Hello, I am not a mech/elec engineer, rocket scientist or electrician even. I am an artist that is trying to reinvent the wheel, so to speak. If anyone is willing to help I am all ears.
I have constructed a solenoid of sorts. The plunger is a half inch diameter neodymium magnet. It gave me more "push" than a ferrite plunger I found. The plunger has to only move at the most 5 mm and as little as 2mm. The "return" stroke (pull back in) is currently supplied via a stationary neo mag net a the opposite end of the coil. Think spring here. The stationary magnet holds plunger in place until I pulse the coil. The plunger extends and then it is pulled back in via magnetics.
I am trying to vary the pulses from 90Hz to 140Hz. I have tried multiple 555 timer type PWM's but I either cant get them to work or they all seem to overheat (the circuit and the solenoid). The last one melted my breadboard and MOSFET together within a couple minutes. Unfortunately this was best achievement, i was able to get up to 30Hz till it all went up in a puff of smoke.
So can anyone tell me a few things.
First: Can a "solenoid" that is no more than 1.5 inches diameter be continually used as an oscillating piston type device, using a .5in X 1in plunger, for long durations of time. i.e...1 hour or more with brief moments of off time?
second: If it is mechanically possible, is there a circuit that can achieve the desired pulsing that I need. Im not sure of the exact amount of force that I need the solenoid to pulse at. But if I manually pulse a 35V 22uF cap (barney style, I tap the neg leg of the solenoid to one end of the cap rapidly) I can achieve the desired pulse in slow motion. I worry that if I can reach up to 140Hz the plunger will just stay pushed out instead of competing the fully pulled in/pushed out cycle. Im up for trying to build my own circuit , purchasing a micro-controller if need be, or outright purchasing a driver that can handle what I need to do. just need the advice on where to start heading.
Any info is helpful at this time. thanks guys
I have constructed a solenoid of sorts. The plunger is a half inch diameter neodymium magnet. It gave me more "push" than a ferrite plunger I found. The plunger has to only move at the most 5 mm and as little as 2mm. The "return" stroke (pull back in) is currently supplied via a stationary neo mag net a the opposite end of the coil. Think spring here. The stationary magnet holds plunger in place until I pulse the coil. The plunger extends and then it is pulled back in via magnetics.
I am trying to vary the pulses from 90Hz to 140Hz. I have tried multiple 555 timer type PWM's but I either cant get them to work or they all seem to overheat (the circuit and the solenoid). The last one melted my breadboard and MOSFET together within a couple minutes. Unfortunately this was best achievement, i was able to get up to 30Hz till it all went up in a puff of smoke.
So can anyone tell me a few things.
First: Can a "solenoid" that is no more than 1.5 inches diameter be continually used as an oscillating piston type device, using a .5in X 1in plunger, for long durations of time. i.e...1 hour or more with brief moments of off time?
second: If it is mechanically possible, is there a circuit that can achieve the desired pulsing that I need. Im not sure of the exact amount of force that I need the solenoid to pulse at. But if I manually pulse a 35V 22uF cap (barney style, I tap the neg leg of the solenoid to one end of the cap rapidly) I can achieve the desired pulse in slow motion. I worry that if I can reach up to 140Hz the plunger will just stay pushed out instead of competing the fully pulled in/pushed out cycle. Im up for trying to build my own circuit , purchasing a micro-controller if need be, or outright purchasing a driver that can handle what I need to do. just need the advice on where to start heading.
Any info is helpful at this time. thanks guys