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Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications

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A special issue of Actuators (ISSN 2076-0825). This special issue belongs to the section "Actuators for Surface Vehicles".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2026 | Viewed by 6833

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Junqi Xu

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National Maglev Transportation Engineering R&D Center, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Interests: maglev train levitation control technology; intelligent control technology; maglev train track dynamics; stability and stability theory of high-speed maglev trains
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Prof. Dr. Zhiqiang Long

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College of Intelligence Science and Technology, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, China
Interests: maglev train technology; maglev bearing technology; maglev control technology; fault diagnosis and fault-tolerant control; electromechanical system safety control
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Prof. Dr. Jin Zhou

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Guest Editor

College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Interests: magnetic levitation technology; rotating machinery; electromechanical system control; vibration control
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Prof. Dr. Feng Sun

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Guest Editor

School of Mechanical Engineering, Shenyang University of Technology, Shenyang 110870, China
Interests: magnetic levitation technology; magnetic bearings; magnetic actuators applications; active vehicle suspension using magnetic actuators
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Prof. Dr. Chunfa Zhao

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State Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Interests: maglev transit; rail vehicle dynamics; railway track dynamics
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Dr. Yougang Sun

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Guest Editor

Institute of Rail Transit, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804, China
Interests: maglev vehicle dynamics; nonlinear control and intelligent monitoring; under-actuated robot; electromechanical system control
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on the synergies between magnetic levitation (maglev) technology and actuators, exploring their integration across industrial, transportation, and aerospace domains. Maglev systems, including maglev trains, bearings, and vibration isolation platforms, rely on advanced actuators for precise levitation, propulsion, and dynamic control. We welcome contributions on actuation principles (electromagnetic, superconducting, etc.), control strategies (adaptive, robust algorithms), system design (energy efficiency, miniaturization), and emerging applications (urban mobility, high-speed machinery, biomedical devices). This Special Issue aims to bridge fundamental research and practical implementation, providing a platform for scholars and engineers to share innovations that advance maglev-actuator systems toward smarter, more sustainable technologies.

Prof. Dr. Junqi Xu
Prof. Dr. Zhiqiang Long
Prof. Dr. Jin Zhou
Prof. Dr. Feng Sun
Prof. Dr. Chunfa Zhao
Dr. Yougang Sun
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Actuators is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

magnetic levitation
intelligent control
vibration control
system applications
robust algorithms

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 6553 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multi-Degree-of-Freedom Backstepping Control for Magnetic Levitation Actuators in Laser Cutting Applications

by Qinwei Zhang, Chuan Zhao, Ling Tong, Feng Liu, Fangchao Xu, Honglei Sha and Feng Sun

Actuators 2026, 15(3), 152; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15030152 - 4 Mar 2026

Viewed by 258

Abstract

During laser processing, optimizing the cutting performance by adjusting the angle or off-axis displacement between the auxiliary gas flow and the laser beam is an effective approach to improving processing quality and efficiency. However, traditional electromechanical actuators suffer from inherent limitations in compactness and multi-degree-of-freedom cooperative control, which restrict their applicability in high-speed and high-precision laser cutting systems. To address these limitations, this paper presents a five-degree-of-freedom magnetic levitation actuator for laser cutting lens control and proposes a multi-degree-of-freedom cooperative control strategy based on backstepping control (BC) to cope with the system’s strong coupling, nonlinearity, and model uncertainty. First, a dynamic model of the actuator system is established, and a corresponding BC is designed. Subsequently, a centralized control framework is developed, and comparative simulations and experiments are carried out between the proposed BC and a conventional PID controller. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed BC method outperforms the PID controller in terms of multi-degree-of-freedom cooperative control capability and dynamic response, thereby significantly enhancing the overall control performance of the system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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12 pages, 1268 KB

Open AccessArticle

Improved Model Reference Adaptive Disturbance Suppression Control for Marine Canned Magnetic Bearings

by Jiawang Pan, Hao Jiang, Zhenzhong Su, Qi Liu and Yajian Li

Actuators 2026, 15(2), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15020129 - 20 Feb 2026

Viewed by 313

Abstract

To overcome the limitations of conventional control strategies in simultaneously suppressing external sway disturbances and internal parameter variations—induced by strong eddy current effects in marine canned magnetic bearings (MBs)—this paper introduces an improved model reference adaptive control (MRAC) method. First, electromagnetic force and dynamic models of the marine canned MBs are developed, taking into account eddy current effects and oscillatory motion. On this basis, a state observer is designed to estimate the system’s unknown dynamics. A predictive error term is formulated to capture the combined influence of model uncertainties and external disturbances. An adaptive law is then applied to compensate for these unknown dynamics and external disturbances. Moreover, the stability of the marine canned MBs system under the proposed improved MRAC scheme is rigorously analyzed using Lyapunov stability theory. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the algorithm, showing that, compared with conventional PID control, the improved MRAC approach reduces rotor vibration by more than 53%, significantly strengthening the disturbance rejection performance of marine canned MBs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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31 pages, 7717 KB

Open AccessArticle

A High-Performance AEFC Strategy with Intelligent Parameter Tuning for Magnetic Suspension Flywheel Battery

by Weiyu Zhang, Youpeng Chen, Xiaoyan Diao and Qianwen Xiang

Actuators 2026, 15(2), 122; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15020122 - 15 Feb 2026

Viewed by 427

Abstract

In order to reduce the influence of external radial disturbances on the control accuracy and stability of the vehicle magnetic suspension flywheel battery system during driving, and to further enhance the system’s disturbance rejection ability, this paper designs a control method based on the Accelerated Engineering Fastest Controller (AEFC) and the improved differential optimization algorithm. A mathematical model of the flywheel battery system is established, and the AEFC scheme with engineering disturbance rejection is adopted in the control loop. The improved differential optimization algorithm is used to obtain the optimal control parameters of AEFC, and a multi-criteria optimization function combining tracking error and smoothness is established. The overall control scheme effectively integrates the characteristics of rapid tracking, interference suppression, and rapid parameter adjustment. The experimental results show that compared with the Engineering Fastest Controller (EFC), in the vehicle turning process, the AEFC controller can reduce the offset by 28% during vehicle driving, and compared with the traditional PID control, it can reduce the offset by 41.94%. In the process of vehicle uphill and speed change, the control effect of AEFC also has a significant improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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19 pages, 4021 KB

Open AccessArticle

Research on Levitation Control of a Two-Degree-of-Freedom System Based on IWOA-ISMC

by Ziyang Hao, Linjie Hao, Pengfei Liu, Ruichen Wang and Meiqi Wang

Actuators 2026, 15(2), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15020118 - 14 Feb 2026

Viewed by 296

Abstract

Electromagnetic levitation control is a core technology for ensuring the stable operation of maglev trains. To enhance the disturbance rejection capability and stability of the levitation system, an IWOA-ISMC control strategy is proposed in this paper. First, a single-electromagnet levitation model with two degrees of freedom is established, in which the effects of spring stiffness and damping are taken into account. Based on this model, an integral sliding mode controller (ISMC) is designed. However, manual parameter tuning based on engineering experience makes it difficult to obtain an optimal parameter combination, and inappropriate controller parameters may lead to significant performance degradation. To address this issue, an improved whale optimization algorithm (IWOA) is introduced to globally optimize the key parameters of the ISMC, resulting in an IWOA-ISMC tailored to the proposed model. Comparative simulations under track irregularity conditions and sudden force disturbances induced by track irregularities are conducted. The results demonstrate that, compared with ISMC, PID, and backstepping controllers, the proposed IWOA-ISMC approach exhibits superior disturbance rejection performance and robustness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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25 pages, 11268 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multiphysics Field Coupling Analysis and Highly Robust Control Strategy with Coupling Functions of Vehicle-Mounted Flywheel Battery

by Xiaoyan Diao, Hongyuan Yin, Weiyu Zhang and Duyuan Lian

Actuators 2026, 15(2), 86; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15020086 - 1 Feb 2026

Viewed by 357

Abstract

The vehicle-mounted flywheel battery is a complex assembly of multiple components that is subject to intense multi-physical field coupling and external disturbances, which lead to real-time changes in system parameters and reduce control performance. The aim of this study is to enhance the robustness and dynamic stability of the system under emergency avoidance conditions. Its internal multiphysics field coupling is intricate, and external disturbances further intensify the cross-coupling. Building upon this method, a highly robust control strategy with real-time coupling characteristic parameters is designed in this study. First, a bidirectional coupling method combining electromagnetism, heat, and structure fields was proposed. This method captured the dynamic interactions among the magnetic, thermal, and structural fields. Based on this analysis, a coupling characteristic function was extracted to quantify the real-time coupling strength. Then, this function was mapped into the parameters of the sliding mode controller. Adaptive gain adjustment can be achieved without relying on an accurate system model. The key assumptions include linear material properties within the operational temperature range and negligible unsteady turbulence effects in airflow. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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15 pages, 4862 KB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Analysis of a High-Speed Slotless Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Considering Air-Gap Airflow

by Hong-Jin Hu, Ze-Qiang Lin, Guang-Zhong Cao, Ming-Hong Guo and Su-Dan Huang

Actuators 2025, 14(11), 530; https://doi.org/10.3390/act14110530 - 31 Oct 2025

Viewed by 935

Abstract

The air-gap airflow significantly influences the performance of high-speed slotless permanent magnet synchronous motors (HSSPMSM), yet this critical factor is frequently overlooked during the design phase, resulting in performance deviations. This paper presents the design and multi-physical analysis of a 10 kW/40,000 rpm HSSPMSM, explicitly accounting for air-gap airflow effects. A comprehensive coupling model integrating electromagnetic, thermal, mechanical, and airflow fields is established to guide the motor design. Based on this analysis, the motor dimensions and parameters are determined, and a prototype is fabricated. Experimental validation demonstrates that the developed HSSPMSM successfully meets the design specifications. Considering air-gap airflow can obtain more accurate thermal design results with an accuracy improvement of 6.8% compared to not considering air-gap airflow. The close agreement between the simulated and measured performance confirms the effectiveness of the proposed design methodology that incorporates airflow effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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17 pages, 4479 KB

Open AccessArticle

Magnetic-Track Relationship and Correction of Magnetic Force Model for EMS High-Speed Maglev Train

by Meiyun Chen, Donghua Wu, Yougang Sun, Xin Miao and Zheyan Jin

Actuators 2025, 14(11), 514; https://doi.org/10.3390/act14110514 - 24 Oct 2025

Viewed by 1523

Abstract

The high-speed maglev train employs linear induction motors for propulsion and incorporates electromagnetic suspension for levitation. Ensuring the stability of the suspension control is imperative for the effective operation of the maglev train at high speeds, necessitating precise calculation of the suspension force. The commonly employed models, while simple in structure, lack the accuracy needed for high-precision suspension control. This paper conducts finite element analysis to simulate the static suspension conditions of high-speed maglev trains and refines the magnetic force calculation model using the obtained data to minimize computational inaccuracies arising from factors like magnetoresistance effects. The revised model is particularly well-suited for scenarios with significant air gaps and elevated currents, showcasing practical value for engineering applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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Review

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22 pages, 3319 KB

Open AccessReview

Research on Key Technologies of Low-Energy-Consumption Magnetic Suspension Flywheel Battery Systems

by Zhibin Li, Xiaoyan Diao, Qianwen Xiang and Weiyu Zhang

Actuators 2026, 15(2), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15020119 - 14 Feb 2026

Viewed by 626

Abstract

As an emerging physical energy storage technology, the magnetic suspension flywheel battery boasts prominent advantages such as high working efficiency, long service life, and short charging time. However, improving the energy conversion efficiency of magnetic suspension flywheel battery systems and reducing their overall energy loss have long been critical bottleneck technologies that urgently need to be addressed for practical applications. To promote China’s green and low-carbon energy transition and accelerate the achievement of the “double carbon” goals, this paper summarizes two core components of flywheel battery systems—magnetic bearings and flywheel motors—along with two key technologies: topological structure and control strategy, based on numerous cutting-edge studies. Subsequently, focusing on further reducing the energy consumption of flywheel energy storage systems, technical prospects are extended from aspects including system material selection and intelligent integrated control, aiming to provide research directions for the low-energy-consumption operation of flywheel battery systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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31 pages, 2755 KB

Open AccessReview

Machine Learning in Maglev Transportation Systems: Review and Prospects

by Dachuan Liu, Donghua Wu, Junqi Xu, Yanmin Li, M. Zeeshan Gul and Fei Ni

Actuators 2025, 14(12), 576; https://doi.org/10.3390/act14120576 - 28 Nov 2025

Viewed by 1392

Abstract

Magnetic levitation (Maglev) technology has long garnered significant attention in the engineering community due to its inherent advantages, such as contactless operation, minimal friction losses, low noise, and high precision. Based on electromagnetic suspension (EMS) and electrodynamic principles, these systems are primarily developed for advanced transportation, while also inspiring emerging applications such as vibration isolation and flywheel energy storage. Despite progress, practical deployment faces critical challenges, including accurate modeling, robustness against nonlinear and uncertain dynamics, and control stability under complex conditions. Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly machine learning (ML) offers promising solutions. Studies show ML-based methods, i.e., improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) optimize proportional-integral-derivative (PID) to reduce controller output overshoot, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) reduces levitation gap fluctuation under complex conditions, ensemble learning achieves high fault diagnosis accuracy, and convolutional neural network-long short-term memory (CNN-LSTM) predictive maintenance cuts costs. This review summarizes recent AI-enabled advances in Maglev transportation system modeling, control, and optimization, highlighting representative algorithms, performance comparisons, technical challenges, and future directions toward intelligent, reliable, and energy-efficient transportation systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Magnetic Levitation and Actuator Integration: From Fundamental Research to Emerging Applications)

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