STABILIZED ELECTROMAGNETIC LEVITATOR

THE DEVELOPMENT OF A NOVEL, COMBINED ELECTROMAGNETIC LEVITATOR/POSITIONER AND HEATER FOR COMMERCIAL MATERIALS PROCESSING IN A NON-CONTACT ENVIRONMENT IS DESCRIBED. THE STABILIZED ELECTROMAGNETIC LEVITATOR (SEL) IS A 3-AXIS SYSTEM WHICH WILL PROVIDE STABLE LEVITATION AND POSITIONING OF A WIDE VARIETY OF MATERIALS. THE USE OF COMPACT, BROADBAND POWER AMPLIFIERS WITH AN OPTIMIZED COIL DESIGN WILL ALLOW EFFICIENT TRANSMISSION OF POWER TO BOTH THE COILS AND THE WORKPIECE, AND PERMITS INDEPENDENT CONTROL OF HEATING, POSITIONING AND SPIN. THIS DESIGN IS WELL SUITED TO CONTAINERLESS STUDIES OF METAL AND METALLIC ALLOY SYSTEMS, CERTAIN GLASSES AND CERAMICS AND HIGH PURITY ELECTRONIC AND SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS. SEL IS UNIQUELY SUITED FOR EARTH-BASED AND SPACE-BASED PROCESSING OF TECHNOLOGICALLY OR STRATEGICALLY SIGNIFICANT MATERIALS. THIS IS DUE TO: EFFICIENT POWER UTILIZATION, OPTIMIZATION OF CONDITIONS FOR POSITIONING AND HEATING, OPERATIONS UTILIZING VARIOUS ATMOSPHERES FROM VACUUM TO HIGH PRESSURE, AND OPEN ACCESS FOR PROCESS CONTROL INSTRUMENTATION.