Method for allowing rapid evaluation of chassis elastomeric devices in motor vehicles

A method of rapidly evaluating variations of chassis elastomeric devices used in motor vehicles, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least one magnetorheological elastomer;
• providing a parametric controller to allow a test operator to selectively generate an operator input signal;
• providing a display for displaying a signal representative of a physical state of said magnetorheological elastomer;
• receiving the operator input signal and generating a parametric state signal therefrom;
• communicating the parametric state signal from the parametric controller to an elastomer control module;
• generating an electrical current in response to the parametric state signal;
• and
• communicating the electrical current to an electrical coil operatively associated with at least one magnetorheological elastomer, thereby generating a magnetic field so as to establish a stiffness of at least one magnetorheological elastomer,;
• generating an adjusted operator input signal;
• receiving the adjusted operator input signal and generating an adjusted parametric state signal therefrom;
• displaying a signal representative of an adjusted physical state of said magnetorheological elastomer;
• communicating the adjusted parametric state signal from the parametric controller to the elastomer control module;
• generating an adjusted electrical current in response to the adjusted parametric state signal;
• and
• communicating the adjusted electrical current to the electrical coil operatively associated with at least one magnetorheological elastomer, thereby generating an adjusted magnetic field so as to adjust the stiffness of at least one magnetorheological elastomer;
• and
• evaluating changes in ride, handling, noise, vibration and harshness resulting from the adjusted parametric state signal.