Shock Absorbing Foam
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.
Sorbothane combines good memory, shock absorption, vibration isolation and vibration damping characteristics. In addition, Sorbothane is an effective acoustic damper and absorber. While many materials exhibit one of these characteristics, Sorbothane combines all of them in a stable material with a long fatigue life.
Where neoprene foam, polyethylene foam and other materials have been used in many shock absorption applications, Sorbothane® has a low creep rate compared to other polymers (rubber, neoprene, silicone, etc.) and unlike other materials, Sorbothane absorbs shocks efficiently for millions of cycles.
Sorbothane can be purchased with a fire retardant that allows it to meet the Underwriters Laboratory 94 V2 standard so applications where fire and heat might be a problem (like with foam), it’s no longer a concern.
If you’re looking for a solution to a shock absorption problems, consider Sorbothane over other shock absorbing foams, rubber and polymers. Sorbothane is a custom molder of our proprietary material and we also offer a line of standard products and sheet stock that are described in our Industrial Standard Products and Price Guide.
Sorbothane’s manufacturing process results in ultra-low cost tooling, short lead times and cost-effective production for custom prototypes, high volume needs and everything in-between. Sorbothane is an excellent solution when shock absorption is a top concern.