67 巻 (2001) 1 号 p. 101-105
Squeeze air bearings are based on a phenomenon known as the squeeze effect, which causes a pressured air film with relative perpendicular motion between two planes. Unlike hydrostatic air bearing, it can be operated without air supply. The experimental device consists of the rotating shaft, piezo-driven four oscillating pads and displacement sensor to detect the motion error in radial direction. The pad displacement patterns consist of two functional motions; sinusoidal squeeze motion for the stimulation of air film and position control motion for motion error correction. Therefore applying a controllable displacement patterns, the detected motion error in radial direction can be corrected. It was confirmed experimentally that the shaft with rotating speed of 1 rpm was supported by squeeze air film. The motion error in radial direction was reduced with increasing amplitude of pad oscillation. The step response of no rotating shaft with PI controller was tested and the settling time less than 40ms was performed for step width of 0.5μm with appropriate proportional and integral gains. Finally, motion error correction was carried out for the rotating shaft at 1 rpm. The motion error before the correction with 2.5μm was to be undetectable.