Artur Olszak

The paper concerns the design of industrial installations using computer programs. It also contains a description of problems that must be solved by a constructor who designs industrial installations, their components and characteristics at different stages of industrial design.

The aim of the paper is to present the issue of using computer-aided methods as well as 3D printing technologies and not typical materials connected with it. Selected problems that can occur while applying computer-aided methods and their solutions have also been described.

The paper presents the results of experimental tests concerning the durability of two devices, using three different electrorheological fluids as working fluids. They were: a cylinder viscous brake and a dual clutch, consisting of a cylinder viscous clutch and a hydrokinetic clutch. The concept of the control of devices filled with electrorheological working fluids involves the impact of the electric field of variable intensity on the working fluid and thus causes changes of sheer stress in it. It also changes the transmitted torque. The studies show that the most important factors affecting the durability of a viscous brake and a dual clutch are: sealing of the workspace, including the electrorheological fluid, electrorheological fluid type, electrodes and electrical wire insulation, supplying high voltage from the power supply. Another essential factor is that the durability of the electrorheological fluid, defined by the rate of wear, is found within the ranges reported in the literature and does not differ significantly from the magnetorheological fluid durability.

The use of numerical calculations to assess the impact of construction parameters on properties of a hydrodynamic torque converter has been presented in the article. The calculations have been based on a verified mathematical model of the transmission system including a hydrodynamic torque converter.