Abstract
This paper conducts an in-depth analysis on the design principle of laminated piston valve plates, and illustrates the functional division mechanism of three-layer laminated valve plates. It also compares the advantages and disadvantages between single valve disc and multi-plate laminated valve systems.
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Core Knowledge Points
- The laminated valve assembly is precisely assembled with multiple spring steel plates of different thicknesses and diameters.
- Non-linear damping output is realized by regulating the opening pressure and displacement of valve plates.
- The three layers of valve plates have distinct functions: the bottom layer prevents flutter, the middle layer maintains stable posture, and the top layer filters vibration.
- A single valve disc is prone to cavitation. The laminated structure disperses stress, yet it requires extremely high assembly precision.
- The design heavily relies on CFD simulation, leading to a long R&D cycle and high verification costs.
- A temperature compensation mechanism is adopted to solve the deviation of oil viscosity caused by temperature changes.
Detailed Content
In twin-tube hydraulic shock absorbers, the laminated design of piston valve systems directly affects the ride comfort and handling stability of vehicles.
Principle of Laminated Structure
The laminated valve plate structure adopts a combined design of multiple thin spring steel plates. With differences in thickness, outer diameter and stiffness among individual plates, the whole assembly will open step by step under hydraulic pressure. This structural feature enables the shock absorber to produce continuously changing damping force to adapt to diverse road conditions.
Functional Division of Three-Layer Valve Plates
Each layer of the three-piece laminated valve plates performs its own duties during operation. The bottom valve plate mainly suppresses valve flutter and ensures stable operation under high pressure. The middle layer keeps the overall posture of the valve assembly and guarantees uniform stress distribution. The top layer undertakes the main vibration filtering work to soften vibration transmission and improve riding experience.
Single Valve Disc VS Laminated Valve System
The single valve disc features a simple structure and easy assembly. However, it works with concentrated stress and is easy to generate cavitation under high-speed oil flow, which will shorten service life. By contrast, the multi-plate laminated valve system can disperse pressure and stress effectively, delivering smooth and progressive damping performance. Its overall performance is much better, but it puts forward stricter requirements for part machining.
Requirements for Assembly Precision
The performance of laminated valve plates is highly sensitive to assembly quality. Minor deviation in plate sequence, position or preload will lead to abnormal damping, oil leakage or abnormal noise. Therefore, strict control over assembly tolerance is required in production.
Research and Development Cost
This kind of valve system design depends heavily on CFD fluid simulation for performance prediction and structural optimization. Multiple rounds of prototype testing and performance verification are also needed. As a result, the whole R&D process takes a long time and costs a lot.
Temperature Compensation
The viscosity of damping oil will change obviously with temperature fluctuation, which will further alter the damping characteristics. To tackle this problem, a temperature compensation mechanism is introduced into the design to offset the impact of oil viscosity drift and keep stable damping performance in different temperature environments.
Summary
The multi-plate laminated design is a key technology to optimize the damping performance of twin-tube shock absorbers. Compared with the traditional single valve disc, it has prominent advantages in stress resistance and vibration reduction. While facing high requirements on precision, cost and technical research, it is still the mainstream solution for high-performance shock absorbers. Reasonable structural matching and auxiliary designs such as temperature compensation can further stabilize the overall working performance of products.