Patent — available for licensing
Self-Tuning Compact Vibration Damper
A NASA invention available to explore as a licensing opportunity.
About this technology
Overview
NASA Langley Research Center has developed a compact self-tuning damper to reduce vibration occurring at a fixed frequency. Tuned dampers reduce vibration of the base structure by the dissipation of energy . The magnitude of the dissipated energy is proportional to the range of motion. The NASA damper design allows the slider mass to achieve 2x-3x greater range of motion than that found in conventional devices. This enables 4x-9x more effectiveness for the same size and weight; or the same effectiveness for a 4x-9x decrease in weight. The damper is self-tunable and can be adjusted in effectiveness. The damper can be made small enough for use in wind tunnel tests or scaled up to large sizes, like those used in helicopters, wind turbines, or skyscrapers.