Design and performance evaluation of a PM linear synchronous motor with magnetic guides for industrial applications

A new linear motor for industrial applications to be coupled with a magnetic levitation guidance system has been designed. The motor is a PM linear synchronous motor with the PM on the cursor: the moving part does not have to be supplied. Applications of these systems can be found in ultra clean and maintenance free rooms or where wear and maintenance would cause expensive plant stops. The motor is coupled with a magnetic system realised by coupling magnetic guides. This solution requires that the motor generates a low normal force and can work also with the cursor not exactly in the nominal position. The traditional motor design has been integrated with the finite elements method (FEM) in order to predict the motor behaviour from the electromagnetic point of view (magnetic field distribution, thrust, normal forces, equivalent parameters, etc.).