Durable Magnetorheological Actuators for Aircraft Primary Flight Systems

磁流变（MR）流体执行器是一项新技术，自2008年以来，由舍布鲁克大学与魁北克航空航天生态系统合作开发，特别是与Bell Textron Canada Limited合作。该技术提供的控制性能远远上级传统的液压执行器，同时更轻，更清洁，更便宜。贝尔德事隆加拿大有限公司和Exonetik正在共同开发许多应用，Exonetik是一家年轻的舍布鲁克公司，拥有30名员工，旨在将磁流变技术商业化。虽然磁流变致动器基本上是可靠的，因为它们没有积极的机械接触，但其随时间推移而退化的机制鲜为人知。该项目将对磁流变执行器进行详尽的实验研究，以确定其故障模式，老化机制，以及延长其使用寿命的技术解决方案。与此同时，贝尔德事隆加拿大有限公司将对一个全面的应用进行技术示范。该项目得到了完整的工业创新链的支持，包括集成商客户Bell Textron Canada Limited，两家技术专家Exonetik和Infineum，以及认证/运营专家Gastops。了解本研究项目提供的磁流变致动器的老化对于将这种新的魁北克技术在安全性至关重要的航空航天领域商业化至关重要。该项目可为魁北克和加拿大带来诸多经济效益。这些好处包括提高了贝尔德事隆加拿大有限公司等OEM制造商的竞争力，支持Exonetik等初创企业的发展，加强了魁北克以外与Gastops和Infineum的战略伙伴关系，在魁北克创造了高价值的就业机会，并将本土技术出口到国际市场。此外，该项目产生的知识不仅适用于航空航天领域，而且适用于磁流变执行器应用的所有经济部门：例如汽车和机器人，Exonetik在这两个领域非常活跃。

Magnetorheological (MR) fluid actuators are a new technology resulting from and developed since 2008 by the University of Sherbrooke in collaboration with the Quebec aerospace ecosystem, in particular with Bell Textron Canada Limited. The technology offers control performance far superior to traditional hydraulic actuators while being lighter, cleaner, and less expensive. Many applications are being co-developed between Bell Textron Canada Limited and Exonetik, a young Sherbrooke company with 30 employees aiming to commercialize magnetorheological technology. Although magnetorheological actuators are fundamentally reliable because they do not have positive mechanical contacts, their mechanism of degradation over time is less well known. The project will undertake an exhaustive experimental study of magnetorheological actuators in order to identify their failure modes, their mechanisms of aging, and of course technological solutions that extend their lifetime limit. In parallel, a technology demonstration will be carried out on a full-scale application selected by Bell Textron Canada Limited. The project is supported by a complete industrial innovation chain including an integrator client, Bell Textron Canada Limited, two technology specialists, Exonetik and Infineum, and a certification / operation specialist, Gastops. Understanding of the aging of magnetorheological actuators provided by this research project is essential to commercialize this new Quebec technology in the aerospace sector where safety is critical. The project can bring many economic benefits to Quebec and Canada. These benefits include increased competitiveness of OEM manufacturers like Bell Textron Canada Limited, support for the growth of start-ups like Exonetik, strengthening of strategic partnerships outside Quebec with Gastops and Infineum, creation of high value job creation here in Quebec, and export of indigenous technology to international markets. In addition, the knowledge generated by this project will apply not only to the aerospace sector, but to all economic sectors where magnetorheological actuators apply: such as automotive and robotics, two sectors in which Exonetik is strongly active.