Shock absorbers are used in a wide range of applications and ensure the dissipation of energy in order to protect machines, components or people. In automation technology in particular, it is important to dampen masses in an available braking distance and at the same time achieve the highest possible cycle time (high speeds). To tackle this problem, materials which adapt the amount of dissipated energy in dependency of velocity and mass of the moving components are necessary. Especially fluid filled metamaterials offer a good opportunity to design a specific damping behavior. Additionally, in programmable materials the structure can react to outer stimuli (such as e.g., temperature, strain rate) and adapt the behavior. The lecture presents the BMBF-project “ProBand” in which programmable materials with such kind of behavior are developed. The design of the material is inspired by properties and the structure of the human intervertebral disc that acts as a damper in the spine.

We will present results from the first part of the project, where the actual damper system was analysed, depicted in a model and a requirement profile was setup. With help of this model an optimal damping function was found. The function expresses the required damping force in dependency of damping path and velocity, which correspond to displacement and strain rate in a material. In a next step, mechanisms which fulfill partial functions were identified and their logic was described. These mechanisms will be realized in 3D-printed demonstrators which can be mechanically characterized to estimate their potential for adaptive damping.