MAGNETIC PERSONALITY FOR THE CTS?Delphi will supply its "MagneRide" system in the first production application of magneto-rheological [MR] shock absorbers Shock absorbers See: Circuit breakers . The 2002 Cadillac Seville The Cadillac Seville is a luxury car that was manufactured occasionally by the Cadillac division of American automaker General Motors as a specialty model in the 1950s and 60s, and a regular production vehicle from 1975 to 2004. will be fitted with four suspension displacement sensors, a lateral accelerometer accelerometer Instrument that measures acceleration. Because it is difficult to measure acceleration directly, the device measures the force exerted by restraints placed on a reference mass to hold its position fixed in an accelerating body. , a steering wheel angle sensor, and the MR dampers that make up the MagneRide system. What makes this technology unique is its reliance on iron particles suspended in synthetic fluid to control vehicle ride motions. Non-MR shock absorbers use engineered orifices to adjust the speed of the fluid inside the unit, and thus control ride motions along a predefined curve. Electronically controlled versions expand the performance envelope by rotating a rod containing multiple orifices to change the damping damping In physics, the restraint of vibratory motion, such as mechanical oscillations, noise, and alternating electric currents, by dissipating energy. Unless a child keeps pumping a swing, the back-and-forth motion decreases; damping by the air's friction opposes the Force. Unfortunately, each damping curve is fixed, and the electronic switching slow enough to limit effectiveness. Less costly "passive" adjustable units, on the other hand, rely upon grooves Formed in the shock's inner walls to alter the damping curve. Oil flows Freely along these channels at slow wheel speeds [For a smooth ride], while Fast wheel movements use oil pressure to block the passages and increase the damping Force. There is no harsh switchover switch·o·ver n. A complete shift, as from one system to another. between the damping curves, but damping options are limited. Magneto-rheological dampers use an electromagnetic coil inside the damper's piston to increase the fluid's viscosity by aligning the magnetic particles when a current is applied. This on-off process can be controlled with great accuracy, allowing the creation of a near-infinite number of damping curves within the limits of the system. Developing a synthetic fluid capable of keeping the iron particles from clumping clumping /clump·ing/ (klump´ing) the aggregation of particles, such as bacteria, into irregular masses. clump·ing n. The massing together of bacteria or other cells suspended in a fluid. together was a distinct challenge, especially when the vehicle sits for extended periods. Delphi engineers say the work was worth the effort given the technology's advantages. It can be used to adjust the vehicle's dive, squat, and roll rates by adjusting the shock absorbers' damping rates individually, or in pairs. Delphi says the shock absorbers are adjusted every millisecond One thousandth of a second. See space/time and ohnosecond. (unit) millisecond - (ms) One thousandth of a second, one thousand microseconds. A long time for a modern computer. based on readings From displacement sensors at each wheel, though it is not the "active" system the company claims it to be. A fully active suspension active suspension active n (Aut) → aktives or computergesteuertes Fahrwerk nt moves each wheel up and down independently, usually by way of high-pressure hydraulic rams. MagneRide adjusts the damping force at each corner of the vehicle in reaction to inputs from the road. Look For it to be bundled with Delphi's Traxxar stability system in future applications. |
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