Vibration & Shock Mounts

Vibration isolators, vibration isolation mounts, and shock isolators all refer to anti-vibration mounts. Largely used in the HVAC industry, they are also used in everyday items such as computers, printers, fans, and home appliances.

Vibration can cause machines to malfunction by shaking sensitive equipment, causing screws and nuts to loosen or even "back out”. Vibration causes damage from friction to surrounding areas and noise pollution throughout factories. Vibration can typically be controlled but not necessarily eliminated. Anti-vibration mounts are a cost-effective way to avoid damage and malfunction due to excessive vibration.

Choosing the right vibration isolator.

There are three main factors to consider when choosing the right anti-vibration isolator for your application.

Anti-vibration mounts are made of a variety of materials, including but not limited to:

• Rubber: vibration mounts made from rubber frequently include additional elements like steel, which offers longevity to the mount. Rubber mounts can compress and dampen vibration when equipment is operating, considerably reducing noise and the negative effects of vibration. Natural rubber offers good durability but has a low resistance to petroleum-based liquids. Synthetic rubber, such as nitrile, is the most popular compound used to create rubber mountings.
• Thermoplastic elastomer: Thermoplastic elastomers exhibit the typical combined benefits of both rubber and plastic materials. The use of thermoplastic elastomers has the advantage of having a longer lifespan and a wider variety of physical capabilities than other materials due to their ability to stretch and tolerate stretching, then returning close to their original shape.
• Silicone gel: Silicone thermal gel mounts, sheets, and tapes provide solutions for fastening and isolating tiny parts that are prone to heat or moisture. These specialized isolators can be used in small electrical devices like motherboards or drones.
• Springs are made of spring steel wire.

SDP/SI has many options to protect machinery and small components from the negative effects of vibration.