Magnetics Business & Technology - July/August 2020 - 4

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Seeing Planar Motor Inc's Magnetic Levitation System in
Action is Believing
Volume 19, Issue 4

Seeing is believing and one
disappointment from the
string of trade show cancellations due to Covid-19 is
that more people must wait
longer to see Planar Motor
Inc's fascinating magnetic
levitation system for automation applications. The
company develops magnetically levitated planar motors,
designing and producing
them into its XBOT smart
conveying robot systems.

Editor & Publisher
David Webster
Contributing Editor
Dr. Stan Trout
Director of Operations and
Support Services
Ross Webster
Director of Sales and Content
Scott Webster

An XBOT is composed of one or more Movers and a stationary surface called Flyway
made of modular Stators. Each Mover is independently controlled and suspended on the
Stator with 6 degrees-of-freedom motion capability. The system does not require any lubrication nor generates any contamination.

Design & Layout
Scott Webster

They have startling flexibility, speed and precision with complete re-configurability, scalability and traceability. The system has typically drawn crowds of intrigued attendees at recent
packaging and automation shows.

Administration
Marsha Grillo

Multiple movers can work in groups, yet each mover is uniquely identifiable at all times
and can move anywhere within its specified range. Each mover is enabled with built-in
intelligence including obstacle avoidance and automatic routing, so they can be controlled
to avoid collisions with other movers and deftly cross crowded stator surfaces with many
movers. They come in numerous sizes with a payload capacity ranging from 0.6 kg to 14
kg. Planar Motor has developed several sizes of turnkey systems that range from 2 movers
up to 36 movers, each configured ready to use for new machine development. Applicationspecific turnkey systems are also available.

Magnetics Business & Technology (ISSN
#1535-1998) is a publication of Webcom
Communications Corp.

It is ideal for applications requiring high cleanliness such as food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical manufacturing as well as industries with harsh environments such as those that
require water and dust proofing. The stators are made from identical modular tiles and are
fully extendable and reconfigurable. Thanks to the versatile motion of the movers, many
traditionally needed robot arms can be eliminated. Based on advanced technology, the
system's powerful planar motor controller manages the whole planar motor system and
supports all standard industry communication interface such as EtherCAT, Ethernet, EtherNet/IP, POWERLINK, PROFINET RT/IRT.
"This new planar motor technology is incredibly promising for many manufacturing applications. It will enable new manufacturing methods in domains from conventional to ultraprecision, and in environments from factory floor to clean room. The ability to simultaneously
and independently control six degrees of freedom across multiple
magnetically-levitated stages is a remarkable achievement!" commented David L. Trumper, professor at Massachusetts Institute of
Technology and a recognized expert in the field of magnetic levitation.
"Our system offers incredible flexibility for a production line," commented Xiaodong Lu, president. "With full freedom of motion on
the stator surface, buffers and diverters are no longer needed, and
changing the plant layout is as simple as rearranging the module
stators and adjusting the program."
To see it in motion for yourself, go to: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=Zh6Q4F5tvm0.

Magnetics Business & Technology *

Xiaodong Lu,
president of Planar
Motor

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Magnetics Business & Technology - July/August 2020

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