Challenge:
Design a control system to levitate a 1″ solid steel ball using an electromagnet.

Description:
The “maglev” experiment consists of an electromagnet encased in a rectangular enclosure. One electromagnet pole faces a black post upon which a 2.54 cm steel ball rests. The ball elevation from the post is measured using a sensor embedded in the post. The post is designed such that with the ball at rest on its surface it is 14mm from the face of the electromagnet. The purpose of the experiment is to design a controller that levitates the ball from the post and to track the ball position to a desired trajectory. The posts also provide repeatable initial conditions for control system performance evaluation.

Difficulty:
Undergraduate / Graduate

• Process Control and Mechatronics Product Range
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