Design Considerations of Electro-Mechanical Modules in Precision Systems
Funda Sahin, Philips Applied Technologies
Adrian Rankers, Philips Applied Technologies

Designers of precision products and equipment have been confronted with increasing demand for higher performance, e.g. more functionality, higher speed and more accuracy. These tighter requirements have made it essential to evaluate each module in detail during the system design phase. Electro-mechanical modules responsible for the actuation in a mechatronic system deserve particular attention.

An electrical actuator is often considered as a component delivering a certain force per current, also called as the motor constant. However, this characteristic is only a first approximation. Performance criteria at sub-micrometer or even nanometer precision command that drive related phenomenon as cogging, position dependent motor constant, damping, amplifier errors, thermal deformations and/or interactions with the amplifier need to be taken into account during design.

Fortunately next to these specific challenges, electrical drive technology also offers new high-tech opportunities thanks to the ongoing developments in the field of permanent magnets, winding technology and improved cooling techniques. Furthermore, latest generation computers facilitate computationally-intensive advanced modeling techniques to predict and optimize performance.

The primary focus of this tutorial will be on the design and choice of electromagnetic-based linear actuators and magnetic levitation units. Industrial examples ranging from linear motors up to ultra precision magnetically-levitated 6-DoF stages will be used to illustrate the pitfalls and solutions of electromechanical drives in Precision Equipment.

The tutorial is intended for design and system engineers. Basic knowledge of Mechatronics systems and physics is assumed.