HI all

I thought I was mad thinking about this but when I googled it someone already does it. Magnetic Levitation linear rails (MagLev)

MAGLEV (http://www.machinedesign.com/ASP/strArticleID/57464/strSite/MDSite/viewSelectedArticle.asp)


I have no idea how much they cost . Maybe a homemade version could be made thou.


Paul

How would that be usefull for a CNC machine?? mag lev means an AIR SPACE between support and moving parts..

What happens when the mill hits the steel and it wants to "push back" ??

Am I missing something here?

I suspect it would be ok for EDM and laser application where there is minimal if any phisical kick back from the tool, but any other cutting tool lika a router I would be sceptical of it having a practical application.

Hi


Obviously it’s already being used in some linear motion fields as its for sale. I was thinking of it being used in conjunction with traditional Rack and pinion or Belts and pulleys.

It would be neat to see it run with the motor in it and all in one drive system, Not sure about accuracy especially under load, but then again they got it runnin at however many km with people on board with a big load.
:)

" 5.5 m /sec with accelerations of 20m/sec 2 " !!! How would you keep track of positions at those speeds?!
... Let's see a particle of light travels at...um, times mass... divided by g-forces...um... Oh hell Scotty! just engage the damn thing!!!! Warp factor 9!!!

EMF interference is an ABSOLUTE pain in the arse with these systems.

Scott

I worked for an Austrian (not Australian) company that built an absolutley unreal cutting machine using linear motors in about 1994. The machine tested the limits of engineering and hardware.

The potential accelerations were absolutley uncomprehensible. We initially experienced problems with popping the heads off of M8 SHCS that were holding components on the gantry (not shearing - pulling the heads off!). The gantry on this machine weighed about 1,000 pounds and we could accelerate it in excess of 1.5G but the mechanical design could not handle it - nor could most of the components. It was violent. Awesome stuff, for sure.

Accuracy was an issue only because of interference from the linear motors. I am not sure of everything that was done, but I know they had 6 different isolated grounding circuits. It was the most intense interference elimination project I have ever witnessed. The issues were finally resolved and the speeds and accelerations were cut back to more accomodating levels and the machine was still absolutely amazing to watch.

These were linear motors and not magnetic levitation - I know. Sorry to detract from the thread, guys....this experience seemed relevant.

I think both linear motors and/or magnetic levitation could be used for maybe CMMs, EDMs, pick and place, packaging equipment, shuttles and light cutting of foams - not for machining metals. I would treat maglev in similar fashion to an air bearing - it has it's applications.

Neat stuff.

Scott

If you look at the picture from the first post, it looks like they're using a THK type linear rail for guides, and using the magnetic rail in place of the ballscrew for the motion.

My German is a bit rusty (used be fairly fluent - even with technical terms), but I looked over their entire site and didn't really see much in the way of a description. European websites in general suck, but that's a different story...

It does appear to me to be a linear motor and not maglev, guided by linear rails with an integrated linear encoder. I wonder how or if they deal with EMF?

Scott

I didn't see any German? http://www.machinedesign.com/ASP/strArticleID/57464/strSite/MDSite/viewSelectedArticle.asp

I followed the link in the article:

http://www.strothmann.com/

Scott

Geesh. They have the pages translated - click on the flags at the bottom of the page. Sometimes I wonder about myself.....

Scott