WITH car engines becoming smaller and vehicles lighter, Germany-based ContiTech Vibration Control has introduced modular engine mountings that are free from vibrations.
To enable more than one type of engine and drive system to be integrated into a single vehicle type, an engine mount has to cover a broad spectrum of functions. Thus to provide a solution for minimising vibration in every power unit, ContiTech has developed a modular engine mount system. Here, different mounting systems are used that are specially suited to the type of power unit and to the overall package of features for the vehicle in question.
The modular system is based on a classic hydromount, which uses liquids to dampen vibrations. Thanks to an additional electromechanical ‘switching actuator’, its characteristics can be adjusted to ensure optimum comfort when idling engines produce excessive vibrations.
Demands on engine mounts are particularly tough in vehicles that incorporate hybrid drive systems, engines with cylinder deactivation, and electric drives with range extender. Thus, ContiTech has developed a new generation of active mounting system as an additional component that generates counter-vibrations.
Prototypes have already been tested successfully by a number of vehicle makers and in a wide range of vehicles. An active vibration control system consists of an actuator, which generates power, an electronic control unit and sensors.
Of the active principles available are an active absorber system that uses an electrical charge to generate vibrations in the actuator that are then channelled to the relevant parts of the car body. There, acting as counter-vibrations, they can almost fully cancel out the vibrations coming from the engine. The second system is the active hydromount. Here, the actuator is integrated directly into the mount, where it works as a fluid pump, thus compensating effectively for low-frequency vibrations of between 20 and 40 Hz.
Contitech is also working on lighter actuators that take up less space and reduce the overall weight of the engine mount system further.(PRA)
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