Hybrid design optimization methodology for electromechanical linear actuators in automotive LED headlights

Đurić, Mario (author), Selak, Luka (author), Bračun, Drago (author)

The development of electromechanical linear actuators (EMLAs) aims at compactness, energy efficiency, and high reliability. Conventional design methods often rely on costly prototypes and individual considerations of mechanics, electromagnetics, and control dynamics. This leads to long development cycles, inadequate treatment of nonlinear effects, and suboptimal performance. To address these challenges, our paper introduces a novel hybrid design methodology, integrating Analytical Modeling, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Genetic Algorithms (GAs), and targeted experiments. Analytical Modeling provides rapid sizing, FEA combined with a GA refines geometry, and targeted experiments quantify nonlinear effects (friction, wear, thermal variability, and dynamic resonances). Unlike conventional methods, the integration is performed within iterative loops, using empirical data to refine simulation assumptions. As a result, development time is reduced by 30% and nonlinear effects are precisely addressed. The method is demonstrated on an automotive-grade EMLA. Its design is based on a claw-pole Permanent Magnet Stepper Motor, a trapezoidal lead screw, and an open-loop control with Hall effect end-position detection. After applying the method, the EMLA delivers more than 40 N of push force and achieves 600,000 actuations under the required conditions, making it suitable for various applications.

• Language: English
• Keywords: hybrid design methodology, actuator, electromechanical linear actuator, EMLA, system optimization, automotive LED headlights, targeted experiments for nonlinear effects
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 30 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 14, issue 10, art. 465
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-174055
• UDC: 621
• ISSN on article: 2076-0825
• DOI: 10.3390/act14100465
• COBISS.SI-ID: 250585859
• Publication date in RUL: 26.09.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Actuators
• Shortened title: Actuators
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2076-0825
• COBISS.SI-ID: 522943513

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P2-0270
• Name: Proizvodni sistemi, laserske tehnologije in spajanje materialov