Shock and vibration-damping technologies ensure smooth and safe designs

For mission-critical motion systems, any oscillation can cause damage to the machines themselves, the product they’re used to manufacture and the people operating them. From shock damping materials to more advanced dampers, wire rope attenuators and shock absorbers, these components can be engineered and designed to meet specific needs, ensuring machines can run faster and more accurately while offering more throughput.

Ensuring gentle motion with hydraulic dampers

Textile machines require precise unreeling and gentle motions. In one application, dampers from ACE Controls bring the sled movement of this textile machine, below, to a gentle stop. At the turning point of the 287-lb reeling spools, a sled should move up and down smoothly without causing a collision at the end of stroke position. The solution was ACE’s DVC-32-100 hydraulic damper.

Hydraulic dampers from ACE Controls bring the sled movement of this textile machine to a gentle stop.

These self-contained sealed units come ready to install. Featuring a maintenance-free design, they are ideal for precise control of speeds in both directions of travel. Travel speed is maintained throughout the entire stroke and can be independently adjusted in each direction of travel. These dampers provide precise, independent, external adjustment of in-and-out speeds.

In another application, ACE dampers helped to minimize the dangers of crashes on LISCO linear axes. These small, yet durable components were installed on rails as end-position dampers, protecting both the components and larger system in the event of a crash.

ACE TUBUS dampers helped to minimize the dangers of crashes on LISCO linear axes.

LISCO manufactures various motion control products, from individual axes to entire linear axis systems. For use in material handling and delivery systems, LISCO needed a way to control the impact in the end position should a software error or power failure occur. The resulting damage could lead to very costly repairs or even downtime for the entire system.

Since LISCO’s linear axes include profile rails and guides, it made sense to find a compact, easy-to-install solution that engineers could simply attach to the left and right of each rail. TUBUS profile dampers (type TA17-7) from ACE Controls fulfilled these requirements.

TUBUS profile dampers feature a copolyester elastomer—a material that only heats up slightly and ensures consistent damping during operation. These components are also a cost-effective alternative to hydraulic dampers, saving money on the overall construction of the linear system without compromising safety. Additionally, they feature a space-saving size of 12 to 116 mm and can be installed quickly and easily using a special screw.

Elastomeric materials act as bumpers on packaging machines

To protect products as they arrive at the end-of-line for packaging and shipment, Hamrick Manufacturing & Service Inc. turned to Sorbothane. Here, the engineering and production team devised a Sorbothane “bumper” system to protect the product as it arrives, and is prepared and packaged at the end-of-line station. The Sorbothane bumpers needed to accept systematic, repeated compressions and perform without failing. Sorbothane can attenuate up to 94.7% of impact shock and recover fully for the next blow.

Sorbothane “bumpers” protect product as it arrives, and is prepared and packaged at the end-of-line packaging station.

Isolators, shock absorbers survive rough terrain

Military ground vehicles require rigorous components that withstand severe shock and vibration, as well as heat, moisture and dirt exposure. ITT Enidine’s energy absorption and vibration isolation components are used heavily in military ground vehicles. For example, its SIDAS blast seat mitigation shock is designed to protect soldiers during transport.

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Several vibration damping and isolating devices from ITT Enidine are used on military wheeled vehicles, as seen here.

The Shock Isolator Double Acting Spring (SIDAS) combines a preloaded mechanical spring to provide static preload forces with a low-pressure hydraulic damper to provide dynamic damping forces. During a shock event, the SIDAS experiences a pressurized condition (1,500 psi) for less than 1 sec. This low-pressure situation ensures positive fluid sealing, thus providing long life shock attenuation over the range of all four-deck frequencies.

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ITT Enidine’s SIDAS blast seat mitigation shock protects soldiers during transport. It combines a preloaded mechanical spring to provide static preload forces with a low-pressure hydraulic damper to provide dynamic damping forces.

Additionally, Enidine’s rate control products also meet the heavy demands for reliable, consistent and smooth operation of armored vehicle doors, while several custom energy absorption and vibration isolation products are featured on several armored vehicle platforms.