Nominated for the Mignot Prize 2006, an award for the best graduation project at Eindhoven University of Technology. 13 Projects were selected from all 2007 TU/e graduation projects.

This thesis describes the findings of research into the feasibility and design issues related to design an active suspension system with electromagnetic devices. Relevant literature has been searched for commercial applications in the area of active suspension, which has illustrated the importance of a concurrent engineering approach to system design. Force envelope, duty cycle and thermal endurance for vehicle roll control is obtained using extensive mechanical modelling. Further, experimental measurements, conducted at the TNO Automotive test facility in Helmond, Netherlands, on passive commercial suspension struts have provided requirements for space envelope, spring characteristics and damping characteristics. The obtained data are assembled to provide general requirements for an active automotive suspension. A tubular actuator topology, for placement parallel to a mechanical spring, is obtained with size optimisation, using a combination of both Lorentz and differential methods. It needs noting that this optimisation uses full pitch magnets and a brushless DC topology, hence, does not include the minimised cogging force or force ripple. Since a dearth in publications on design methodology of tubular actuators exists, a novel 2D representation of the tubular actuator is introduced, and, using the conventional axisymmetrical model, verified for back- EMF, inductance and cogging force. This 2D model enables separation of cogging force components, which is subsequently used to reduce this cogging by skewing. Feasible topologies for skewing in the tubular actuator are obtained, after which the Multilayers 2D method is used to simulate the effects of skewing on cogging force and back-EMF. Further, a novel tubular ELectro MAgnetic SPring (ELMASP), based on reluctance force, is proposed, replacing a conventional passive spring-damper system in wheel suspension systems. A Magnetic Equivalent Circuit (MEC) model is derived for a simplified ELMASP, and compared to Finite Element Analysis (FEA). To verify the MEC and FEA results, a prototype is manufactured to verify the static forces calculated by MEC and FEA. Good agreement has been found between the measurements and the various predicted forces, which provides the fundamental predicted and measured verification for the innovative design of a full-size ELMASP that incorporates an adjustable spring stiffness.