Magneto-Rheological (MR) Technology

No longer just a laboratory curiosity, the adoption of MR technology continues in new areas such as mounts, clutches and more. For example:

• Thousands of vehicles using MR fluid technology are now in operation; and
• More than 500,000 MR-enabled devices are in use.

For automotive platform applications alone, the anticipated demand for MR devices is expected to grow by a factor of 10 or more and eventually reach the millions.

• What is Magneto-Rheological (MR) Fluid? 
  Magneto-Rheological (MR) fluids respond to a magnetic field with a dramatic change in rheological behavior. These fluids can reversibly and instantaneously change from a free-flowing liquid to a semi-solid with controllable yield strength when exposed to a magnetic field. More…
• Technology Compared 
  MR technology has moved out of the laboratory and into viable commercial applications for a diverse spectrum of products. Applications include automotive primary suspensions, truck seat systems, cab suspensions, control-by-wire/tactile-feedback devices, seismic mitigation and human prosthetics. More…
• LORD MR Solutions 
  LORD Corporation's remarkably versatile MR technology enables systems to respond instantly and controllably to varying levels of vibration, shock or motion. More…
• History of MR
  The first patent related to MR technology was issued to inventor Jacob Rabinow in the 1940s. For decades thereafter, the technology remained mostly a laboratory curiosity with little practical use. In the late 1980s and 1990s, however, researchers began to get serious about developing the commercial viability of MR fluids, especially when other technologies began to converge that made their use practical and a real possibility. More…