Development of Electromagnetic Levitation System for Thin Steel Plate with Electromagnets and Permanent Magnets

(Fundamental Consideration on Effect of Acted Position of Tension on Optimal Arrangement of Permanent Magnets Obtained by Genetic Algorithm)

Abstract

  In thin steel plate production lines, contact conveyance by rollers is used, so scratches on the surface of the plates and plating defects are problems. Therefore, non-contact magnetic levitation conveyance of thin steel plates using the attractive force of electromagnets has been proposed. We studied a magnetic levitation system for thin steel plates that uses both electromagnets and permanent magnets. While a thin steel plate was magnetically levitated, we investigated the effect of changing the position where tension is applied by a magnetic field from the horizontal direction on the placement of permanent magnets optimized by a genetic algorithm. From the result, we found that this change had a positive effect on levitation performance.