CAREER: Magnetic Bearing for Improved Process Control

主动磁轴承在涡轮机械应用中是一种成熟的技术，但它们在制造设备中的使用却很少受到关注。这些轴承是反馈机制，通过在磁场中悬浮来支撑旋转轴。它们提高了运行效率，改善了对转子动力学的控制，并减少了与更换使用过的润滑油相关的设备维护和浪费。磁轴承的反馈特性也允许使用轴承作为测压元件来测量轴力。这个CAREER项目的研究计划将研究主动磁轴承力测量能力的一种新的创新用途，为制造业应用中的统计过程控制提供信息，以改善纺织纤维和照相胶片等产品的过程/质量控制。研究任务包括主动磁轴承系统的设计，以实现最佳的轴力测量，开发在线系统校准程序，以及设计和建造一个主动磁轴承试验台进行实验验证。本研究的组成部分与职业发展计划的教育部分相关联，以促进工程实践与工程科学的整合。这在一定程度上是通过开发一门新的“动手”本科课程来实现的，该课程是关于预测性/预防性维护的，并创新地利用了弗吉尼亚理工大学发电厂的资源。这一职业发展计划的影响包括改进用于制造设备的主动磁轴承的设计，提高美国制造商改进过程/质量控制的能力。该计划还通过将工程实践纳入工程教育来影响教育，从而提高了为工业需求准备毕业工程师的效率。

DMI-9733124 Kasarda Active magnetic bearings are a proven technology in turbomachinery applications, but their use in manufacturing equipment has received surprisingly little attention. These bearings are feedback mechanisms that support a spinning shaft by levitating it in a magnetic field. They increase operating efficiencies, improve control of rotor dynamics, and reduce equipment maintenance and waste associated with the replacement of used lubricants. The feedback nature of the magnetic bearing also allows for the use of the bearing as a load cell to measure shaft forces. The research plan of this CAREER project will investigate a new and innovative use of the force measurement capability of active magnetic bearings to supply information for statistical process control in manufacturing applications to improve the process/quality control of such products as textile fibers and photographic films. Research tasks include the investigation of the design of active magnetic bearing systems for optimum shaft force measurement, development of on-line system calibration procedures, and the design and construction of an active magnetic bearing test rig for experimental verification. Components of this research are linked to the educational portion of the career development plan to promote the integration of engineering practice and engineering science. This is accomplished partly through the development of a new "hands-on" undergraduate course in predictive/preventive maintenance with an innovative utilization of the resources at the Virginia Tech Power Plant. The impact of this career development plan includes improving the design of active magnetic bearings for use in manufacturing equipment and enhancing the ability of US manufacturers to improve process/quality control. This plan also impacts education by the incorporation of engineering practice into engineering education, resulting in the increased effectiveness in the preparation of graduating engineers for industry's needs.