International Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics Design and Performance Evaluation of a Self-Controlled Magneto-Rheological Damper Mohammad Meftahul Ferdaus, M M Rashid, M.M.I. Bhuiyan, and Asan Gani Bin Abdul Muthalif Department of Mechatronics Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Malaysia Abstract—Magneto-rheological (MR) dampers are semi-active control devices and use MR fluids. Magneto-rheological dampers have successful applications in mechatronics engineering, civil engineering and numerous areas of engineering. At present, traditional MR damper systems, require an isolated power supply and dynamic sensor, which requires large space. This paper presents the achievability and accuracy of a self-controlled, i.e., self-powered and self-sensing magneto-rheological damper using harvested energy from the vibration and shock environment in which it is deployed. Another important part of this paper is the increased yield stress of the Magneto-rheological Fluids. Magneto-rheological fluids that use replacement of glass beads for Magnetic Particles to surge yield stress is implemented here. Clearly this shows better result on yield stress, viscosity, and settling rate. The permanent magnet generator (PMG) is designed and attached to a MR damper. For evaluating the self-powered MR damper’s vibration mitigating capacity, an Engine Mount System using the MR damper is simulated with the help of ANSYS software. The ideal stiffness of the PMG for the Engine Mount System (EMS) is calculated by numerical study. The vibration mitigating performance of the EMS employing the self-powered & self-sensing MR damper is theoretically calculated and evaluated in the frequency domain. Keywords—Self-powered, MR damper, finite element, self -controlled. I. INTRODUCTION AGNETO-RHEOLOGICAL (MR) fluids is a sort of smart material. By changing external magnetic field strength the rheological properties of MR fluids can be varied. Such fluids consist of micron-sized particles, made of magnetic material, suspended in a carrier fluid, normally a type of oil. In the absence of an applied field, the MR fluids exhibit Newtonian-like behavior. However, in the presence of an applied magnetic field, the iron particles acquire a dipole moment aligned with the external field which causes the particles to form linear chains parallel to the field [1]. Magneto-rheological (MR) fluid -based damper is one of the most promising class of semi-active shock absorbers, has been widely applied to control and minimize undesirable vibration and shock for numerous systems such as different types of vehicle suspension systems [4], and civil structures [5] etc. MR dampers possess many performance advantages, including continuously controllable force, quick response, and low power consumption, etc. MR dampers can be analyzed using available models and are amenable to innovative design concepts such as increasing the viscosity of the MR fluids by changing the properties of the fluid. To practically construct vibration and shock mitigation systems using MR dampers, either a power supply or a current amplifier is required to activate the electromagnetic coils in the MR dampers to supply magnetic field to the MR fluid. However, if mechanical energy resulting from vibration and shock can be converted into electrical energy in order to provide power to the MR dampers, then there is a substantial reduction in system volume, weight, and cost that can be realized. MR dampers are typically composed of a piston rod, a piston head, as well as hydraulic and pneumatic reservoirs separated by a floating piston or diaphragm. Inside the hydraulic cylinder, the piston rod is attached to the piston head, which contains the magnetic circuit [7]. When the piston rod assembly moves, the fluid flows through an annular gap in the piston head. Current supplied to the coil in the piston head creates a magnetic field in the gap and increases the yield stress of the MR fluid in the annular gap. This increase in yield stress changes the velocity profile of the MR fluid in the gap and raises the pressure drop down the length of the piston head. In this way, MR dampers can produce controllable field-dependent yield force, in addition to passive velocity-dependent viscous damping force. This study focuses on the development of a self-powered and self-sensing MR damper operated using the energy harvested from its operating environment, and sedimentation improved new MR fluid’s impact on this damper [8]. Also finite element analysis has been accomplished by using ANSYS software version 14.5. For using the new fluid the off state viscosity has increased by 22% and the sedimentation rate decreased slightly [11]. To explain the self-power generation idea, an energy harvesting device that is a permanent magnet generator is considered and added to a MR damper. The generator comprises of a stator, a permanent magnet, and a spring and operates as an energy garnering dynamic vibration absorber of which resonance frequency is matched with a target system whose vibration is to be suppressed. In addition, the resonance frequency of the target system is typically chosen to be much less than the disturbance spectrum in order to take advantage of Corresponding authors: M.M. Rashid (e-mail: bmahbub@iium.edu.my); Meftahul Ferdaus (e-mail: meftahul.ferdaus@live.iium.edu.my); Asan Gani Bin Abdul Muthalif (e-mail: asan@iium.edu.my) This paper was submitted on January 17, 2014; revised on April 23, 2014; and accepted on October 27, 2014. M