Design and Simulation of a Low-Cost Frictionless Linear Motor

This paper presents the development of a low-cost linear motor with precise – frictionless motion. The motor is constructed by two main modules: Compliant bearing and voice coil actuator (VCA). The mechanical property of the bearing is determined by its 6×6 stiffness matrix which is formulated based on the relationships between beam-type flexure elements within a compliant mechanism. To run the motor, a VCA is specifically designed to fit the desired dimensions and able to create enough input force for compliant bearings to reach their largest elastic deformation. Subsequently, the finite-element-analysis (FEA) is conducted to evaluate the performance of the motor through the simulations of bearing deformation and electromagnetic force from the VCA. The good agreement between analytical and FEA results demonstrates the correctness of the proposed design. With the low-cost due to the simple structure and the ability to produce frictionless motion, the motor presented in this paper can be considered as a potential candidate for the development of various applications in precision engineering field.