A Novel Thrust Force Test Method for a Class of Precision Noncontact Linear Motion Actuators

Precision linear motion is widely used in industrial application. For precision linear motion actuators, ripples of thrust force can deteriorate the driving performance and increase mechanical vibrations. It is very important to precisely test the thrust force of a linear motion actuator. This paper proposes a novel method based on testing reaction force and on the aerostatic method to achieve high-precision and universal testing capability. In this method, the mover and the stator of tested linear motion actuators are suspended by two air-bearing modules. In contrast to traditional testing methods, the force sensor is connected to the stator to avoid the influence of vibration on the sensor. The air-bearing modules eliminate the friction between the stator and the mover, so that it would not affect the results. To validate the strategy, a sample testing platform is manufactured, then a series of experiments is carried out, and the testing performance is compared with that of the traditional method. Experimental results demonstrate the high accuracy achieved by eliminating interferences due to friction and the vibration of the force sensor.