An Optimisation Study of the Drive Mechanism of Lifting Permanent Magnet

The high energy consumption associated with lifting electromagnets has prompted the development of new energy-saving lifting permanent magnets, which have attracted considerable attention within the academic and industrial communities. However, the existing lifting permanent magnet transmission mechanism is encumbered by two significant drawbacks: a considerable weight and a high manufacturing cost. These deficiencies have a deleterious effect on the efficiency of the lifting permanent magnet. In order to address these issues, this paper employs a topology optimisation method and static simulation analysis utilising finite element technology with the objective of achieving a structural optimisation design for the crane arm and drive shaft. Following optimisation, a reduction in the weight of the crane arm and drive shaft of 26% and 5%, respectively, was achieved, thus meeting the desired lightweight target. Finally, the reliability of the optimised drive structure and the feasibility of the proposed optimisation method are further verified through experiments conducted on the physical prototype.