Vibration Characteristics of Flexible Steel Plate on Proposed Magnetic Levitation System Using Gravity

Flexible steel plates are generally transported by rollers; however, the contact between the rollers and the steel plate degrades the surface quality of the plate. To solve this problem, noncontact transportation of steel plates using electromagnetic force has been proposed. However, ultrathin flexible steel plates can easily fall owing to deflection. A magnetic levitation system using electromagnets installed in the horizontal direction has also been proposed to improve the levitation performance of a conventional system. However, it is difficult to control vibrations with such a system because flexible steel plates are elastically deformed into complex shapes by gravity. Therefore, an electromagnetic levitation system was proposed, wherein electromagnets were installed near the edge of the steel plate such that it could be controlled with noncontact grip, such as by allowing one side of the steel plate to hang. This system is expected to improve levitation stability because the moment of inertia increases with vertical levitation and simplifies the control system. In addition, this system actively uses gravity acting on a steel plate to decrease its deflection. The use of gravity to suppress deflection is novel. In this study, the feasibility of magnetic levitation using the proposed system was investigated using magnetic field analysis. Its usefulness was investigated experimentally using a constructed magnetic levitation system. In addition, it was found that a magnetic levitation system that maintains the standing position generates a peculiar vibration.