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Question 1 Actuator Design (Section C) (20 Marks)
Question 1 Actuator Design (Section C) (20 Marks)
Question 1 Actuator Design (Section C) (20 Marks)
Figure 1
(a) Calculate the reluctance of the entire magnetic circuit when the length if the air gap
is 0.125 mm. Neglect fringing in the air gaps but do not neglect the reluctance of the
steel. Work to an accuracy of less or equal to three percent. (Hint: You may start your
solution by assuming that 43.42% of the input magnetomotive force to the actuator
drops in the top air gap). [7]
(b) Given that when an object is connected to the plunger as shown in Fig. 1, the plunger
moves by a horizontal distance of 0.01 mm and thus increasing the length of the air-
gap to 0.135 mm. Re-calculate the reluctance of the entire magnetic circuit for the
condition when the length of the air gap has been increased to 0.135 mm. Neglect
fringing in the air gaps but do not neglect the reluctance of the steel. Work to an
accuracy of less or equal to three percent. (Hint: You may start your solution by
assuming that 42.18% of the input magnetomotive force to the actuator drops in the
top air gap). [7]
(c) Estimate the force generated by this actuator for the condition when the length of air
gap is 0.125 mm for the input value of mmf calculated in part (a). Hence, determine
the mass of the object in Kg, that the actuator is holding. [g = 9.807 ms-2] [6]
[End of Test]