| Magnetic levitation of rotating systems has been considered for many years, the majority of the work being focused on active magnetic bearings (AMBs). From this research, self-bearing motors (SBMs) have been investigated, these are motors that integrate the bearing force and torque actuators into a single housing. The bearing force and torque in a SBM are typically produced by Maxwell and Lorentz forces, respectively. Recent research has focused on a toothless self-bearing servomotor (TSBS) where Lorentz type forces are the primary source of both the torque and the bearing forces.;Keywords: active magnetic bearings, self-bearing motors, finite element analysis parameter identification;This thesis explores the magnetic modeling, identification and validation of the AMBs and the TSBS of a 6 degree-of-freedom contactless actuator. Parameterized nonlinear models of these components are developed using reluctance network analysis. Computational models of these actuators are designed and built using finite element analysis (FEA). The FEA models of these actuators are used to develop data sets that are used for both model identification and validation. This thesis develops and identifies a model of the TSBS that is accurate and amenable to control. |
