Achievement of magnetic levitation for thin steel plates without gap sensors

In order to apply magnetic levitation techniques to Steel Industry, the authors have coped with its various basic problems and solved many problems piece by piece so far. As the next study target, we would like to try to adopt magnetic levitation techniques into production lines for processing very thin and functional steel plates. However, in this case, there will be arisen a certain issue that we have to bridge over. It is just the problem that gap sensors will block the way in the production line. Realization of magnetic levitation system without using the gap sensors is our dream. In general, magnetic levitation is not so easy even for a usual iron body in case of no gap sensor. In this paper, we will report the successful results of long awaited stable magnetic levitation of very thin steel plates without any gap sensors.