09/18/2019

How we Stop Vibration

Understanding the delicate balancing act between isolation and damping

Vibration can be the enemy of a process in all kinds of ways and we at AVMR have a single goal – to control vibration where it occurs. To do this we have two distinct weapons at our disposal.

Vibration isolation and vibration damping may at first appear to be the same thing, but each is unique and experts – such as the team at AVMR – will use them in harmony to produce the perfect conclusion.

Damping is the process of managing energy levels in vibration. Bringing unwanted movement to a controlled arrest by absorbing the energy being produced. Yes, your process produces unavoidable vibrations… But they can be controlled by damping using our components to suck this energy out of the system before it causes a problem.

When to damp…

This may be necessary because the vibration may be directly responsible for limiting the effectiveness of the machinery to carry out the job in hand. The yields of the product being produced could be reduced by the very process used to produce it. Similarly vibration may limit the lifespan of a machine as it – basically – shakes itself apart. Or vibration can make the surrounding area not just uncomfortable but uninhabitable. Vibration can manifest itself as noise. Or have a more dangerous effect, in extreme cases breaking down the nerves and fibres that hold living tissue together.

Taking a washing machine as our example. We know that the spinning drum is going to vibrate and we allow it to do so, holding it in an anti-vibration grip that allows it to move within set parameters that always return it to the same resting place.

The partner to damping is isolation. As above, there will be instances where the element is going to vibrate as part of its duties, and we’re ok with that. It might be that trying to limit the vibration at source is impossible due to the speeds and weights involved. Or it might be that to do so would be costly and complex.

Perhaps killing such vibration simply isn’t necessary, or – in the case of vibrating screens used to grade rocks into different sizes for example – vibration IS the process. To damp it would be to make the whole system useless.

When to isolate…

Instead we would attempt to isolate. Isolation is understanding the scale of the vibration and separating it from its surroundings. We are allowing our systems to vibrate, but working to prevent those vibrations from travelling to where they’re not wanted. To use our washing machine example again, its simple rubber feet go the rest of the way, isolating the machine’s damped vibrations from bothering your kitchen too much.

By accurately and expertly applying each method as a partnership, AVMR are experts in curing vibration woes. So why not partner up with us. Give us a call and let us discover your unique solution.