A design methodology for micro magnetic bearing systems

In this paper we describe a design methodology which has been successfully developed for the design of magnetic bearings. Its adaptation and application to the design of a micro magnetic bearing is presented. Particular design problems of micro magnetic bearing systems are addressed, such as the selection of the bearing topologies, the magnetic modelling and design of the actuators, and the modelling and performance simulation of these bearing systems. The design trade-offs are considered and it is shown that the design of actuators and their control systems need to be considered concurrently. As an example, design results for a micro magnetic bearing with a diameter of 2.1 mm are presented.