Vibration Damping
Vibration damping within an industrial setting is a method
of controlling and reducing vibrations made by machinery when design strategies
have reached their limits. It reduces
the oscillatory motion in a vibrating object through the loss of energy in the
form of heat during vibratory cycles.
When it comes to controlling the vibrations of heavy machinery, there
are ad-on active damping devices such as structural joints and supports which
help alleviate the vibrations for quieter, safer work environments and longer
lasting equipment. Vibration dampers are
an inexpensive, simple option that is commonly used by any industry that employs
heavy machinery, especially automotive manufacturers.
Vibration dampers come in a variety of forms, including wire
rope, rubber cones and grooves for belts.
The most widely used types of vibration damping take the form of plates
and springs. The plates are used to
quiet engines, generators, pumps, compressors, and industrial and processing
machines. They are often multi-layer and
are designed to absorb vibrations through compression and shear when vibrations
arrive at the mounting in two planes at right angles to the vertical axis. The springs, often liquid, are used to make premium-range
vehicles quieter-passengers only hear the desired frequencies because of
silicones that act as a spring and filter out noise from the vehicle frame.