Hybrid Electromagnetic Brakes: Design and Performance Evaluation

Eddy current brakes having advantages such as contactless operation offer an alternative to conventional friction-based brakes. The flux source in an eddy current brake can be produced by permanent magnets or electrically excited windings. The former eliminates the need for an external supply, whereas the latter provides good control capability for the device. Herein, in order to take the advantages of both mentioned types, a hybrid electromagnetic brake is introduced, and the corresponding design guidelines for the brake part, the complementary part, i.e., the power generating unit, and the interface circuit are presented. Also, design considerations, as well as performance indices associated with the proposed configuration, are discussed. Moreover, the finite-element method is employed in the analyses and verifications of the design. Finally, a prototype has been manufactured whose results validate the simulation investigations and the design outcomes.