Application of the Taguchi method for finite element analysis of a shear-type magnetorheological fluid damper

Abstract

A magnetorheological fluid damper is a device in which a magnetorheological fluid is filled in a damper. In this device, the magnetic field is controlled by an external current (voltage) so that the magnetic force of a piston inside the damper changes like an electromagnet. The damping force of the damper is controlled by changing the magnetic force of the piston. With the increasing magnetic force of the piston, the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid in the damper increases. The primary aim of this study was to maximize the magnetic flux density and identify the following influencing factors from the relevant literature: piston and outer tube materials, piston length, piston diameter, cylinder wall thickness, damper channel clearance, gap channel length, current, and magnetorheological fluid. A magnetic circuit analysis was performed using ANSYS Maxwell, and the optimal parameter combination was identified using the Taguchi method. The analysis of variance was used to examine the influence of various factors on quality characteristics. This study helps understand the relation between structure size, material, and magnetic flux density and contributes to future generations of magnetorheological fluid damper design analysis.