The Technology and Application of Voice Coil
Actuator
X.M.Feng1, Z.J.Duan1, Y.Fu2, A.L.Sun1
1.The Department of Military Logistics
2.The Department of Equipment Support
The Academy of Military Transportation
Tianjin, China
e-mail: xiaomeif99@163.com
AbstractBased on the Lorentz Force Principle, voice coil
actuator is a new-style versatile direct drive motors with special
structure. Easy to be controlled, with high acceleration, high
speed, high reliability, pony size, smooth force and fast actuation
make it an ideal replacement for conventional electric motor. In
this paper, the operation principle of voice coil actuator is
expatiated, its sizing is discussed. And its current application
fields is detailed.
Keywords- voice coil actuator; Lorentz Force; technique principle;
application
I. INTRODUCTION
Voice coil actuators (VCA) are versatile direct drive,
hystersis-free, non-commuted limited motion servo motors
with linear control characteristics. They are virtually ideal
servo devices. The fundamental of voice coil actuators is they
employ a permanent magnet field assembly in conjunction with
a coil winding to produce a force proportional to the current
applied to the coil [1-3].
Originally used in audio loudspeakers, voice coil actuators
have gained recognition and acceptance in applications where
proportional or tight servo control is a necessity. Now, the
devices are used in linear and rotary motion applications
requiring high acceleration, high frequency actuation, and flat
force and displacement output. Typical applications for voice
coils include head positioning in computer hard disk drives, X
and Y positioning stages for machine tools; semiconductor
fabrication and packaging and so on [3-5].
II. VCA TECHNOLOGIES
The fundamentals of voice coil actuators are discussed in
follow. Including the magnetic circuit configurations and the
electronic systems theory
A. Magnetics
As shown in Fig.1, the electromechanical conversion
mechanism of a VCA is governed by the Lorentz Force
Principle. The law of physics states that if a current-carrying
conductor is placed in a magnetic field, a force, F, will act
upon it. The magnitude of this force is destiny, B, the current , I,
and the orientation of the field and current vectors.
Furthermore, if a total of N conductors of length L are placed in
978-1-4244-9439-2/11/$26.00 2011 IEEE
892
D.W.Zhang
School of Mechanical Engineering
Tianjin University
Tianjin, China
the magnetic field, the force acting upon those conductors is
shown by Equation(1):
F = kBLIN (1)
where k equals a constant.
In Fig.1, the direction of the force generated is a function of
the direction current and magnetic field vectors. Specifically, it
is the cross-product of the two vectors. If current flow is
reversed, the direction of the force on the conductor will also
reverse. If the magnetic field and the conductor length are
constant, as they are in a VCA, Then the generated force is
directly proportional to the input current.
Coil
Inner Core
Figure1. Lorentz Force Principle
Steel Flux Return
Permanent Magnet
Coil Holder
Working Air Gap
Tubular Coil
Figure2. Linear VCA Principle
In its simplest form, a linear VCA is a tubular coil of wire
situated within a radially-oriented DC magnetic field, as shown
in Fig.2. This magnetic field is produced by permanent
magnets embedded on the inside diameter of a ferromagnetic
cylinder, arranged so that the magnets facing the coil are all of
the same polarity. An inner core of ferromagnetic material set
along the axial centerline of the coil, joined at one end to the
permanent magnet assembly, is used to complete the magnetic
circuit. When current is applied to the circumferentially-wound
coil, it interacts with the radial magnetic field of the permanent
magnet assembly via the Lorentz Force Principle to create an is the product of load mass, m L+C, and load acceleration, a, as
axial force between the coil and magnet assemblies. shown in equation (3).
If one were flatten the linear VCA from a round tube to a Fm = mL +C a (3)
flat tube, then bend the two ends to form a planar arc, you will
have a rotary VCA. Such devices can also be used as limited (2) RMS Force
angle torquer. Rotary VCA generate force in an identical RMS(Root-Mean-Square) force is used to approximate the
manner to the linear VCA. However, rotary voice coil ratings average continuous force requirement of an applications. It is
are in units of torque, instead of force, because force is described by the following equation:
generated along the circumference of an arc (i.e., Torque =
FP 2t1 + (FL + FF )2 t2 + (Fm FL FF )2 t3
Force Radius). Fig. 3 depicts a rotary VCA. FRMS = (4)
t1 + t2 + t3 + t4
Flattened Coil
Permanent Magnet where t1 is the acceleration time, is the run time, t2 is the
deceleration time, and t3 is the dwell time in a move profile.
(3) Linear Velocity
Velocity, v, is also dictated by the configuration of the
mechanical system coupled to the actuator coil and by the type
Coil Bracket Steel Flux Return of move that is to be effected. Fig.4 relates rated velocity to
Lever Point average velocity for point-to-point positioning move profiles.
Figure3. Rotary VCA
vmax

B. Electronics
The VCA is a single phase, two terminal device. Application
of a voltage across the two coil leads generates a current in the
winding, producing a force on the coil directly proportional to (1/4)D (1/2)D (1/4)D
the current and causing the coil to move axially along the air
gap(Fig.2). The direction of movement is determined by the t1 t2 t3 t4
direction of current flow in the wire. When the coil moves (a) Trapezoidal move
through the permanent magnet field, a voltage (i.e., the "back
emf") proportional to the coil velocity, the magnetic field, and vmax
the length of the conductor is induced across the coil. The
power supply used to drive a VCA must provide sufficient
current to meet the application's force requirements. It must
also provide sufficient voltage to overcome the back emf at
(1/2)D (1/2)D
maximum coil velocity and to allow for the resistive and
inductive voltage drops across the winding.
t1 t3 t4
(b) Triangular Move
III. VCA SELECTION
Figure4. Point-to-point Motion
A. Linear Actuators where: vmax = rated operating speed of actuator, mm/sec
In general, four parameters will determine actuator selection: vTRAP = average speed of actuator for a specified
peak force requirement (FP), trapezoidal move, mm/sec
vTRI = average speed of actuator for a specified
RMS force requirement (FRMS), triangular move, mm/sec
linear velocity (v),and D = total distance traveled, by moving coil
t1 = acceleration time, seconds
total stroke or move distance (D). t2 = run time, seconds
(1) Peak Force t3 = deceleration time, seconds
Peak force, FP is the sum of the force due to load, FL, friction t4 = dwell time, seconds.
FF, and the acceleration of mass Fm: And in Fig.4(a), for acceleration portion of curve:
vmax + 0 (1 / 4 )D , D (5)
FP = FL + FF + Fm (2) = v = max
2 t1 2t1
Looking at the separate components, the force due to the for entire move:
load is the force acting directly against the actuator at all time.
vTRAP =
[(1 / 4)D + (1 / 2)D + (1 / 4)D] = D (6)
The force due to friction is determined by the mechanical (t1 + t 2 + t3 ) 3t1
configuration of the complete motion assembly and includes vmax D / 2t1 3 i.e.,
such factors as bearings, grease,linkages, surface-to-surface = = vmax = 1.5vTRAP (7)
vTRAP D / 3t1 2
contracts, etc. Finally, the force due to the acceleration of mass
And in Fig.4(b), for acceleration portion of curve:

893
 vmax + 0 (1 / 2 )D , D (8) (W / g )R 2 WR 2 WR 2
= v max = J= = =
2 t1 t1 2 2g (
2 9804.4 mm / Sec 2 ) (13)
for entire move:
[(1 / 2 )D + (1 / 2 )D ] = D (9)
(
= 5.1181 10 5 2
Sec / mm R W ) 2

vTRI =
(t1 + t 3 ) 2t1 (3) Solid cylinder (about center diameter)
vmax
=
D / t1
= 2 i.e., vmax = 2vTRAP (10) J=
(W / g )R 2 + (W / g )L2 =
(
W 3 R 2 + L2 )
vTRAI D / 2t1 4 12 (
12 9804.4 mm / Sec 2 ) (14)
(4) Stroke (
= 8.6614 10 6
)(
Sec / mm 3 R 2 + L2 W
2
)
Stroke may be specified as the total displacement from one (4) Solid cylinder (about axis through end)
end of travel to the other end, or as a plus/minus displacement
from a mid-stroke reference point. J=
(W / g )R 2 + (W / g )L2 =
(
W 3 R 2 + 4 L2 )
4 3 (
12 9804 .4 mm / Sec 2 ) (15)
B. Rotary Actuators = (8.6614 10 6
Sec 2
/ mm )(3 R 2
+ 4L 2
)W
The four parameters required for proper sizing of linear
actuators have rotary equivalents: IV. APPLYING VCA
peak torque requirement (TP),
RMS torque requirement (TRMS), A. Theroy Foundation
As shown in equation (1), the force produced by permanent
angular velocity (),and magnet, linear VCA is linearly proportional to the current
angular displacement or stroke. through its coil. The ratio of the force to current is called the
The rotary equivalent to the acceleration force equation is force constant, KF, of VCA:
shown in equation (11): F = kBLIN kBLN = F / I K F = F / I
TJ = J L+C a ( K F = T / I : rotary equivalent) (16)
(11)
Where TJ is the torque required to accelerate a body about
axis located at its center of mass, JL+C is the sum of the actuator UC (=I R )
coil and reflected load inertias, and a is the loads angular
acceleration rate. U VCA
UB(= v KB)

UL (=L d I /dt)
Figure 6. VCA Equivalent Circuit

Fig.6 depicts the equivalent circuit of the VCA. When a

voltage, U, is applied across the terminals, a current, I,
circulates through windings of resistance, R. At the same time,
the actuator generates a back electromotive force (EMF), UB.
This back EMF is proportional to the speed of the moving coil
by a constant, KB:
U B = vK B = v(1.356 K F )
( U B = K B (0.0071K F ) : rotary equivalent) (17)
Figure5. Objects and Rotational Inertias In addition, the actuator coil has an inductive voltage drop:
dI (18)
UL = L
Fig.5 illustrates four objects rotated about an axis and dt
equations describing the corresponding rotational inertias. In Letting UC represent the IR drop across the coil, application
all cases, m is the mass of object. For objects of known weight, of Kirchoffs Voltage Law thus gives the equation that
W, substitute W/g for m. describes the VCA:
(1) Hollow cylinder (about cylinder axis)
(W / g ) ( R 1 2 + R2 2 )= (
W R1 2 + R 2 2 ) U = UC +U B +U L (19)
J =
2 (
2 9804.4 mm / Sec 2 ) (12) It is possible to derive all of the parameters needed in sizing
(
= 5.1181 10 5 2
)(
Sec / mm R 1 + R 2 2 2
)W and applying VCA.
(2) Solid cylinder (about cylinder axis)

894
B. Force Control Operation As shown in Fig.11 and Fig.12, other voice coil applications
In its simplest servo form, the VCA is used as a force requiring high speed and acceleration include precision
generator, where velocity and position are not critical positioning device and semiconductor fabrication [2,8-10].
considerations. In this mode, an operational amplifier is used to
adjust the current level applied to an actuator based on the V. CONCLUSIONS
signal generated from some feedback element that senses force, Voice coil actuators are simple, two-terminal, non-
directly or indirectly. Fig.7 illustrates the force mode block commutated electromagnetic devices increasingly employed in
diagram. a wide variety of linear and rotary motion systems. Their fast,
U (=IR)
smooth, cog-free, hysteresis-free response characteristics make
Compactor Amplifier VCA voice coils ideal for applications requiring high speed and
acceleration, linear force or torque response and tight servo
U O(=IR) control.

IO R
VCA VCA
Figure7. Force Control Mode

C. Position Control Operation

In position control mode, additional feedback elements are
added to the system. Feedback devices are needed to sense the
velocity and position, because the system has to operate in 
more than one mode. As shown in Fig.8, a block diagram XY Table XY Table
corresponding to the dual control mode, point-to-point move
Figure11. VCA Used in X-Y Table
is illustrated.
U OP Power
Compactor
AMP AMP

Velocity control V
compensation P C P
A

Position control
compensation Figure12. VCA Used in Bonding Head

Figure8. Position Control Mode

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