Electronic Damper Control

[Simon_Ashley]

Hello,

So what I want to achieve is an adjustable controller (Analogue or Digital setting) for adjusting the damping on front and rear axles of my VW Caravelle.

Later VW Transporters (Caravelle) had option of Dynamic Chassis control so the dampers are available and fit my van.
Link to details on that system can be found here:

View document [SSP 406 DCC Adaptive Chassis Control]

vd Veer engineering car electronics. Haldex, DSG, CAN controller and other CANBUS devices.

www.vdveer-engineering.nl

Now I don't want to try and go through all the cost of sensors, ECU and wiring to fit the full OEM system.

After a standalone control for stable manual damper setting/adjustment (as far as I can determine) this is an electro magnet operating a valve that changes damping from Comfort to Sport.
Comfort being off or 0amps
Sport being on 1.8amps (possibly max 2amps)

What is the best way of creating such a controller?
Arduino
Pulse Width Modulation
Power control module?

Don't think it makes any difference but I'll be installing the Bilstein B16 Damptronic2 suspension that works with the factory installed DCC:

BILSTEIN DampTronic® II: Redesigned for mass production - BILSTEIN

This article explains how the BILSTEIN DampTronic II system works and how the developers were able to transfer the technology from small-scale to large-scale production.

bilstein.com

Thanks in Advance
Simon

 

[ZipZapOuch]

Hello,

So what I want to achieve is an adjustable controller (Analogue or Digital setting) for adjusting the damping on front and rear axles of my VW Caravelle.

Later VW Transporters (Caravelle) had option of Dynamic Chassis control so the dampers are available and fit my van.
Link to details on that system can be found here:

View document [SSP 406 DCC Adaptive Chassis Control]

vd Veer engineering car electronics. Haldex, DSG, CAN controller and other CANBUS devices.

www.vdveer-engineering.nl

Now I don't want to try and go through all the cost of sensors, ECU and wiring to fit the full OEM system.

After a standalone control for stable manual damper setting/adjustment (as far as I can determine) this is an electro magnet operating a valve that changes damping from Comfort to Sport.
Comfort being off or 0amps
Sport being on 1.8amps (possibly max 2amps)

What is the best way of creating such a controller?
Arduino
Pulse Width Modulation
Power control module?

Don't think it makes any difference but I'll be installing the Bilstein B16 Damptronic2 suspension that works with the factory installed DCC:

BILSTEIN DampTronic® II: Redesigned for mass production - BILSTEIN

This article explains how the BILSTEIN DampTronic II system works and how the developers were able to transfer the technology from small-scale to large-scale production.

bilstein.com

Thanks in Advance
Simon

It's not so simple (just on vs off state). These valves are controlled by input from accelerometers, steering wheel position sensors, vehicle speed and sensors showing compression/extension of the suspension (and rate of change of suspension movement, vehicle velocity) and anticipating change by monitoring throttle position and brake position and rate of change of those.

The performance of the GM/Delphi "MagnaRide" was (is?) incredible - it uses a viscosity controllable oil (magnetorheological fluid) and a small magnetic field at the orifice to dynamically control damping with response time of 5mSec. The device was developed in months but software and sensor integration took a long time to perfect.

The newer (and more robust) systems like yours use one or more electronically activated valves to change the orifice size instead of changing the fluid's viscosity give a progressive damping effect.

A simple on/off will result in a stiffer sport ride but may not be matched to the spring compression. You may experience a "hard tail"-like hard bounce if it is "over-damped". The whole goal is to keep tires on the road to maintain/re-establish traction quickly after a perturbation. It is not just about firm or soft.

 

[Simon_Ashley]

Post Deleted

 

[Simon_Ashley]

Have found someone online who has created similar to what I want to create:

Завершение DCC

Закончил установку системы, контроллер, небольшой дисплей, кнопка тактовая (пока такая, найду штатную VW, пока не знаю какая подойдёт в торпеду каравеллы, может пассат, или тигуан какой?) В общем пиши…

www.drive2.ru

From Russia. Not willing to share own design.
Has offered to make me a module when available in the new year

 

[ZipZapOuch]

Have found someone online who has created similar to what I want to create:

Завершение DCC

Закончил установку системы, контроллер, небольшой дисплей, кнопка тактовая (пока такая, найду штатную VW, пока не знаю какая подойдёт в торпеду каравеллы, может пассат, или тигуан какой?) В общем пиши…

www.drive2.ru

From Russia. Not willing to share own design.
Has offered to make me a module when available in the new year

Be careful with that transaction, all money in/out of Russia is monitored closely and you could end up explaining to the U.K. authorities why you are sending money to Russia and violating the embargo.

 

[Simon_Ashley]

Be careful with that transaction, all money in/out of Russia is monitored closely and you could end up explaining to the U.K. authorities why you are sending money to Russia and violating the embargo.

A very good point

Have done some more research and the whole thing is becoming more work and more out of my comfort zone!

So to make an effective system each damper would need to be controlled individually.
Although grouped per axle ( front pair & rear pair )

So 4 outputs based off a multi axis G-force meter is probably the easiest to utilise over individual sensors per corner.
The Output to each damper based off of the G-force sensor that dictates the amount of current to output to each damper. Hopefully based off of the selected profile per axle.

These parameters all set so that it basically defaults to 0amp for daily cruising but have variable ranges to operate in given the profile selected eg
Comfort 0 - 0.8amps
Normal 0 - 1.2amps
Sport 0 - 1.8amps

Anyone any ideas how to achieve this

 

[alec_t]

Is your insurance company happy with the proposed modification?

 

[Simon_Ashley]

Really?!
Dynamic suspension is fitted to lots of vehicles.
Not seeing your point or how it's helpful to the topic discussion.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Really?!
Dynamic suspension is fitted to lots of vehicles.
Not seeing your point or how it's helpful to the topic discussion.

When fitted by the manufacturer it's done properly and safely, something you don't seem to bothering with - it's certainly a major modification, and will require notifying your insurance company, or if it ever comes to light your insurance would be voided.

 

[Simon_Ashley]

The suspension is safe, the dampers are fail safe.
Softest setting is off, and this is what most Dynamic setups do.
Nothing unsafe here, just trying to improve setup for road performance.

Back to the topic question maybe...

 

[ZipZapOuch]

The suspension is safe, the dampers are fail safe.
Softest setting is off, and this is what most Dynamic setups do.
Nothing unsafe here, just trying to improve setup for road performance.

Back to the topic question maybe...

Improperly programmed active dampers can case oscillations and excessive bouncing.

 

[Simon_Ashley]

What a delightful group of opinionated unhelpful people!

Just give help, guidance and support. Nothing constructive, just don't type it!

Basically all adult bullies and trolls trying to make yourselves feel better by belittling others ideas!

If you come with suggestions, solutions and guidance on how things can be achieved, solved and developed, forum like this can and will achieve great things.

With your attitudes it becomes a cess pool of negativity!

IM OUT!