Abstract
Conventional MR brake design with single ring-type electromagnetic pole is insufficient in torque increment. A new magnetorheological (MR) brake is designed in this paper to employ magnetic flux effectively on the overall surface of a rotating brake disc. The new MR brake features multiple electromagnetic poles surrounded by several coils to maximize the active chaining areas for the MR fluid, resulting in improvement of brake torque. It also provides flexibility for torque rise by increasing either radial dimension or axial length of the rotating disc. Optimal design parameters are obtained by simulation and the capabilities of the new MR brake are confirmed. Afterwards, a prototype is manufactured and tested to verify system performance. The tested torque output cohered to the simulation results and the feasibility of the system is proved. The torque analysis shows that the new brake design can offer an advantage in broader ranges of operation compared with conventional MR brake.