The Best Material For “Impact Protection”
When two bodies (of any kind) collide—impact one another—the exact moment of collision is known as the point of impact. At this point, a shock is delivered by the force of the impact. This impact force will increase with speed and the size of the colliding bodies. The shock, generated by the impact force, is delivered as energy that is transferred to the impacted body(s). This energy is what causes injury and damage to workers, equipment and product. This is, most definitely—unwanted energy.
What is the best material for “impact protection”?
The energy that is transferred by the impact force will result in rework, waste, and downtime as—-product and materials are damaged, equipment fails, and workers are injured. To avoid such consequences, this energy must be safely and efficiently eliminated. Energy absorption is achieved most effectively by Sorbothane®. Sorbothane is the best material for “impact protection”—protection against damage, loss, and injury.
What is Sorbothane and how does it provide impact protection?
Sorbothane is a uniquely formulated viscoelastic polymer—introduced in 1982. Viscoelastic means that Sorbothane exhibits properties of both liquids (viscous solutions—ones that can flow) and solids (elastic materials). Sorbothane flows like a liquid when it is under a load (exposed to impact force). It acts like an elastic solid by returning to its original shape after forces are removed. Unique to viscoelastic materials, Sorbothane safely disperses absorbed energy (from impact force) outward from the source of impact in the form of heat. In many applications, Sorbothane has achieved shock energy absorption of near 95%, and it absorbs this shock energy efficiently for millions of cycles. Sorbothane is specified around the world by engineers because of its energy absorbing and shock reducing properties. Sorbothane is the best material for “impact protection”.
Sorbothane can fulfill your unique impact protection needs
The Sorbothane has developed a product line that will provide superior impact protection. Our Sorbothane Bushings and Washers provide essential impact force energy absorption in machinery. When installed together, they create a floating bolt—this provides isolation from metal-to-metal contact that may damage the unit. For shipping applications involving delicate cargo—shock protection is supplied by Sorbothane Pallet Isolation Rings. You will discover that our Sorbothane Soft-Blow Mallet dissipates the impact from the mallet strike—avoiding the transmission of damaging energy to the hands of your workers. Sorbothane Strips and Sheet Stock are available to address your unique shock absorption requirements. This material can withstand the wide range of temperatures encountered in harsh workplaces. Because of its unsurpassed impact protection properties, you will also find Sorbothane in non-industrial applications—Kick-EEZ Sorbothane recoil pads protect soldiers from injury due to weapon recoil, insoles protect athletes, and drop shock protection is designed into sensitive hand-held devices, such as portable medical devices and cell phones. Customization is also available by contacting our engineering staff.
For additional information, and to learn how Sorbothane can address your custom requirements—contact Sorbothane engineers.