Controlling vibration – or anti vibration control – is very important for many reasons including damage to the human body and damage to structural or mechanical systems. Some of the most common anti vibration control application include pads, gloves, specially designed feet for machinery, mounts and tables. Of course these are just a sampling of the simple solutions around us every day.

Here are some examples of how sorbothane has integrated anti vibration solutions: Read the rest of this entry »

Sorbothane produces visco-elastic polymer anti vibration pads that are a versatile and affordable way to isolate shock and vibration as well as reduce noise levels.

Our anti vibration pads as well as our sheet stock and other standard products are made with Sorbothane®, a  highly-damped, visco-elastic, polymeric solid that “flows” like a liquid under load. Sorbothane® is a thermoset, polyether-based polyurethane that combines ultra high energy absorption with amazing memory to produce a highly effective pad.

Sorbothane® anti vibration pads are manufactured in a durometer range from 25 to 85 Shore 00 Scale and  Sorbothane’s liquid-solid properties allow it to simultaneously absorb shock and vibration energy and make it preferable to one dimensional materials like rubber and other polyurethanes. Read the rest of this entry »

Vibration suppression is the practice of using damping, isolation or a cancellation solution to reduce or eliminate vibrations that would otherwise result in loss of performance or limit the useful life of a system. Tackling the most challenging problems related to vibration suppression is what Sorbothane® was invented for. Its unique, liquid solid (Visco-elastic) properties make it the material of choice for vibration suppression and isolation pads and much more.

Damping. A common approach to vibration suppression is adding damping. Vibration damping dissipates some of the vibration energy by transforming it to heat. By selecting the right vibration damping material you can suppress or eliminate noise and vibration in industrial, electronic, structural and ergonomic applications caused by vibration and damaging resonance.

In a lightly damped system when the forcing frequency nears the natural frequency the amplitude (the maximum displacement of a vibrating particle or body from its position of rest) of the vibration can get extremely high. This phenomenon is called resonance and this is what we’re trying to suppress. If resonance occurs in a mechanical system it can be very harmful – leading to eventual failure of the system. Read the rest of this entry »

Vibration pads are used in many applications for isolating noise, prolonging machine life, reducing maintenance costs and reducing excessive wear and tear. Vibration pads can reduce damage to everything from equipment, structures and even the human body.

Vibration pads are also called vibration isolation pads which means that damaging energy is removed by the material and not transferred on to the machine or body. Vibration isolation is the process of isolating an object, such as a piece of equipment, from the source of damaging vibrations. A good vibration isolator takes energy out of the system so it’s no longer a concern. Read the rest of this entry »

Vibration damping material is used to reduce or eliminate noise in industrial, electronic, structural and ergonomic applications caused by resonance and vibration. Sorbothane is a great solution for most any application and our visco-elastic polymer has been used in everything from small gadgets, protective footwear, the U.S. Airforce Memorial, the Space Shuttle and beyond.

What is damping?

Damping is the energy dissipation properties of a material or system under cyclical stress. It is the conversion of mechanical energy into thermal energy. The amount of energy dissipated is a measure of the material’s damping level.

How does vibration damping work?

Damping materials work by changing the natural vibration frequency of the vibrating surface and thereby lowering radiated noise and increasing the transmission loss of the material. Many applications and products are subject to vibration from internal, as well as external sources. The effect of this vibration can range in severity from an computer owner’s perception of the quality of their noisy hard drive to the actual failure of a mechanical system due to a high-cycle fatigue. Read the rest of this entry »

Anaheim Convention Center – Anaheim, CA – February 9 – 11, 2010
Booth # 3530

Sorbothane, Inc. announces they will be exhibiting at The 2010 Pacific Design and Manufacturing Show.

Sorbothane, Inc. will display standard and custom molded products for applications requiring shock absorption, vibration isolation and acoustic damping.

Sorbothane® is the ultimate isolation material for absorbing shock and vibration. No other material can dissipate energy as effectively. In many applications Sorbothane® has absorbed up to 94.7% of the impact force. Engineers worldwide choose Sorbothane® for applications requiring shock absorption, vibration isolation and damping.

• RAPID PROTOTYPING
• LOW-COST TOOLING
• FAST TURN AROUND
• MADE IN USA

Sorbothane, Inc. 2144 State Route 59 Kent, Ohio 44240 800.838.3906 Email sales@sorbothane.com www.sorbothane.com

Sorbothane®…Shock and Vibration Solutions

Las Vegas, Nevada – January 19-22, 2010 Booth #3861

Sorbothane, Inc., announces that KICK-EEZ® will be exhibiting at the 2010 SHOT Show. KICK-EEZ® Recoil Pads made with Sorbothane are the most popular pads on the market today. KICK-EEZ® will feature the specially engineered Dual Action Recoil Pad. This unique Dual Action recoil-absorbing pad combines two layers of Sorbothane®. The first, ultra-soft Sorbothane® layer reacts to absorb recoil for increased accuracy. The second, Sorbothane® layer dissipates energy and completes maximum recoil absorption.

According to independent testing, the KICK-EEZ® Dual Action Recoil Pad absorbed more energy than any other recoil pad. Read the rest of this entry »

Salt Palace Convention Center – Salt Lake City, Utah – January 21-24, 2010  Booth # 34091

Sorbothane, Inc. announces that Penguin Brands will be exhibiting at the 2010 Outdoor Retailer Show. Penguin Brands will display their complete line of Sorbothane® Performance Insoles.

Sorbothane® is the only insole material that can absorb up to 94.7% of impact shock. And unlike standard insole materials, which can bottom out and lose effectiveness, Sorbothane® performs under any condition. Durable and comfortable, Sorbothane® Performance Insoles retain their shock absorbing benefits month after month. Lightweight and antifungal, they also breathe, which makes for a much cooler insole. Read the rest of this entry »

Why Sorbothane is a great solution for Shock Absorption

Sorbothane®, a one-of-a-kind visco-elastic polymer that was first introduced in 1982. Since its introduction Sorbothane® has been used in many varied energy absorbing product categories. It can be – and has been – used in many different applications including everything from The Liberty Bell to the Air Force Memorial to Race Cars to the Space Shuttle. But Sorbothane is different than other shock absorbing materials like foam and rubber and we’d like to explain why.

Sorbothane® is a proprietary, visco-elastic polymer which has special properties that go far beyond the norm. Visco-elastic means that a material exhibits properties of both liquids (viscous solutions) and solids (elastic materials) so it will deform under load and transmit forces in all directions and then return to its original shape when the load is removed.
Read the rest of this entry »

Shock absorbing pads take many shapes and forms and have uses in a wide range of applications and industries. Sorbothane has provided shock absorption pad solutions for many applications in industries ranging from sports and leisure to industrial solutions.

The shock absorbing pads that Sorbothane can produce in any shape, color or style provide high performance impact protection that will transmit the force perpendicularly away from the object that needs protection. Sorbothane has an elastic behavior that causes the material to return to shape quickly as it prepares for the next impact to the pad.

In the following sections we’ll describe some of the shock absorbing pad solutions that Sorbothane can, and has provided over the years. Read the rest of this entry »