Experimental development of levitation control for a high-accuracy magnetic levitation transport system

In this paper, we present the experimental levitation control development in a high-accuracy magnetic levitation transport system. With this levitation control implementation, the input and output of sub-systems can be verified through a real-time system. The levitation control loop has a fast response, and the control algorithms are easily implemented. In addition, a notch filter and a low-pass filter are designed to minimize mechanical resonance and sensor noise, respectively. Moreover, a section control algorithm is developed to reduce sudden changes in the levitation forces. From the results, the total current required to levitate the carrier is approximately 3.1 A, and it is decreased to approximately 2.45 A at the desired airgap. The maximum peak-to-peak variation of the airgap measurement at a standstill is approximately 50μm, and at low and high movement speeds, it is approximately 300μm and 700μm, respectively. Moreover, the good levitation control performance in the deadzone, where one pair of the levitation electromagnets is disabled, is also verified.