Dynamic Analysis of Aerostatic Guideway and FEA Model Development

A dynamically optimal design is essential for a motion system to perform high speed operation without compromising its accuracy, settling time and vibration specification. Good design practice which accounts for dynamic characteristics in the modelling of a motion system warrants higher performance precision machines and cuts down redevelopment effort to ‘patch’ inherent shortcoming of the machine dynamics. This research aimed to accurately describe the non-linear dynamics of a non-mechanical contact aerostatic guideway system in order to achieve an accurate FEA model of the design stage. The single axis aerostatic guideway is comprised of several machine in¬terfaces that impact the dynamic behaviour of the guideway. Modelling each air bear¬ing pad by a single stiffness element is not adequate to predict the guideway modal behaviour accurately. The aerostatic guideway has been broken down into several key machine interface elements. In-depth investigation of the air film and the air bearing mounting mechanism was carried out. A dedicated air film test rig was designed and built to acquire insight of the air film dynamic characteristics. It is observed that the mounting mechanism of the air bearing constitutes to a signifi-cant dynamic effect to the entire air bearing setup. Based on the findings of the mount-ing mechanism’s stiffness properties, a method was developed to estimate ‘true’ air gap heights which cannot be easily assessed and measured directly in most aerostatic guideway carriages. The estimation method enables a more rigorous FE model of the aerostatic guideway system. The comprehensive dynamic analysis methodology pro-posed in this research greatly increases the confidence and accuracy of the aerostatic guideway’s FE model.