Advances in elastomeric mount concepts for quasi-zero stiffness isolation

Quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) mounts can exploit geometric nonlinearity to minimize stiffness about an operating point, which isolates vibrations from a supported source or receiver. Previous research on elastomeric QZS mounts featured 3D-printed prototypes but did not consider unique material properties and fabrication artifacts that may impact the static and dynamic behavior of the mounts. Additionally, multi-axis properties and their influence on common box-like systems supported by several mounts lack detailed study. To overcome these limitations and improve the practicality of elastomeric QZS mechanisms, this article discusses nonlinear stiffness, hysteresis, and fabrication issues with elastomeric materials in this context. Multimaterial mount designs that improve strength and stability are considered, and their effectiveness for QZS isolation is experimentally evaluated. System-level dynamics are presented for a box-like load supported by QZS mounts. Comparisons between additive and cast materials in the fabrication of QZS mounts are discussed, and the mounts' dynamic stiffness amplification effect is examined for additive and molded materials.