Outlook on the dynamic behavior of an magnetorheological squeeze-mode damper prototype

Magnetorheological dampers have been useful tools in research and real-life projects in areas related to vibration damping and vibration isolation. At the same time, research data indicate that their transient performance is influenced by electromagnetic circuit characteristics, driving electronics, control approach, and fluid’s own dynamics. When compared to standard flow mode (valve mode), device squeeze-mode magnetorheological hardware featuring a control gap of varying height according to prescribed force or displacement is further complicated by both complex dynamics of the fluid flow and the electromagnetic circuit. As such, the primary purpose of this article is to provide an outlook on dynamic aspects of magnetorheological dampers operating in squeeze mode. In this study, the authors examined the transient behavior of a prototype damper subjected to mechanical and electrical stimuli. In particular, the work includes a comparison of the experimental results obtained for a damper subjected to voltage step inputs (open loop) and controlled inputs (closed loop), respectively. An attempt to extract magnetic flux data was performed, too. The results show that a proportional–integral–derivative controller allows for accelerating the current response time of the squeeze-mode actuator. However, observations of the flux preliminary data indicate that the transient performance of the device actuator is severely influenced by both piston position (control gap height) and current in the control coil. The results reveal that the electromagnetic circuit response is a major contributor to the actuator’s dynamics and a particular care needs to be undertaken in future projects to design an efficient magnetorheological squeeze-mode damper system.