Vibration Dampening Solutions

Introduction To Vibration Damping

Factories make use of heavy machines for their everyday processes. These heavy machines are very productive and perform highly specialized tasks. While all machinery is built to last and with an emphasis on durability, these machines are often in constant use and undergo inevitable wear and tear. Much of the wear is the result of the machine’s operations which produce significant vibration and noise levels. This is a reality of almost any kind of heavy duty machinery and without taking proper steps to mitigate the impact of vibration, it can seriously reduce the working shelf life of the equipment. Nevertheless, there are ways to address this problem, and the main solution is through what is known as vibration dampening. Vibration damping is the method by which one can reduce the vibrational output of the machine, thereby increasing the machine’s efficiency and durability.

Understanding Vibration Dampening In Detail

It may not be possible to completely eliminate vibration coming from some machinery. However, vibration damping can reduce the vibration levels and the noise produced by such by a considerable amount. To understand how this works, one must first understand the concept of ‘resonant frequency.’ By definition, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate with greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. What this means is that by changing the frequency, you can change the way and the degree to which a system oscillates. Consider a door that uses a spring to close the door after it has been opened. If this door is undamped it will swing back and forth forever at its resonant frequency. However, if it is critically damped it will return back to the closed position as quickly as possible without oscillating at all. This represents the two extremes of the resonance spectrum. Vibration damping is thus meant to change this frequency such that the impact of the vibration and noise upon the system is lessened.

Vibration dampening is critical in places with heavy machinery. These include factories and industrial workplaces. Heavy machines are known to produce vibrations and noises when they work. And vibration dampening is just as important to help control noise as it is to control vibration. The noises produced are most often the result of friction between two parts of the machine.Irrespective of the reason behind it, this noise can be fatal. It can cause ear problems, mental disorders like anxiety and many other problems. This is the reason why it is essential to take care of this problem as soon as possible. Reducing noise helps in proper focus of the workers and also prevents the noise from negatively affecting their health. Hence, many factories use vibration dampening materials.

Vibration Dampening Measures

To reduce noise and vibration, factories use many types of vibration dampening materials. These materials are designed curb the noise and vibration from heavy machines. The primary characteristics of vibration dampening materials is that they should be dense and soft. As noises from these machines are a reason for concern, many organizations have carried out trials to see the effects of various materials to reduce noise. There are sheets of these elements which are used in factories. These sheets are known as damping sheets. These sheets are light and easy to use. They can be cut into shapes of your choice. Factories also make use of structures made from vibration damping material.

Vibration Damping Materials

Vibration damping materials include polymers, cement, various types of alloys and many more. These materials function by using their internal properties and shapes to reduce noise. Metals and polymers are said to be more effective than others. Many polymers have been specially developed to perform the function of vibration damping. Since polymers can be synthetically prepared and given any desired property, they have been very useful for this purpose. These polymers can be given a desired property by altering their composition. Some of these polymers are specifically designed to be used as a vibration dampener. Research has led to the production of many formulations which are used as vibration damping materials. These formulations are very effective and are used widely.

More Examples Of Vibration Damping Materials

To curb the effect of vibration damping, visoelastic substances are mainly used. The most widely used substance in this category is known by the name of Sorbothane. This is a proprietary product which is available in many places. Cement and composites are other examples of such a substance. These substances absorb the excess vibrations coming from the machines, thereby reducing the noise. The use of vibration dampener also depends on the type of machines and processes used.