Dampers and shock absorbers are integral parts of almost every automation application. From simple damping of sliding doors on CNC mills, to end stops on linear slides, to dampers on conveyor pallets preventing impacts, to PET blow molding machines, selecting the right damper for your application can be of the most important choices when designing a machine.
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Proper sizing of a damper that can handle the demands of your application can be the difference between a smoothly operating, long lasting machine and a machine that breaks down due to harsh impacts, vibrations, and crashes.
In today&#;s highly productive, high yield manufacturing environments, improperly sized dampers can lead to costly machine downtime due to errors and emergency stops.
Different types of dampers
Before sizing a damper that is right for your application, let&#;s take a quick look at different kinds of dampers.
The most basic dampers are springs or rubber bumpers. These usually offer little damping as they usually rebound the energy directly back following impact with little control.
Profile dampers are a further improvement to the standard rubber bumpers. They are usually made from co-polyester elastomer and with shapes engineered to absorb energy and dissipate rather than rebound, they are a better choice than springs or rubber bump stops. They are usually highly resistant to harsh conditions without the swelling, becoming brittle, or decomposing that may occur with a standard rubber bumper.
Industrial shock absorbers are the most reliable way to decelerate load, while still providing smooth damping and being able to stop to a fixed repeatable point.
Most industrial shock absorbers are hydraulic cylinders with a piston assembly. When a load is put on the cylinder&#;s piston rod, the piston pressurizes the fluid and force it to travel past the piston via some sort of restricted path. These pathways act as throttles, slowing the fluid&#;s movement, and in turn decelerate the load. The fluid also heats up due to its viscosity, converting the load&#;s kinetic energy to heat and transferring that out of the shock through its body.
The most common shock absorber uses a series of restricting orifices or throttle bores to provide a pathway for the fluid. Depending on piston position and stroke of the piston, different amounts of throttle bores will be active. A problem with this is that the damping curve can be inconsistent through the stroke range. Additionally, the throttle bore method can introduce vibrations and excess heat as each throttle bore become active. Excess heat can cause the fluid to lose its viscosity and reduce its damping effectiveness.
A more refined method of moving the fluid past the piston is the use of a continuous, consistent pathway such as the decreasing diameter spiral groove machined into the piston on Zimmer Group&#;s new PowerStop 2.0 shock absorbers. The spiral groove ensures consistent damping rate throughout the stroke of the shock, whether just a few millimeters into the movement, or near the end. This also reduces vibrations, and keeps the fluid cooler, allowing it to absorb more energy over time and extend its lifespan.
Sizing a damper
When beginning to size a damper, one needs to first calculate the kinetic energy at impact is generated by the load.
This calculation depends upon a number of factors such as mass, impact speed, gravity, whether it&#;s free moving or driven, translational (linear) or rotational, and stroke of the shock.
This yields energy per stroke, which when considered with cycles per hour, gives energy per hour.
Using energy per hour we can pick a shock or shocks appropriately.
Hardness of the shock based on the impact speed.
Zimmer Group offers a convenient online sizing tool that can guide a user through the selection process for a wide variety of application examples. Link
Other considerations
Other factors to be considered in selection would be environmental concerns, such as installation in a corrosive environment, or extreme temperatures. An all stainless steel shock may be necessary.
If the shock absorber will be subjected to a wide range of impact speeds, an adjustable shock absorber may be needed.
If there are dust/dirt/coolants present, the shock absorber may need to be protected to prevent ingress of contaminants.
Shock absorbers used in food handling applications may require to be filled with foodsafe/biosafe hydraulic fluid.
Contact us to discuss your requirements of Rubber Damper. Our experienced sales team can help you identify the options that best suit your needs.
Zimmer Group offers a wide variety of innovative dampers, from the industry leading &#;PowerStop 2.0&#; shock absorbers to &#;BasicStop&#; profile dampers and all associated accessories.
If you need assistance in selecting the proper damper for your application, please do not hesitate to get in touch with any of our sales engineers at Zimmer Group.
(828) 855-
As a leading specialist in rubber vibration mounts, we offer our extensive expertise using a step by step guide to help you choose the correct rubber mounts. Read on to read our easy to follow guide to choosing the best anti-vibration mount to suit you.
Anti-vibration mounts are fastened to machines to eliminate vibration and noise. Machinery vibration from equipment can be transferred to the supporting structure and travel large distances to be emitted as noise elsewhere in a building or structure. The mounts are typically made of rubber or a combination of rubber and other materials. Rubber vibration mounts are particularly effective in preventing the transfer of vibrations that machines generate.
Anti-vibration mounts have excellent shock absorption and vibration dampening properties. Pieces of equipment and machinery subjected to noise, shocks and vibrations can be extremely damaged, affecting their lifespan, efficiency and safety. An increased risk of damage can often lead to more frequent repairs and replacements, increasing costs for the company or individual. With this in mind, it&#;s not surprising that these mounts are so widely used, found in industries ranging from the defence sector to renewable energy and power generation.
The larger the total weight, the larger the mountings or, the higher the number of mountings needed to reduce the machine vibrations.
For example, if the machinery weighs 340 kg, the equipment would require rubber mounts with a weight of 85 kg each if four mounts were purchased to distribute the weight evenly. Check the centre of gravity to ensure an even distribution of load as different mounts may be required in different locations.
Calculate the normal running speed of the machinery, referred to as the forcing frequency and also the lowest operating speed (normally at idle).
Static deflection is simply the amount that a vibration dampening mount compresses under the weight of the equipment. The more static deflection, the more work the mount has to do. For example, if a spring is 10 cm high when unloaded and compresses to 9 cm when carrying the weight of the equipment, the static deflection is 1 cm. This is how static deflection is calculated.
Take into account specific application requirements and the reduction in vibration required. Graphs showing vibration isolation against deflection can be used to determine the levels of vibration reduction &#; please contact us for guidance or further details.
Rubber vibration isolation mounts have several benefits and offer great overall value for money. They not only serve to protect the machinery by reducing the impact of machines power but also benefit the life of equipment, vehicles and structures. Without rubber vibration mounts on the machinery, the sheer impact of the vibrations can cause weakening and even result in failure. It is, therefore, crucial to protect not only your equipment but also the well-being of the workers using the machinery with suitable mountings. Vibration damping mounts are easy to install and are available in a variety of sizes, designs and load capabilities.
By utilising the correct type of mount, you can increase the lifespan of machinery whilst reducing the adverse effects of vibration, noise and shock. GMT design, manufacture and supply a wide variety of specialised mounts, offering both stock and custom solutions for a multitude of industrial applications:
Our
range of
isolators work to reduce any noise transmitted outwards from the machine (active). Isolators can also reduce the number of vibrations travelling to the machine from an external source such as its foundations (passive).Vibration isolators have many applications, such as in machinery for the food and pharmaceutical industries. Specific examples of use include heating and ventilation equipment, fans and power generators.
Unlike vibration isolators, rubber mountings can provide vibration and shock protection in three separate directions. They also provide high levels of resistance to grease and oil, making them a popular choice in both the automotive and marine industry. Rubber vibration mounts are often found in both engines and generators.
Corrosion-resistant and completely manufactured from stainless steel, our specialist selection of wire rope mounts are designed to withstand the toughest environments. They isolate shock and vibrations from all directions and offer a maintenance-free solution to the most demanding tasks.
This resilience makes our range of wire rope mounts ideal for military use, certified to standards MIL-STD-167 for vibration, MIL-STD-810 for environmental conditions and MIL-S-901 for shock. They can be found in rough terrain vehicles, aircraft and vehicle carriers.
Conical mounts are also referred to as rubber cone mounts. With the correct washers, these mounts are suited to both compression and shear loadings. Featuring a failsafe capacity and a high load capacity, they are designed to suit mobile applications for the automotive, commercial vehicle and marine industries.
Machine feet work to reduce vibrations whilst dampening shock loads. With the option of rebound control and a variety of rubber hardness options to suit each application, it isn&#;t difficult to see why machine feet are used so extensively in industries such as renewable energy, power generation and agriculture and forestry. Common applications include marine mountings, engine mountings and generator mountings.
As a leading specialist in rubber vibration mounts, we have a number of trusted advisers who can help you with finding the best vibration isolation mounts to suit your requirements. If you do need further guidance regarding any of our specialist anti-vibration mountings or to enquire about our bespoke service, please don&#;t hesitate to get in touch today.
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