Optimization on arrangement of permanent magnets for magnetic levitation system for thin steel plate (fundamental consideration on levitation probability)

For thin steel plates, which are used in many industrial products including those of the automobile industry, we have proposed a magnetic levitation control system and confirmed its realization by means of a digital control experiment. However, the use of a limited number of electromagnets cannot suppress static deflection and high-order-mode elastic vibration, which are characteristics of a flexible magnetic material. To solve this problem, we have proposed a hybrid levitation control system for thin steel plate using the magnetic force generated by permanent magnets, which have no operational costs. In this study, we attempt to determine the optimal gap, placement and number of permanent magnets to reduce the deflection of a thin steel plate under the generated magnetic field. To verify the usefulness of optimal placement of the permanent magnets, experiments concerning vibration were performed on a magnetically levitated thin steel plate.