This paper clearly delineates the problem of the design of electromagnetic actuators and presents it as an inverse problem. It discusses optimal formulations and explains the most general and rational way to solve this inverse problem. The methodology is based on the association of an exact interval global optimization algorithm and a new, more general analytical model that represents the structure and the composition of the actuators as well as their dimensions. The methodology can be considered both general and rational. The paper concludes with some practical examples of design that validate the approach.