Last timeMainly explained the aim of developing the Motion Control Beam (MCB).This time, I will delve into the structure of the damper.

There are two main types of dampers (body dampers) that are attached to the body, except for the suspension.It is either the "oil type" that is also used by mass-produced car manufacturers, or the "friction type" of MCB.Both are the same in that they absorb slight vibrations, but their effects are different.
So, first of all, I will explain the difference between the oil type and the friction type as the basic knowledge of the body damper.

■ Difference between oil type and friction type.
<Oil type>
The oil type suppresses vibration by the damping force generated during the stroke.The damping force rises and damps when the oil passes through the piston valve.

<Friction type>
In the friction type, the input is handled by a disc spring, and vibration is suppressed by the frictional force of the friction plate.Since the spring constant is very high, it works almost rigidly and braces.

The oil type, which operates after a stroke, and the friction type, which functions like a brace, have different operating processes and different purposes.Our aim is to increase the rigidity of the end of the body frame!Therefore, basically, the function as a rigidity-increasing part is indispensable.Furthermore, since the disc spring alone repeats slight vibrations, we adopted a friction type that can suppress vibration with frictional force.
By the way, when I tested the oil type before, the vibration of the body became gentle, and it became a ride with no unpleasant taste like rounded corners.No wonder it is standard equipment on Lexus and other vehicles.Next, I will explain the operating mechanism of the MCB.

■ About the operation mechanism of the friction plate
The MCB takes charge of the input with a disc spring and damps it with a friction plate.The friction plate is made of hard resin and is like a hardened eraser. It acts in two stages, a minute stroke range and a stroke range higher than that, to suppress vibration.

-In the minute stroke area, the friction plate deforms with respect to the input.At the same time, the elastic force that tries to return to the original shape works, and this is the first damping function.

・ In the stroke range beyond that, the friction plate slides beyond the deformation and causes friction with the case.This frictional force is the second damping function.
By the way, the spring constant of the built-in disc spring is more than 100 times that of the suspension spring.Therefore, it cannot be moved by human power.
In addition, the stroke amount is about 0.5 μm (= 4 mm), which is enough for everyone to run hard on the winding (0.004 G).In fact, this level of movement and vibration cannot be measured with a computer or sensor.However, human sensibilities can clearly feel the difference ... It seems that MCB engineers who are staring at measuring instruments were also surprised.

MCB is listed in advance in the 2019 edition of the general catalog.The first Roadster (ND) will be released around the end of February.Furthermore, we are enthusiastically developing products for CX-1 (KE / KF) / CX-2 / Demio (DJ) / Axela (BM).Please look forward to future developments.

Posted by A.Asanuma