No friction, no limits! Magnetic bearings not only increase lifetime but also make it possible to run motors in a vacuum at ultra-high rotational speeds. With our technology you can reach 500,000 rpm and more.

Every engineer knows the rule-of-thumb that high rotational speeds lead to high abrasion and reduced lifetime of the ball bearings in a standard bearing. As a high speed specialist, our manufacturer partner Celeroton was forced by necessity to solve this problem. This is why Celeroton now offers a technologically leading alternative for unlimited lifetime despite highest rotation speeds - our ultra-high-speed magnetic bearings. We have integrated the technology in the new motor CM-AMB-400.

Do you have technical questions or need a quote?

Contact us today to talk to an experienced MACCON engineer!

Technische Daten des magnetgelagerten Motors CM-AMB-400

TypeRated power
(with cooling)
Rated speed
(with cooling)
Converter
voltage
Outer
diameter
LengthWeightBearing
type
CM-AMB-400250 W400.000 U/min24 V - 75 V62 mm74 mm600 gMagnetlager

Advantages of magnetic bearing motors

  • Lifetime
    Magnetic bearings increase lifetime to (theoretically) unlimited runtime, irrespective of the operating speed and the number of start/stop cycles.
  • Operation in vacuum
    Bearing forces are only generated electromagnetically and neither a lubricant nor an atmosphere is needed. Therefore, magnetic bearing technology is the only technology which enables vacuum operation with high rotational speeds.
  • Active control of rotor dynamics and vibration
    Active control of the magnetic bearing allows for control of the rotordynamics at critical speeds  as well as to damp vibrations.

 

Disadvantages of magnetic bearing motors

  • Additional volume
  • Low bearing force
  • Standard magnetic bearings: Limited rotational speed due to increasing reactive power and losses

Operating principle of the magnetic bearing motor

Most magnetic bearing concepts are based on reluctance forces. A magnetic flux in the air gap between stator and rotor generates these forces whereas the flux is regulated by stator currents. In this magnetic bearing type, the rotational speed is limited due to increasing eddy current losses in the rotor and stator iron, a limited actuator bandwidth and a high reactive power demand. Therefore, magnetic bearings have only been successful up to rotational speeds of about 120,000 rpm. To overcome these rotational speed limits, Celeroton has researched a new magnetic bearing concept. The new bearing enables rotational speeds of 500,000 rpm and more, which represents the world record for a magnetically levitated drive system.


The bearing is based on Lorentz forces instead of reluctance forces. A winding, which lies in the air gap between the rotor magnets and the stator iron, generates these forces – electric current in the winding regulates them. The magnetic field of the permanent magnet can also be used for the generation of the torque, which enables a short design of the motor as so called bearingless motor.

Do you have technical questions or need a quote?

Contact us today to talk to an experienced MACCON engineer!

Application examples of magnetic bearing motors

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  • Optical systems with high rotational speeds such as beam choppers and rotating mirrors
    These applications are operated in vacuum or helium atmosphere to minimize air friction losses, and to protect the optic from pollution. The disadvantages of magnetic bearings regarding space requirements and complexity are not critical, as the whole system is much bigger and more complex than the bearing itself.
  • Reaction wheels for satellites
    Reaction wheels are used in satellites to control and stabilize the attitude in the space. They are moved to the desired position by rotational speed regulation. As satellites depend on light components, reaction wheels are often designed with the aim to reduce weight by increasing the rotational speed. Furthermore, they should generate the lowest possible vibrations suitable for the operation in full or partial vacuum. Therefore, the magnetic bearing turns out to be the optimal solution for this application.
  • Special centrifuges
    Special centrifuges and further physical test environments, such as the mechanical acceleration of particles.

 

If you are designing a new system for ultra-high speeds and are thinking about magnetic bearings, please contact us​​​​​​​ to discuss your requirements.

Do you have technical questions or need a quote?

Contact us today to talk to an experienced MACCON engineer!