DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE OF A MR TORQUE TRANSFER DEVICE

Authors

  • Kevin E. Molyet The University of Toledo - M.I.M.E. Department, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA
  • Constantin Ciocanel The University of Toledo - M.I.M.E. Department, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA
  • Hideki Yamamoto Decoma International, Inc. 600 Wilshire Dr., Troy, Michigan 48084, USA
  • Nagi G. Naganathan Decoma International, Inc. 600 Wilshire Dr., Troy, Michigan 48084, USA

Keywords:

magnetorheological (MR) fluid, clutch, torque prediction.

Abstract

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids possess the unique ability to undergo dramatic and nearly completely reversible changes in their rheological properties under the application of a magnetic field. These controllable fluids can serve as quiet, rapid interfaces between electronic controls and mechanical systems. One area of application is to use these fluids in torque transfer devices, such as clutches and brakes. After determining MR fluid properties and behavior using a rheometer, a parallel disk type MR clutch was successfully developed, which utilized a stationary electromagnetic coil. Finite element analysis was used to design the coil and clutch assembly in order to maximize the magnetic field generated within the MR fluid. The resulting magnetic field was uniform over the active portion of the clutch, easily controllable by adjusting the current passing through the coil, and provided a large range of field strength values. The experimentally measured output torque was generally in good agreement with predicted values. This work details the design considerations and methodology used to develop this clutch, which can be extended to the design of other MR devices.

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Author Biographies

Kevin E. Molyet, The University of Toledo - M.I.M.E. Department, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA

Kevin Molyet He earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from The University of Toledo. As a member of the Dynamic and Smart Systems Laboratory, he performed graduate level research on smart materials, including piezoceramics and magnetorheological (MR) fluids. He also worked as a teaching assistant in the M.I.M.E. Department, as well as taught Statics for the Department of Civil Engineering. He is currently an adjunct professor at Owens Community College in Toledo.

Constantin Ciocanel, The University of Toledo - M.I.M.E. Department, 2801 W. Bancroft St., Toledo, Ohio 43606, USA

Constantin Ciocanel Graduated with bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in mechanical engineering from the “Gh. Asachi” Technical University of Iasi, Romania and with a Ph.D. from The University of Toledo (Ohio, USA). He has expertise in elasticity, piezoceramics and field responsive particulate suspensions. His current interest is in constitutive modeling and applications for magnetorheological (MR) fluids. He is coauthor of 29 publications in international journals and conference proceedings.

Hideki Yamamoto, Decoma International, Inc. 600 Wilshire Dr., Troy, Michigan 48084, USA

Hideki Yamamoto Graduated in mechanical systems engineering from Yamagata University (Japan), got his master’s degree in mechanical engineering and his Ph.D. in Materials Science and Energy Engineering from the same university in 2001. He served as a post-doctoral associate at The University of Toledo (Ohio, U.S.A.) from 2002 to 2004. His graduate and post-graduate research has involved studying smart fluids. He is currently employed by Decoma International, Inc. in Troy, Michigan.

Nagi G. Naganathan, Decoma International, Inc. 600 Wilshire Dr., Troy, Michigan 48084, USA

Nagi Ganapathy Naganathan He is currently serving as Dean of the College of Engineering at The University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio. He is also a tenured Professor of the M.I.M.E. Department, where he previously served as chairperson. Dr. Naganathan’s research interest is in the area of smart material systems and structures. He is author of more than 90 publications in peer-reviewed journals and in national and international conference proceedings.

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Published

2006-11-01

How to Cite

Molyet, K. E., Ciocanel, C., Yamamoto, H., & Naganathan, N. G. (2006). DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE OF A MR TORQUE TRANSFER DEVICE. International Journal of Fluid Power, 7(3), 21–28. Retrieved from https://journals.riverpublishers.com/index.php/IJFP/article/view/550

Issue

2006: Vol 07 Iss 3

Section

Original Article