New MR damper from Reactec revolutionises vibration isolation

Citation

(2006), "New MR damper from Reactec revolutionises vibration isolation", Assembly Automation, Vol. 26 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/aa.2006.03326aaf.001

New MR damper from Reactec revolutionises vibration isolation

New MR damper from Reactec revolutionises vibration isolation

Keywords: Vibration, Assembly

Reactec have launched a high performance magneto-rheological damper device that offers significant benefits over conventional variable dampers (Plate 1).

Plate 1 The new magneto-rheological damper from Reactec

Unlike hydraulic actuators, there are no electromechanical valves or small moving parts which means operation is virtually silent and offers enhanced durability and reliability within high operating tolerances. In addition, hydraulic actuators rarely cope with anything above 20Hz as they have a slow response time, while the semi-active nature of the technology removes the problems of instability that can occur with fully active systems.

The damper's small design enables it to be incorporated easily into existing designs with minimum impact. The damper design is fully scalable and variations currently in development include applications ranging from hand-held tools to suspended flooring for ships. When incorporated into a spring-damper system, and with suitable electronic control, it can significantly reduce both resonance and forced frequencies to sensitive machinery and equipment, eliminating the trade-off present in other systems.

Key benefits of the Reactec MR damper include:

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  No need to replace or reconfigure the damper if vibration frequencies/ amplitude or load of the equipment being isolated changes. The vibration control technology automatically adapts negating the need for any expensive downtime changing or reconfiguring isolation devices.

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  Its unique diaphragm-sealed design makes the damper ideal for a wide range of applications from harsh environments to the most stringent clean room conditions.

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  With ruggedness a key feature the damper's long lifetime and maintenance-free design further reduces overall operating costs.

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  Compact design means the damper can be retrofitted as well as easily fitted to new installations.

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  Combined with Reactec's Intelligent Control Unit, the MR damper offers a total solution to vibration isolation.

For further details please visit www.reactec.com or call 0131 472 4806.