EXPERIMENTAL AND NUMERICAL STUDY OF A QUASI-ZERO STIFFNESS VIBRATION ISOLATION PLATFORM FOR A MOBILE ROVER

Abstract

integrated into a mobile rover structure. The proposed system employs elastic elements made of thermoplastic polyurethane (ТПУ) to achieve nonlinear stiffness behavior that enables efficient passive isolation of low-frequency vibrations without active control or energy consumption. Numerical simulations performed in ANSYS and experimental compression tests confirmed the presence of a sharp stiffness drop characteristic of the QZS effect. The platform demonstrated a high correlation between simulated and measured force–displacement responses, validating the mechanical model. Owing to its lightweight, simplicity, and additive manufacturing compatibility, the QZS-based rover platform offers a cost-effective solution for stabilizing optical equipment and sensors in small robotic systems, where traditional active isolators are impractical.