Magnetic Levitation Control System

This project involved designing and implementing a control system to achieve stable magnetic levitation using an inductor and a permanent magnet. This project required integrating various analog components, including Hall Effect sensors, op-amps, and N-channel MOSFETs, to create a system capable of levitating a magnet in a controlled magnetic field. The project, also explores two distinct approaches to control the system, each with its own advantages and challenges.

Key Features:
- Digital Control Approach: The first implementation used a basic on/off control system, where a comparator would switch the power to the inductor on or off depending on the magnet's position relative to a reference height. This method, while straightforward, was inherently unstable for this application due to the binary nature of the control, leading to oscillations and difficulty in maintaining a stable levitation point.
- Analog Control with Lead Compensation: The second approach introduced a more sophisticated control system using an analog lead compensator. This method improved the system's stability by providing proportional control, which smoothly adjusted the current to the inductor based on the magnet's distance from the desired levitation point. This resulted in a more stable levitation, overcoming the limitations of the digital on/off approach.
- Sensor Integration: Both approaches utilized a Hall Effect sensor to monitor the magnet's position in real time, providing the feedback necessary for control adjustments.
- Practical Experimentation: Through hands-on experimentation, the project demonstrated the limitations of simple digital control systems and the significant stability gains achieved with analog compensation techniques. Fine-tuning the control system with potentiometers allowed precise adjustments to the levitation height, showcasing the effectiveness of the analog control design.