Variable strength electromagnet help

Support
1

Hi everyone, I am new here and I am after some help with setting up a variable strength electromagnet for a project where I will be stretching a material. I am beginner so I don’t have any experience with this and was hoping to keep it relatively simple. I simply need to change the pull strength of an electromagnet and power this via mains power and also via a battery at times.
So far I have come up with things I may need:

  1. 5V Electromagnet- 10kg holding force
  2. Adafruit Crickit for circus playground express
  3. Potentiometer (I am not sure which one to use).

It would be great if this was standalone and did not need to use software. Any help with supplies required and how to set this up would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

2

Hey Simon,

Is the variable strength to be analogue or variable. If analogue a potentiometer based system is definitely the way to go, but as for the ‘mains power’ application I’d use an appropriate power supply and check that the current (power requirement) limitations of the magnet which you’re using don’t exceed your supply. Something like a bench power supply with a variable output like the kind used in Physics classes would be appropriate and would circumvent the requirement for any other circuitry. All the best with your project!

Bryce
Core Electronics | Support