Magnetic Levitation

Popular Electronics, May 1996

Popular Electronics published their new levitator design around the time Electronics Now offered an updated design. This article is reprinted by permission of the author, James Cicon.

The sensor is an IR emitter-detector pair, but here it relies on reflectance from the suspended object. This simplifies assembly, but some adjustment may be needed when you change objects. A stability control lets you adjust for oscillation. A "flying height" control lets you adjust for reflectance of different objects, as well as adjust the gap. Good instructions are included for building your own lifting coil.

This is a modern design where the components are still easy to find in the year 2010.

Photo of levitator

Build a Magnetic Ball Levitator

Learn all about closed-loop systems while you build a great conversation piece.

by James Cicon, Popular Electronics, May 1996

You can also view this article as a PDF file.(PDF file)

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