horizontal electromagnet a vertical force to support the steel plate and a horizontal force to suppress elastic vibration act on the steel plate. Focusing on these forces, we have proposed a magnetic levitation system for a steel plate with simultaneous horizontal positioning control and vertical non-contact support using a horizontal electromagnet. In this study, we measured the vertical suspension force including levitation from experimental results. We investigated the levitation performance of a steel sheet by performing a levitating experiment using a newly manufactured magnetic levitation system.

Keywords: Electromagnetic levitation, thin steel plate, edge supported type

DOI: 10.3233/JAE-171257

Journal: International Journal of Applied Electromagnetics and Mechanics, vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 985-992, 2019