Based on the principles of support stiffness parameter of electromagnetic support varying with exciting current, an support style with parallel electromagnetic and mechanical support was proposed to make the machine system with variable stiffness supporting. By studying on the theoretical model of the electromagnetic support, the linearized rule and the rule of the system total stiffness being positive were obtained,on the basis of that the basic structure and characteristics of electromagnetic support were described, and the eccentricity of frame and dynamic gap affecting the electromagnetic support characteristics were also analyzed.The electromagnetic support stiffness and additional damping parameters of the cantilever beam system with parallel electromagnetic and mechanical support were identified. The results show that the experimental values of additional damping parameter are always far smaller than the theoretical values and can

be ignored, but the experimental values of stiffness parameter are accurate near the static operating point, which provides facts for the realization of variable stiffness supporting.ª¥