Has anyone ever tried to use a Halbach array as the beginning stator magnet of a setup like the Minato wheel, or any other design that hits a similar sticky?
Instead of looking for sheilding to do the job, just redirect the flux. Or maybe use a Halbach array on the rotor as well so that they don't "kick" off of eachother till it's too late and in the right direction. Just an idea to try and reduce the "back flux" that is encountered at the sticky point and hoping the momentum of the wheel will carry back into starting position.
I don't have the setup or experience to test this theory, but I'm getting started very soon. I've ordered my first set of neos and should be receiving them soon. Unfortunately mine are disc neos and I'm not certain how to build a Halbach out of them. I can see how cubes would be easy to fit together but not discs.
I doubt that you could build an effective halbach array out of disc
magnets. There are several people selling cube neodymuim on Ebay:
http://search.ebay.co.uk/neodymium_W0QQcatrefZC3QQfromZR2
Paul.