A methodology for analysing the influence of design variables in beams with eddy current damping

• Design methodology for engineering beams with eddy current damping. • Simple electrical and mechanical equivalent models of the beam are stablished. • Beam boundary conditions directly affect eddy current map distribution. • The vibration attenuation of beams is analysed from a design perspective. • A MATLAB application predicts any beam’s response using data from a reference beam. Vibration attenuation is a critical aspect of mechanical engineering design, and eddy currents provide an effective damping technique that does not add mass to the system, and it is especially effective at low frequencies. In this context, this paper introduces a methodology tailored for the design of thin non-magnetic metallic beams with eddy current damping. By solving the eddy current problem for a reference beam across various boundary conditions and lengths, a comprehensive database of output variables is generated. These include structural and electrical variables, along with coefficients from two simplified equivalent beam models: an electromechanical model and a Kelvin-Voight viscoelastic model. Simplified equations are subsequently derived to predict the behaviour of other beams, eliminating the need to solve complex electromechanical problems individually. The methodology incorporates a parametric study of design variables, including beam geometry, material properties, velocity magnitude, magnetic field strength, and boundary conditions, revealing straightforward relationships between these variables and damping performance. Moreover, insights into eddy current maps are provided, emphasising their dependence on boundary conditions. This approach significantly streamlines the design process, enabling efficient and precise vibration attenuation. The methodology, further supported by a MATLAB application included as supplementary material, constitutes an invaluable resource for engineering design.