Control Strategies for the Electromagnetic Levitated and Guided Vehicles of SwissMetro

Electromagnetic levitated and guided system are commonly used in the field of high speed vehicles, tool machines, frictionless bearings and conveyor systems. This paper compares various control strategies for the position control of the electromagnetic levitated and guided vehicles of SwissMetro. In particular, we discuss the state control, the adaptive state control, the non linear feedback and the sensorless control. The controllers are based either on a voltage command or on a current command. Part of the control strategies presented have been validated on a real test bed.