ContiTech Press Releases

Hanover, November 2011Use enhances comfort and support regulation compliance • Absorber systems can also be retrofitted • Ideal for industrial and agricultural vehicles

Undesired vibrations can quickly become problematic in agricultural vehicles: Statutory regulations specify that vehicle drivers be subjected to as few vibrations as possible. The greater extent to which vibrations are a factor in an agricultural vehicle, the shorter the time the vehicle may be operated. Furthermore, vibrations make it more difficult to use control elements and to read displays. With absorber systems from ContiTech Vibration Control, manufacturers can selectively reduce vibrations and improve comfort and user friendliness easily and effectively – also as a retrofit solution. From the shaking gearshift lever to the vibrating display, tailor-made absorber systems quiet down components.

Here is how the systems works: On absorbers, a mass vibrates in counterphase to the annoying excitation. The vibration behavior is adjusted via the spring/mass system. In this case an elastomer hull functions both to cushion and to dampen. By utilizing various elastomers, the damping function of the absorber can be optimized individually. In addition, designs with an integrated fluid system, referred to as a hydraulic absorber, can be used. In such systems, characteristics of the support spring and damping properties can be optimized independent of each other.

For this, ContiTech engineers measure and evaluate the vibrations: Data obtained from vibration measurements provide information about the frequency to be absorbed, the vibration displacement that arises, the most effective position and direction of the absorber to be applied. Based on this data, an ideal absorber is designed and the absorber effect simulated. The effectiveness of the absorber, which the driver notices immediately upon installation in the vehicle, can be evaluated objectively once again with measurements.

In addition to the passive absorbers described above, ContiTech Vibration Control also manufactures active absorber systems. which uses sensors to register the vibrations introduced into the vehicle. One or more actuators positioned at a suitable point are triggered by a control unit. These generate counterphase vibrations with which the vibrations introduced into the vehicle are offset. This occurs dynamically over a broad frequency range.

Absorbers are thus always tailor-made to meet the requirements of individual applications. A perfectly designed absorber reduces not only vibrations but can also be retrofit in an existing system – for enhanced comfort, user friendliness and compliance with legal regulations.