Development of Drive Systems Based on Electromagnetic Microactuators

Electromagnetic microactuators discussed in this paper have been the topic of research during the last decade. Their fabrication is based on batch processes like photolithography and etching of copper and iron, which is deposited on substrates. Resulting from these microfabrication techniques and the small size of motors, the drive system designer faces a very different task when compared to conventional drive systems. Those differences have to be considered in the electromagnetic design of the microactuator itself, as well as in the power supply and the control of the drive. This paper presents an overview of design options for these components of a miniaturized drive system and discusses their advantages and disadvantages from a system point of view.