Friday, June 7, 2013

Novibra Anti Vibration Mounts

Novibra Anti Vibration Mounts

One of the leading manufacturers of anti vibration mounts in a company called Novibra.  Novibra is under the umbrella of Trelleborg Industrial Anti Vibration Systems, or TIAVS.  Trelleborg acquired Novibra due to the excellent quality of their mounts and the similarity in some of the vibration isolators currently being produced.

Novibra has a wide range of anti vibration mounts that will suit just about any application.  Their are many companies that sell Novibra anti vibration mounts and "knock off" versions of the Novibra mounts.  Currently, the only authorized distributor of Novibra mounts in the United States is a company called Mission Sales and SupplyMission Sales and Supply is a stocking distributor for Novibra, Metalastik, and Trelleborg vibration isolators.  Their website shows you the variety of mounts within the Novibra range as well as giving current inventory levels and pricing for these mounts.

What types of Anti Vibration Mounts does Novibra have?

Lets take a look at some of the applications and solutions that Novibra has within their product range.  This is not an exhaustive list of their mounts, but it is a good starting point to see the selection that Novibra has.  Click on any of these Novibra mounts below to be directed to a page that will give you more detailed information on the mounts.

Novibra Mounts for installing stationary equipment 

If you are mounting something such as a generator, compressor, or a stationary combustion engine, you might want to use one of these Novibra mounts.
Novibra RANovibra RAEMNovibra MNovibra RAB


Novibra Mounts for a mobile installation

If you need to mount a mobile application such as a marine or vehicle engine, a compressor, or a generator, you may take a look at the Novibra SIM mount.
Novibra SIM

Novibra Mounts for isolating sensitive equipment

If you are attempting to mount something sensitive such as an electronic device, a camera, a small pump, or a fan, you should consider these Novibra mounts.
Novibra M http://www.missionsupplyonline.com/Parts/novibra-se.html


Novibra Mounts to protect equipment during transit

If you are transporting computer or some sort of test equipment and need to mount it, these Novibra anti vibration mounts are are good choice.
 http://www.missionsupplyonline.com/Parts/novibra-vt.htmlNovibra MNovibra BA

Novibra Mounts for a vehicle application

If you are mounting a cab on a vehicle, the Novibra EH is a great choice.  It is also good for mounting radiators, engines, and ROPS cages.
Novibra EH

Novibra Mounts for Heavy Duty Applications

Novibra also has products that will handle more rugged applications.  Off highway vehicles need more stout vibration mounts.  These mounts can also be used on crushers, vibratory screens, and larger industrial sized engines.
Novibra SAWNovibra Rectangular SAWNovibra 3 Inch Comp

Novibra Mounts for Building and Construction Applications

Novibra also has a line of inertia blocks for construction applications.  They have mounts that will hang duct work and suspended ceilings.
Novibra GK http://www.missionsupplyonline.com/Parts/novibra-vt.htmlNovibra Double Plate

Novibra Mounts for Machines and Machining tools

Novibra has vibration mounts for lathes and punch presses.  They also work for mounting wood working tools and grinders.
Novibra TFNovibra AV Plate

Novibra Mounts to handle motion control

If you need a bump stop or some sort of rebound control mount, check out these Novibra mounts.
Novibra SENovibra ANB

Novibra Vehicle Suspension Mounts

Novibra has a VP selection of mounts that is great for mounting gearboxes, trunnions, and pivot arms.
Novibra VP

Thursday, June 6, 2013

How to Stop Vibrating

How to Stop Vibrating?

Vibration can be a serious problem.  It can cause damage to surrounding objects as well as create a lot of structure born noise.  However, the proper question is not "how to stop vibration", it is "how do I properly isolate this vibration".  Any type of machinery that has moving parts is naturally going to vibrate.  To completely stop the vibration, you would have to stop the machine from operating.

So how do I isolate vibration?  This will greatly depend upon the object that is doing the vibrating, but the solution is typically to use some sort of vibration isolator.  Vibration isolators come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials.  The main two vibration isolators, also called anti vibration mounts, consist of either metal springs or a rubber element that absorbs the vibration.  While metal springs are a viable option, rubber mounts are typically the more popular choice due to their very large work absorption capacity compared to that of even the best grade of steel.  Rubber is also much better at insulating sound created by vibration issues.

Rubber mounts will typically consist of a rubber compound that is chemically bonded to metal portions of the mount.  Mission Sales and Supply is a distributor of the rubber-bonded-to-metal type of mounts.  There is a wide range of anti vibration mounts to choose from depending on the application you are using them with.

Determining what type of Vibration you have

What is the nature of the vibration?  Is the vibration that is happening a result of a constant motion (such as the revolutions of an engine)?  Or is the vibration caused by random events that are interacting with the object you need to be stable (such as a hammer strike or dropping a heavy weight on something)?  These types of vibrations are typically called "shock loads".

Shock loads are a little trickier to handle, but given the right mount, can effectively be handled.  The majority of vibration issues deal with constant motion, such as an engine or generator, and can be solved by strategically placing anti vibration mounts underneath the object that is causing the vibration. 

Things to consider in selecting an anti vibration mount

You will want to know the weight of the application that you are attempting to isolate.  You will then need to find mounting positions that will evenly distribute the weight between the mounts.  This is not essential as you can always use mounts with a slightly stiffer rubber element if you need it to sustain more weight.  Regardless, you will need to know how much weight each mounting point will be responsible for.

Another thing to consider is what type of anti vibration mount design will suit you the best?  Some mounts have metal caps to protect against oil, gas, or other contaminents that might splash onto the rubber compound.  If you have a relatively clean environment, this will not be as big a concern.

You also may want your mounts to have a "fail safe" design.  This means they have been designed in such a way that the rubber can never be pulled apart (e.g. you are mounting a generator on a boat deck that will be tempted to roll over during times of choppy water or large waves).  The fail safe design will keep the mounts from failing if the application rolls or is inverted.

Contact a professional if you need help

If you have questions or would like a member of the team at Mission Sales and Supply to give you a recommendation, feel free to contact them.  They will run a free analysis of your application and make suggestions as to which mounts will give you the highest degree of isolation.