Methods of detent force reduction in linear synchronous motors

The thrust force characteristic of a permanent magnet linear synchronous motor consists of a combination of three independent forces. One of these forces, the detent force, has an adverse effect on the performance of a linear synchronous motor. There are various methods to reduce the detent force. Finite element methods are used to assess the different schemes. Skewing and the variation of air gap length give the best reductions in detent force.