This paper presents the design and experimental validation of a self-contained rotating Halbach array—based demonstrator for electrodynamic suspension (EDS) systems. The proposed platform was developed to bridge the gap between conventional externally powered laboratory testbeds and large-scale EDS vehicles by enabling investigation of levitation behavior under realistic onboard mass and subsystem integration constraints. The system integrates rotating circular Halbach arrays, onboard power supply, sensing, motor control, and structural support within a single levitated architecture. Experimental validation was conducted under a constrained one-degree-of-freedom configuration allowing vertical motion only. The system achieved stable levitation of a 35 kg platform and supported additional payloads approaching a 1:2 ratio relative to the baseline mass, while maintaining air-gap stability within approximately ±0.1 mm. The experimental results further reveal that the operational limit of the system is governed by actuation power and current constraints rather than electromagnetic levitation capability, highlighting a key distinction between self-contained and externally powered EDS systems. The proposed demonstrator provides a compact and practical experimental platform for the validation and performance evaluation of Halbach-array-based EDS systems. In addition, the study presents practical engineering insights regarding payload distribution, actuator saturation, structural integration, and system-level design constraints relevant to future self-contained EDS platforms and control-oriented levitation systems.

Recent advances in transportation technologies highlight the demand for faster and more efficient systems. Magnetic levitation has emerged as a key enabler in high-speed concepts such as the Hyperloop by eliminating mechanical contact, reducing friction, and improving stability. Among the different approaches, electrodynamic suspension (EDS) with Halbach array permanent magnets offers a promising solution for contactless high-speed travel, yet accurately modeling its nonlinear levitation dynamics remains challenging. This study compares a physics-based analytical model with a data-driven fuzzy logic model for a rotating Halbach array EDS system. An analytical lift-force expression is derived from electromagnetic principles and validated via three-dimensional (3D) finite-element simulations and static experiments, and a dynamic model is formulated to relate levitation gap to rotor speed. In parallel, an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is trained on experimental input–output data. Experimental evaluation on an independent test record shows that the fuzzy model achieves a lower root mean square error (RMSE) than the analytical model (0.0298 mm vs. 0.1064 mm). This gap reflects limits of analytical models using simplified assumptions (e.g., uniform magnetization and idealized conductivity), missing nonlinear, frequency-dependent effects. By learning directly from experimental measurements, the ANFIS model captures the aggregate influence of unmodeled nonlinearities and experimental effects within the investigated operating range. Consequently, the ANFIS-based model provides a more accurate representation of the measured levitation dynamics under the tested conditions, indicating its potential for real-time modeling and control applications in EDS systems.