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Non-contact transportation of heavy load objects using ultrasonic suspension and aerostatic suspension

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Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part C: Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science

Published online on

Abstract

In order to realize non-contact transportation of a heavy load object that is more than 3N at a stable speed, a new hybrid suspension transportation utilizing both ultrasonic and aerostatic suspension is put forward. The resonant frequency of the hybrid suspension system, the fixed position of transducer and the matching impedance are analyzed using ANSYS software, Eular–Bernouli beam theory and equivalent circuit principle of transducer, respectively. Several physical parameters that influence the driving ability of traveling wave are also analyzed. Based on the optimal results obtained, the prototype of hybrid suspension is designed and manufactured in the experiment. The experimental system result shows that the hybrid suspension utilizing both ultrasonic and aerostatic suspension can realize non-contact transportation of heavy load objects at the stable speed and experimental results coincide well with the theoretical analysis results. The test result shows that the transport speed of suspended objects under hybrid suspension is larger than that only under ultrasonic suspension. A 75 x 60 mm object of 432 g, with surface density of 96 kg/m2, is transported at the stable speed of 4.2 cm/s when excitation voltage is 300 V and inlet pressure is 0.15 MPa.