Browsing by Author "Malowicki, Mark"
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- Active Vibration Isolation Using an Induced Strain Actuator with Application to Automotive Seat SuspensionsMalowicki, Mark (Virginia Tech, 2000-06-22)The characteristics of an automotive passenger seat in response to vibrational excitations are examined and an active vibration isolation system incorporating smart materials is designed, built, and tested. Human sensitivity to vibration is discussed. Characteristics of road roughness are discussed and used to implement a representative test input to a passenger seat system. extsc{Matlab} is used to model the car seat and vehicle system with four degrees of freedom to determine actuator requirements. Selection and implementation of a low--profile, prestressed piezoceramic device into an active seat suspension system is described, and experimental results of the actuator assembly performance are presented. Vibration isolation is realized in an experimental setup representing one quarter of a seat and passenger's total mass, using one actuator assembly (representing one corner of the seat suspension). For an input power spectrum representative of a passenger vehicle environment, the smart material actuator assembly, as applied to a quarter seat experimental setup, is proven to be capable of isolating vibration with an isolation frequency of 2Hz and no resonant peak, versus 6Hz and a resonant peak of 2g/g for an actual passenger seat tested.
- Active Vibration Isolation Using an Induced Strain Actuator with Application to Automotive Seat SuspensionsMalowicki, Mark; Leo, Donald J. (Hindawi, 2001-01-01)Active vibration isolation of automotive seats requires actuators that achieve millimeter-range displacements and forces on the order of 300 N. Recent developments in piezoceramic actuator technology provide a means for achieving these force and displacement levels in a compact device. This work demonstrates that prestressed, curved piezoceramic actuators achieve the force and displacement levels required for active isolation of automotive seats. An estimate of the force and displacement requirements are obtained from numerical simulations on a four-degree-of-freedom car and seat model that utilize representive road accelerations as inputs. An actuator that meets these specifications is designed using piezoceramic materials. Free displacement of 4.4 mm and blocked force greater than 300 N are measured. The actuator is integrated within a dead mass setup that simulates the isolation characteristics of an automotive seat. Control experiments demonstrate that active vibration is achievable with realistic road disturbances. Feedback control is able to eliminate any amplification due to mechanical resonance and reduce the isolation frequency from 9.5 Hz to 2 Hz.