Total Optimization Design: A Method of Design and

Optimization for Direct Drive Systems

Binbin Huang, Youyong Liao and Tianbai He

Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering
Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ningbo 315201, Zhejiang Province, China
huangbinbin@nimte.ac.cn

Abstract — This paper presents a method of design and

optimization for direct drive systems. The proposed method
consists of four steps. As the first step, principle optimization
design is expected to find out the optimal principle and
schematic. And the second step, structural optimization design, is
aimed at hunting out the optimal structure for the optimal
principle. During the third step, a variety of conventional
parametric optimization methods can be put to use. The last step
completes other designs and optimizations to get the final design.
In contrast with the conventional method, the proposed method
can work out a better design result for direct drive systems.
Keywords-optimization design; direct drive system; design
method; principle design; structural design.
I. INTRODUCTION
Compared to conventional indirect drive system with
mechanical transmission such us gearbox, ball screw,
connection rod and so on, direct drive system has the ability to
eliminate mechanical transmission and reduce the mechanical
drive to the coupling between the motor and machine section.
The savings make a simpler, more efficient and more high-
performance system with fewer parts and failures, lower
manufacturing and recurring costs, wider range of speed, more
precise positioning or movement, higher stiffness and slighter
perturbations [1].
Simultaneously, direct drive system is driven by a direct
drive motor directly. Between the mover and the stator of the
motor, gap exits all the time. The gap makes a more long-life
system that produces lower noise and lower mechanical wear,
and almost needs no maintenance.
Based on the advantages above, direct drive technology has
been applied widely into the industrial automations and the
military and civilian applications. Therefore, the direct drive
technology has become a trend of automations.
However, direct drive system has fewer parts and is very
different from conventional drive mechanisms. The method of
design and optimization influences the cost and performance of
direct drive system greatly. It is necessary to study the methods
of design and optimization for direct drive systems.
II. CONVENTIONAL METHOD
As shown in Fig. 1, the conventional method focuses on the
parameters during the design and optimization work for direct
drive system, but not on the principle or the structure. And
many kinds of parametric optimization methods have been
proposed in recent years. Though the performance of direct
drive system with optimized parameters is higher than the
system with non-optimized parameters, the performance of the
final design cannot satisfy the design requirements sometimes.
When the principle or structure is not optimal, even if the
parameters are optimized for a non-optimized structure, the
performance can never reach the highest level actually. In one
sense, the optimized principle should be the prerequisite of
structural optimization design, and the optimized structure
should be the prerequisite of parametric optimization.
Principle Design
Structural Design
Parametric Optimization
No
Satisfy the design
requirements?
Yes
Yes
Detailed Design
Unexpected problem
comes out?
No
Final Design Result
Figure 1 Flowchart of conventional design and optimization method.

978-1-4244-9439-2/11/$26.00 ©2011 IEEE

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 For instance, when we research various direct-drive the same principle generate different performances. Fig. 4
permanent magnetic actuators (PMA) for vacuum circuit shows two structures for the principle shown in Fig. 2 as
breakers, we find that some principles perform well only for examples [4, 5]. By basic comprehensive comparison, the
short-stroke actuators and some work well for long-stroke cylindrical structure can use the magnetic density more fully
actuators. Fig. 2 shows a schematic for short-stroke actuators than the cuboid structure. So in the same conditions, the
[2], and Fig. 3 shows a schematic for long-stroke actuators [3]. parametric optimization for the cylindrical structure has a better
result and effect than the optimization for the cuboid structure.
The principle shown in Fig. 2 has been put to practical use
widely in the PMA of 12kV~40.5kV grade in the latest 10
years, but not in the PMA of 126kV grade or above even today.
The stroke of PMA of 12kV is about 10mm or less, but the
stroke of PMA of 126kV is about 60mm or more. If we design
a PMA of 60mm stroke by the principle shown in Fig. 2 in the
limits of the same current of coil and the same width or
diameter of static core as the PMA of 10mm stroke by the
principle in Fig. 2, however we design and optimize the
structure or parameters, it’s a very difficult task for us to
acquire a satisfactory design result. (a) Cylindrical structure. (b) Cuboid structure.
Figure 4 Two structures for short-stroke permanent magnetic actuator.

According to the analysis mentioned above, it’s clear that

conventional method of design and optimization needs to be
improved for achieving better design results.

III. TOTAL OPTIMIZATION DESIGN

Method of total optimization design (or “TOD” for short)
was put forward to improve the conventional method in our
research of direct drive technology. Method of TOD places
more emphasis on optimizations of principle and structure. The
flowchart of TOD is shown in Fig. 5.

1. coil; 2. static core; 3. permanent magnet; Principle Optimization Design

4.moving core; 5.driving pole.
Figure 2 Schematic of short-stroke permanent magnetic actuator.

Structural Optimization Design

Parametric Optimization

No

Satisfy the design

requirements?

Yes
Yes
Detailed Design

Unexpected problem
occurs?
1. permanent magnet; 2. coil; 3. static core; 4.moving core;
5. non-magnetic ring; 6.driving pole. No
Figure 3 Schematic of long-stroke permanent magnetic actuator.
Final Design Result
When we choose the principle in Fig. 2 to design a short- Figure 5 Flowchart of total optimization design.
stroke PMA, we can also find that different structures based on

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 Different from the conventional method shown in Fig. 1,
method of TOD does utmost to find out the optimal principle
systematically and thoroughly at the first step. Then method of
TOD tries the best to find out the optimal structure which is the
most suitable one for the optimal principle founded out at the
first step. After the two kinds of optimization design,
conventional parametric optimization methods can be put to
use for finding out the optimal combination of parameters for
the optimal structure. Then the detailed design can be started.
If some unexpected problems come out, we just need to
turn back to the step of detailed design and modify some details.
It stands very little chance of turning back to the first or second
step to modify the finished designs. This is another difference
between the conventional method and the method of TOD.
This difference shows that method of TOD can avoid repeated
and great modify of the finished designs to some extent, when
unexpected problems occur. In order to avoid repeated and
great modify better, another flowchart of TOD shown in Fig. 6
is offered.
Principle Optimization Design
Structural Optimization Design
Detailed Design
Yes
Unexpected problem
occurs?
No
Model Simplification
and Parametric Optimization
No
Satisfy the design
requirements?
Yes
Final Design Result
Figure 6 Flowchart of total optimization design.
In Fig. 6, step of detailed design is the third step. If there is
no unexpected problem, the model of the design result should
be simplified properly. Then parametric optimization design
can be implemented for the simplified model.
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IV. PRINCIPLE OPTIMIZATION DESIGN
Principle optimization design in TOD aims at finding out
the optimal principle systematically and thoroughly. Principle
Feature Database (PFD) for direct drive technology needs to be
established. The PFD consists of principle feature units, and a
principle feature unit includes normalized feature values of the
performance indexes of the corresponding principle. For each
design task, we just need to choose the normalized feature
values of the necessary performance indexes and add the
feature values together. Then we can compare the sum, and the
biggest sum corresponds to the optimal principle. However, a
perfect PFD needs a long-term technology accumulation. We
are looking for new approaches for principle optimization
design.
V. STRUCTURAL OPTIMIZATION DESIGN
At this step, Structural Feature Database (SFD) for each
principle needs to be established respectively. We can apply the
same approach to establish a SFD and find out the optimal and
the most suitable structure for the optimal principle founded
out at the first step of TOD.
VI. CONCLUSION
Based on the analysis of the problems in the conventional
method, method of total optimization design is introduced. In
one sense, the optimized principle and structure should be the
prerequisites of parametric optimization. Different from the
conventional method, method of TOD places more emphasis
on optimizations of principle and structure. This can make a
better effect and result for the design of direct drive systems.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Institute of
Advanced Manufacturing Technology which belongs to
Ningbo Institute of Materials Technology and Engineering for
funding the research of direct drive technology in which the
method proposed in this paper is put forward.
REFERENCES
[1] Tapio Haring, Kimmo Forsman, Tero Huhtanen and Mark Zawadzki,
“Direct drive-opening a new era in many applications”, Pulp and Paper
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[2] Pengfei Sa, Min Zhao, Shuhua Fang, “Overview on permanent magnetic
actuator”, Journal of Chongqing University (English Edition), Vol.5,
No.1, pp.19–23, March 2006.
[3] Xi Wu, Jianyuan Xu, Xin Lin, “Investigation on controlling techniques
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servo motor operating mechanism”, Electrical Engineering, Vol.9,
pp.74–83, 2008.
[4] Li Wei, Fang Chun-en, Zhou Lili and Wang jun, “Simulation and testing
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Discharges and Electrical Insulation in Vacuum, 2008.
[5] www.abb.com/mediumvoltage.