I-FORCE Ironless Motors

Ironless linear motors are also known as air-core linear motors. Ironless motors are characterized by having no attractive force towards the magnets. A coil assembly typically moves between two opposite facing rows of magnets.

Trilogy invented and patented (RE34674) the first Ironless motor to use thermally conductive epoxy together with the windings as a primary structural elements. This is now the standard construction method adopted and used by all of our competitors.

Trilogy developed a vacuum encapsulation process that allows our motors to be used in high vacuums found in semiconductor applications. Our vacuum molding process removes entrained and entrapped air that could possibly foul the process vacuum.

Ironless motors can have overlapping windings, creating the I-Beam shape, or non-overlapping windings creating a T-shape when the coil bar is included. Motors with overlapped, I-Beam, windings contain about 15% more copper and efficiency than the nonoverlapped windings. With the I-Beam shaped coil, less heat is produced for a given motor size. Alternately, a smaller I-Beam coil will deliver the same force as the T-shaped motor coil. The I-Beam shape also provides more top mounting surface area for heat removal.

Trilogy Ironless motors have molded-in Hall Effect Devices with 1 motor or 2 motor/HED cables coming out of the coil assembly. This approach, unique to Trilogy, protects the HED circuit board from the industrial environment and from mechanical damage.

Peak accelerations up to 15g and speeds to 350 inches/sec are possible. Accelerations of 3-7g's and 4m/sec are common. Positioning resolutions down to nanometers are also common.