Operation principle and control method of a linear motor made by magnetically controlled shape memory alloy

Magnetically controlled shape memory (MSM) materials are a new way to produce motion and force. The material changes shape in a magnetic field. Shape changes are even 10 percent and response time is less than a millisecond. Usual applications of the material are actuators that produce linear motion. In this paper the magnetic controlled properties of MSM material, the operation principle, design and control method of an inchworm type linear MSM motor are introduced. The tested results of a prototype machine are also presented.