Actively Controlled Damping in Electrorheological Fluid-Filled Engine Mounts

An adaptive engine mounting system is discussed that uses mounts filled with electrorheological (ER) fluid. The damping in the mounts is actively controlled based on feedback from sensors monitoring engine movement. Data are presented that demonstrate the performance of the adaptive system in controlling transient shocks superimposed on steady-state vibrations. These results were obtained using a custom-built test machine designed to simulate real-world operating conditions.