NUMERICAL AND EXP

PERIMENTAL ANALYSIS ON THE E PLANAR FORCE

AND THE MAGNET
TIC FIELD IN A DC LINEAR STEP
PPER MOTOR
Nolvi Francisco Baggio Filho
Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul – Campus Farroupilha
Av. São Vicente, 785
7 – Bairro Cinquentenário, CEP. 95180-000, Farroupupilha - RS
[email protected]

Abstract – This work presents thee development and secondary are separated fromm each other by a uniform air-gap
test of a DC Linear Stepper Motor (LSM), brushless, [3, 4, 5].
with permanent magnets and a ferrom magnetic static core, The support of the moverr over the secondary is possible
also called secondary, where six insulated coils, electric through the non-magnetic structure,
s where a system with
independent from each other are moounted. The mover rails and linear bearing is moounted, also presented in Fig. 1.
part, also called primary, is formed byb a ferromagnetic This support also offers thee correct movement line by the
structure where two NdFeB permaanent magnets are mover.
fixed. A mechanic suspension system allows
a the mover to In this paper, the magneetic flux density in the air gap
move linearly along of x-axis and keep the air gap region will be investigated, as
a function of the field from PM
constant. This movement is possible through the correctly and the coils excitation. Also
A the behavior of the linear
excitation of the coils, from the driive control system, traction force, due to the interaction between the two
quantities, will be analyzed.
where the coils receive a pulsed electric
e current. A
numerical static analysis by means of finite element
method (FEM) produced the verificatiion of magnetic flux
density and the linear traction force as function of DC
current excitation applied in each h coil. With the
experimental results proposed, it is poossible to obtain the
same analysis and make a comparattive study between
these measurements.

Keywords – DC excitation, linear mootor, magnetic field,

numerical analysis, planar traction forrce, stepper motor.

I. INTRODUCTION
N

Currently, industrial manufacturing processes require

linear motion. Usually, it can be achhieved with stepper
rotoary motor responsible for handling in the x-axis, in a
Cartesian coordinate system. Other tyypes of devices are
based on linear motors, consisting of a static and a moving
part [7]. The control is carried out throough digital control Fig. 1. Proposed linear stepper motor and its parts.
methods combined with electronics.
Linear stepper motors (LSM) are an excellent
e solution for ABLE I
TA
positioning applications that require rappid acceleration and Main characcteristic of LSM
high-speed moves with low mass paayloads. Mechanical Quantity Value
simplicity and precise open-loop operaation are additional Number of PM 2
features of this kind of linear motor. Thee LSM is not subject Number of coils 6
to the same linear velocity and acceeleration limitations Number of turns per coil 250
Ferromagnetic core material Massive steel 1020
inherent in systems converting rotary to linear
l motion [1, 2].
Thickness of the air gap 7mm
With the linear stepper motor as propoosed in this work, the Thickness of the PM 8mm
movement along of the x-axis, in the both sides, can be Thickness of the coil 6mm
obtained from a single traction driver, without the need of Front area of the PM 25 x 25 mm2
mechanical system converters like beltss, pulleys and gears. Range of excitation current 0–2A
The mover part has a ferromagnetic core formed by a
massive steel 1020 U-shaper where aree fixed two NdFeB II. PRINCIPLES
S OF OPERATION
permanents magnetic (PM) mountedd in anti parallel,
responsible by the magnetic excitation field.
f The secondary The operating principles of LSM, which is characterized
comprehends the static ferromagnetic massive steel 1020 by the movement of the primary above and along the
core where are fixed six independent coils
c with 250 turns secondary, is based on the same principle of a step rotary
each that will receive the DC excitation from a drive control machine.
system. Figure 1 shows the proposed struucture while the table The permanent magnettics are responsible for the
1 shows the main characteristics. Thhe primary and the production of the magnetic field excitation that cross the

978-1-4799-0272-9/13/$31.00 ©2013 IEEE 884

coils, with N turns. According to Lorentz`s Law, when a A normal attraction force, , between the mover and the
conductor, with length L, is excited with electrical current, I, armature core also takes place, and can be obtained by (5)
and it is immersed in a magnetic field , an electromagnetic [6].
force appeared on; this force, directly proportional by
current and field is given by (1) [4, 6]. (5)

(1)
Where s g is the area of the surface is normal to magnetic
Equation (1) describes the behavior of the force in the flux density in the air-gap under each permanent magnet,
electromagnetic device considering that the conductor is Bgz1 and Bgz2 are the z-components of that magnetic flux
rectilinear and that the magnetic flux density is constant in
throughout length. When it is not true, it is possible to obtain density vector, and μ0 is the vacuum permeability.
the derivative force in one segment of the conductor The speed as function of the frequency of switching of the
from (2) coils, then, with the coils electric independent makes it
possible to change the translation speed in different positions
. (2) and change the traction force, as function of current. Figure 3
shows the schematic to produce this force.
Instead of using up the segment of the conductor, one can The maximum force is produced when the magnetic flux,
use the volume of the element . , considering from the permanent magnetic, is completely linked with the
, where is the current density vector in the excited coil; then the maximum force occurs when the PM is
conductor. The symbol represents a transversal section in front of the excited coil. Depending on the direction that
the current is applied in the coils, the mover moves in one
area of the conductor. So, in the LSM, the planar traction
direction or another along of the x-axis.
force in all conductor could be obtained from (3).

(3)

In (3) it is possible to set the magnitude and direction of

the force, however, in the LSM the conductors are stationary
and the magnetic field souse localized in the mover, present
the freedom produce movement. So, (3) could be changed to
give a correct direction per (4). Figure 2 presents the
principle of operation, according to Lorentz`s Law.

(4)

Fig. 3. Cut-view of the LSM to produce linear traction force.

III. NUMERICAL ANALYSIS

Numerical analyses of LSM are carried out by means of

FEM using a commercial package. A three-dimensional
model or virtual prototype was developed, since the
distribution of magnetic flux density flux occurs in space,
and the topology of the linear motor does not present
Fig. 2. Principles of operation and production of produce linear symmetries to allow an analysis in two dimensions. A view
traction force in the LSM. of the virtual model of LSM is shown in Figure 4. The total
number of finite elements in the virtual model is 125.365 and
145.546 differential equation for the solution.

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 (b)
(a) Fig. 5. Representation of the sampling area to analyze:
(a) frontal view and (b) side view from C-C’cut.

IV. TESTS

The experimental results are obtained from the

construction of a physical prototype, Figure 6. These results
are validated through the numerical results. It is also
important because it would allow one to verify the principles
of operation under the real conditions and to quantify the
linear force and the magnetic field according to the excitation
applied.

(b)
Fig. 4. 3D prototype: (a) finite elements; (b) virtual model.

The magnetic flux density is analyzed in the air gap, in

the region between the PM and the coil, when the PM is
completely aligned in front of the coil that will receive
excitation. These results are processed along the sampling
line, as presented in the Figure 5. Moreover, the behavior of
the magnetic field distribution in the area 0.5mm in front of
the PM is monitored.
Also, linear traction forces were computed using the
Maxwell Stress tensor as function of excitation current Fig. 6. Physical prototype of linear stepper motor.
applies in the coils, when the primary is completely aligned
in front of the coil excited and keep static. The linear traction force by measurements are obtained
All these results are processed without and with current in making a setup with load cell (sensor force) and signal
the coils and presented together with the experimental results conditioner; the current applied in the coils if from the DC
to make a comparative study about it. controllable source. Figure 7 shows the setup mounted to
obtain the planar force.
The magnetic flux density along the sampling line (Fig. 5)
is monitored in the same conditions as the numerical results,
and to take the measurements a Hall sensor with a signal
conditioner is used.

V. RESULTS

As for presentation, the results are divided in two parts:

magnetic flux density on the air gap and linear traction force,
(a)

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the both as function of excitation and when the permanent
magnetic is perfectly aligned with the coil excited.

(c)
Fig. 8. Magnetic flux density along the sampling line: (a) without
excitation; (b) with DC excitation of 1A and;
(c) with DC excitation of 2A.
Fig. 7. Setup mounted to obtain the measurements force.
It is possible to conclude, from the figure 8, when the
electrical current increases in the coil, it also increases the
A. Magnetic Flux Density effect of armature reaction, but this effect does not cause a
The magnetic flux density along the sampling line is significant difference in the magnetic flux density average,
simulated by means FEM and by experimental tests using a making their average value in 0.332T.
Hall effect sensor and the results are shown in the Figure 8, Also, by means FEM, it is possible to analyze the
as function of the coil excitation. magnetic flux distribution in the area presented in the Figure
4b; it is important to notice that this analysis is really
important to verify if the ferromagnetic material is
magnetically saturated. Figure 9 and 10 present these results
as function of the coil excitation.
From the figures 9 and 10, it was realized that the
magnetic flux density is not significantly altered, which had
been verified in the analysis of figure 8. Figure 10 shows that
the region where is concentered more magnetic flux density
is in PM, because it is the magnetic flux source.
Another important analyzis is about the behavior and
distribution of the magnetic flux density in the area closer to
the permanent magnetic, in the 3D view. For it is monitored
the quantity in front on the permanent magnetic, in the same
region than the sampling line, but now considering the area.
Figure 11 shows these results as function of coil excitation.
(a)

(b)
(a)

887
 (a)

(b)

(b)

(c)
Fig. 9. Magnetic flux density in the region presented in the Fig. 5c.

(c)

Fig. 11. Magnetic flux distribution in the area 0.5mm in front of the
permanent magnetic: (a) without excitation; (b) with DC excitation
of 1A and; (c) with DC excitation of 2A.

B. Linear Traction Force

The linear traction force, responsible for operation of the
electromagnetic device is here analyzed as function of
current applied in the coil by means FEM and measurements
for two situations: when the permanent magnets are
completely aligned with the coil (figure 12) and when the
PM is 50% aligned with the coil (figure 13).

VI. CONCLUSION

The electromagnetic device proposed by this work

presents a good solution for industrial application that
required a high-speed linear motion with a simple and
flexible control.
Fig. 10. 3D Magnetic flux density with DC excitation of 1A.

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 This study also present a good relationship between the REFERENCES
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Nolvi F. Baggio Filho. He graduated in Electrical

Engineering from the Lutheran University of Brazil, Brazil,
in 2006, obtained his M.Sc. degree in 2008 from the Federal
University of Rio Grande do Sul, and his Engineering Ph.D.
degree in 2012 at the same University. His main areas of
Fig. 13. Linear traction force as function of current excitation, PM study are electrical machines, electromagnetic actuators and
50% aligned with coil. the application and characterization of magnetic materials.
As a researcher he works on the study, development and
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT design of planar actuators with special attention to new
topologies and application of magnetic materials. Actually he
The work presented in this paper is a research project is professor at Federal Institute of Rio Grande do Sul,
which is being developed at Federal Institute of Rio Grande Campus Farroupilha.
do Sul, Campus Farroupilha, supported by internal foment
(Edital PROPI No 015/2012 – Fomento 2013/2014).

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