Dynamics of an electromagnetic linear actuator operating in error actuated control system

Purpose – The paper seeks to present an algorithm for a dynamical field‐circuit coupled simulation of an electromagnetic linear actuator operating in automated control systems.Design/methodology/approach – The mathematical model includes: a transient electromagnetic field formulation for a non‐linear conducting and moving medium, equations which describe the electric circuits of the converter and the supply system, the equation of mechanical motion, the equation describing closed‐loop control and models for the sensor and the PID controller. The numerical implementation is based on the finite element method and the step‐by‐step algorithm for time discretization. In order to account for the nonlinearity of the ferromagnetic core the Newton‐Raphson procedure has been applied. The influence of the PID controller settings on the operation of the controlled actuator is shown. Dynamic disturbances, e.g. step change of the set value of mover position or change of loading force, have been analyzed.Findings – The ...