Research for New Vibration Isolation Techniques: From Hydro-Mounts to Active Mounts

<div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper is a summary of the research carried out to improve vibration isolation techniques.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">We first recall the problem of isolating a vibrating machine in a vehicle, and the present answer : hydro-mounts. Then, we expose the trade-offs that still have to be reached, in the specific case of automotive engine mounts.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">One possible improvement is adaptive mounts, whose transfer function can be varied according to the different operating conditions of the vehicle. This has led to the study of “smart fluids” which can be controlled by an electric or magnetic field, but are in competition with mechanical actuation.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The other way of improvement is active mounts, which are actually vibration generators. They are controlled to produce a secondary vibration which cancels out the primary unwanted vibration. To make an active mount compatible in weight, size and price with automotive use, it was necessary to develop a new type of electric actuator. Promising results have been obtained with prototypes.</div>