Energy Dissipation and Why It Is Important to the Life of Your Machine

Machines, regardless of their purpose or their size, have a number of parts. Even the most rudimentary machine will have at least a few moving parts. The more parts involved, the more important that energy and energy resonance will become. Energy dissipation, when done correctly, can extend the life of the machine and can also make it work more efficiently.

Every part in a machine plays a specific role. Each part works together toward the function of the machine. For instance, in a washing machine, every part will spin or move in the act of getting the clothing clean and wrung out. But those parts can work against each other and defeat the overall purpose when there is too much vibration generated by the parts. The energy that is being generated to provide the required action is dissipated along those individual parts so the machine has to work harder and longer to perform its job. Eventually, that will wear the parts out and cause them to be weaker and more likely to break. Once one part ceases to work correctly, most machines are broken.

To reduce the amount of energy that is dissipated along the parts inside of the machine, there has to be a way to lower the amount of vibration that is created. The machine’s energy is then transferred to the individual parts without the dissonance and loss of power. The machine not only works more efficiently but continues to work for an extended period. The less time that you have to spend dealing with breakdowns and repairs, the better off you will be.

Sorbothane is a material that is frequently used in mechanical applications to reduce the amount of vibrations and energy dissipation. There are other materials that are used in certain situations, including oils or lubricants in smaller applications and gaskets or seals in larger. These are all meant to reduce the noise and vibration of each part of the machine. However, in each situation, these applications might have some limitations and drawbacks. For instance, oil can break down at excessive temperatures and may hasten breakdown of parts. Gaskets can break apart and may even be the cause of breakdown.

Thankfully, with the use of this material, some of the metal parts are eliminated. The more metal that is used in a machine, the more likely there is to be breakdown. Metal springs, typically used to capture and then release energy, eventually wear out and stop being as effective at the return of the energy. Metal springs can also break or come loose, causing extensive damage to any other part that they come in contact with.

Sorbothane, with the properties of both a viscous material and an elastic property can be adapted for use in a wide variety of applications regardless of the temperatures that are created by the working parts or the condition that the machine is used under.

Want to learn more about Sorbothane’s products? Download our Standard Products Guide here.