Vibration Dampening Applications

To dampen vibration is to offer resistance to a wave or series of waves coming from a certain source. There are numerous ways in which this can be achieved. However, the basic principle is to offer a form of resistance against a vibration. To picture this correctly, you have to realise the fact that a vibration carries energy from a specific source. The energy sources of a vibration can be numerous. Perfect examples include water waves, sound waves and impact related disturbances. When vibration finds its way into a car, an electronic device, or a plane, it is capable of causing untold damage to the systems or their components. A good number of electronic devices have been damaged following the exposure to a series of vibrations from a specific source. This is because of the energy that the vibration source possesses. The energy carried by a vibration is carried from the source and distributed throughout any nearby system and causes the particles of a system to vibrate from their equilibrium position.

The equilibrium position of a particle or a system can be thought of as a resting position of that system or particle. When a system experiences a disturbance which is enormous, it will begin to oscillate in response to the disturbance. This means that it will be caused to move from its resting position. Technically, the particles of the system are the ones which will be oscillating about their equilibrium positions. However, collectively the whole system is said to be in vibration as a result of the motion of the particles. A correct understanding of the way a disturbance to a system behaves has many applications. In view of the impact vibration can have on the performance of a system, a good number of specialists are now using vibration dampening methods and materials.

A good number of vibration dampening methods are currently in existence. Actually, the kind of vibration related disturbance to a system is what governs the kind of vibration dampening methods required. For example, structures are now designed with certain special abilities which enable them to withstand the influence of external disturbances such as earthquakes and Tsunamis. In as far as structural engineering is concerned; every structure requires enough strength that so that it can withstand external disturbances. For this reason, structural engineers always account for the impact of external disturbances that can cause a structure to vibrate about its equilibrium position. They often do this to avoid the collapse of a structure following the introduction of an external disturbance that is beyond the strength of the structure.

In the case of electronic systems, there is always a certain vibration damping material that can be used to shield the system against a specific external disturbance. This kind of protection from external disturbances is applied to mobile phones, DVD players and even tablets. An air plane also experiences a series of disturbances while it is still in the air and even prior to taking off. Therefore, it is often appropriate to shield the electronic system of the plane from the effect of external disturbances.