How to choose the material of vibration isolator？
Currently, the industrial vibration isolation industry primarily utilizes four core materials: natural rubber, synthetic rubber, metal steel and high-performance polyurethane elastomers. Each material has its unique advantages and applicable operating conditions.
Natural rubber possesses excellent elasticity, superior low-frequency vibration reduction performance and low cost, making it the most commonly used basic vibration isolation material for conventional light- to medium-load equipment. It is suitable for indoor environments with normal temperatures, no chemical corrosion and no extreme weather conditions, such as ordinary mechanical equipment, office automation equipment and civil HVAC systems. However, natural rubber is prone to aging, hardening and deformation under high temperatures, ultraviolet radiation and oil immersion, thus making it unsuitable for harsh industrial environments.
Synthetic rubber series represents an upgraded alternative to natural rubber, optimized for demanding operating conditions. As a high-performance synthetic material, nitrile rubber (NBR) exhibits excellent oil resistance and abrasion resistance, maintaining stable elasticity even in oil-immersed environments such as compressors, engine-related equipment and petroleum machinery, effectively preventing material expansion and failure. Ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) rubber possesses excellent UV resistance, ozone resistance and weather resistance, making it an ideal choice for outdoor equipment such as cooling towers, outdoor air conditioning units and outdoor power equipment. For high-temperature operating environments such as industrial pumps, generators and high-power compressors, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber (HNBR) and fluororubber (FKM) are better choices. They resist thermal degradation and maintain stable load-bearing and damping performance under long-term high-temperature conditions where ordinary rubber fails.
Metallic steel materials are mainly made of high-strength alloy steel to form spring vibration isolators. Metal vibration isolators have extremely high structural stiffness, strong load-bearing capacity and excellent durability, making them suitable for applications such as heavy-duty industrial equipment, large machinery foundations and building structure vibration isolation. After galvanizing or nickel plating for corrosion protection, steel vibration isolators can effectively resist moisture oxidation and adapt to complex indoor and outdoor environments. However, metallic materials have poor damping performance for mid-to-high frequency vibrations and noise and usually need to be used in conjunction with damping materials to achieve a comprehensive vibration isolation effect.
High-performance polyurethane elastomers are currently the most advanced vibration isolation materials in the industry. This material features a dense, closed-cell structure, combining high damping, impact resistance, moisture resistance and fatigue resistance. It can efficiently absorb low-frequency, mid-frequency, multi-frequency vibration energy and maintain stable performance under long-term repetitive loads and humid environments. It is widely used in precision equipment, rail transit facilities, medical equipment and precision electronic instruments where vibration isolation accuracy is extremely high.
