Abstract
This paper presents a novel miniaturized and modular dual-axis Electromagnetic Actuator (EMA). It mainly consists of two electromagnetic coils in an orthogonal orientation with a permanent magnet fixed on a free moving frame that rotates around two axes/joints. By actuating either of the coils, the free moving frame rotates around the corresponding axis. Simulations and experimental analyses are conducted in order to characterize the performance of our EMA. Thus, our actuator achieves a torque of 100 mNm at simulation and 80 mNm through experimentation for the same applied current. Additionally, it can achieve a rotation of 10∘ (≈0.2 rad), according to simulations and experimental work. Because of modularity, multiple units of our EMA can be connected together in different configuration to serve in several applications. As an example application, we used a pair of our EMA in order to generate a miniaturized 4-DOF robotic manipulator. This manipulator demonstrates the advantages of light weight, small size, and a high level of manipulability. Kinematic analyses and experimental work are performed in order to validate our manipulator and to prove the concept of our proposed EMA. Through this experiment, we applied an open-loop controller on our EMAs, so that the end-effector of our manipulator can track a predefined circular trajectory. The movement of the end-effector is detected while using image processing techniques. Although we used an open-loop controller, our manipulator is still able to track the trajectory with moderate errors.
Highlights
For long decades, Electromagnetic Actuators (EMAs) have perfectly served in several engineering applications with proven accuracy and reliability
Finite element analysis is conducted in order to study the performance of our EMA in terms of the generated torque and angle of rotation
A closed-form solution of the inverse kinematics problem is analytically obtained while using algebraic method
Summary
Electromagnetic Actuators (EMAs) have perfectly served in several engineering applications with proven accuracy and reliability. In addition to the commonly used techniques of EMAs, several research works have been recently conducted in order to develop innovative actuators that can be employed to solve engineering problems of certain complexity They have been used in microrobotics applications in environments with limited dimensions [1,2,3,4,5]. Large scaled and actual sized prototypes have been built to validate the performance Another EMA with compliance advantage has been developed for soft robotic and biological-inspired applications [10]. A permanent magnet of 5 mm is fixed in the free-moving frame as a moving target that will move according to the energized coil Another built-in magnet is used at the two ends of each module to allow for connection with further modules. Rare-earth magnet (Neodymium ND35) is used, because it is the strongest type of commercially available permanent magnets
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