Method of identifying the impact of an armature onto an electromagnet on an electromagnetic switching arrangement

A method of controlling an electromagnetic actuator having at least one electromagnet and an armature that can be moved by the electromagnet coil generated magnetic forces in a direction counter to the force of a restoring spring associated with the electromagnet, and with the armature acting on a control element;

• said method comprising:
• initiating armature movement by supplying current to the electromagnet;
• measuring the current flowing through the coil of the electromagnet and providing a corresponding signal value;
• feeding the current value signal to a linear regulator as a control input;
• using the linear regulator, regulating the coil current for the electromagnet, via a control member for the coil current, to a constant value at a time prior to the anticipated time of impact of the armature on the pole face of the electromagnet;
• and deriving an identifying signal for armature impact from changes in the control variable of the regulator when the armature impacts during the constant-current phase.