​Z-DAMPER: A new technology for vibration control at extreme temperatures

There are different forms to reduce, mitigate or suppress vibrations. The simplest way is to increase the elasticity of the ground connections between a moving machine and a stable surface. Multiple solutions have been developed following this objective from elastic couplings to floating benches. All of them can provide a quite a good vibration isolation with an appropriate design. However, these are limited to normal temperature and relatively high frequencies (And involves large weights).

MAG SOAR engineers have just designed a new vibration control technology able to handle extreme temperature conditions at low and high frequencies thanks to mechanical impedance coupling. Z-DAMPER is a zero-backlash magneto-mechanism that has been optimized for matching mechanical impedances in order to control vibration propagation in a structure. 

Never before had impedance coupling been used for damping purposes, so Z-Damper represents a completely new concept for vibration control, as well as the first to reach temperatures as high as 250 ˚C and as low as 200 ˚C. All of this makes Z-Damper the perfect candidate for extreme temperature environments where lubrication and wear related problems can have catastrophic consequences.

In a nutshell, Z-DAMPER involves a qualitative leap in vibration attenuation presenting other additional advantages with respect to other damping systems like the absence of contact between movable members so wear and fatigue are minimized and no lubrication is needed. As a consequence, minimum maintenance is required and lifetime is maximized gently overpassing that of conventional mechanical devices.

Z-DAMPER can also be applied to enhance the efficiency of other damping systems, like eddy-current dampers and particularly, those with a poor performance at low-frequency vibrations. The working principle detailed in the recently published paper, “Z-Damper: a new paradigm for attenuation of vibrations”

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