The Little Component That Makes a Big Impact

It’s when it’s a question of keeping machines in top operating condition and operating with maximum efficiency that sometimes it’s not the heavy machinery that matters. Baked into the confusion of difficult-to-understand equipment are small but essential pieces that operate behind the scenes to protect your investment—vibration mounts being one. They’re unnoticed, but the unassuming-looking devices can play a big role in the overall condition, function, and decibel output of a machine.

We specialize in Lusida Rubber to produce heavy-duty vibration dampening products for high-requirement application applications. Through this article, we will break the code of what the function of vibration mounts is, their benefit to different industries, and show you why using Lusida Rubber in your application is a good idea in meeting your vibration control needs.

What Exactly Are Vibration Mounts?

They are also referred to as anti-vibration mounts or vibration isolators. They are mounts used to dissipate and damp mechanical energy generated by moving equipment. They are composed of metal components, proprietary rubber compounds, or both. Vibration mounts are installed at advantageous locations—between moving parts, or between equipment mounting base and equipment.

The reason? To keep vibrations from propagating where they shouldn’t, or else they can cause misalignment, component failure, or even safety hazards.

A Closer Look at Vibration Mount Types

Depending on equipment, load, and operating conditions, different types of vibration mounts are used:

• Rubber Mounts: For lighter-weight machines where flexibility and long life are critical.
• Bonded Metal-Rubber Mounts: Stiffer and suitable for machines exposed to hostile stress.
• Cone Mounts: Prevalent in mobile machinery and plants due to the ability to dissipate shocks in their cone-like structure.
• Shear Mounts: They restrict vertical and horizontal motion, thus easy to operate.
• Stud & Sandwich Mounts: Resilient in compact size for various applications.

Why Use Vibration Mounts? Five Revolutionary Advantages

• Increased Equipment Lifespan

Vibrations, uncontrolled, wear down essential components—gears, bearings, and fasteners, for example. A well-designed vibration mount substantially eliminates such wear-and-tear, giving years to the life of your equipment.

• Increased Precision and Operating Stability

When accuracy within narrow tolerances is important in equipment, even small vibrations can derange calibration. Isolating vibration, these mounts maintain operating accuracy.

• Effective Noise Reduction

Excessive industrial noise is more than a nuisance—it’s a health risk. Anti-vibration products reduce noise pollution by limiting vibration transmission, it’s easier to provide safer, quieter working environments.

• Protection for Sensitive Components

Electronics and sensitive sensors wear out or fail with constant motion. Anti-vibration mounts absorb these components, keeping them performing.

• Fewer Surprise Repairs

Less vibration = less mechanical breakdown. The result? Less downtime, fewer emergency repairs, and more money in your pocket in the long run.

Where Vibration Mounts Are Most Needed

The applications of vibration isolation are numerous. Some common applications are:

Automotive

• Mounting engines and transmissions
• Decoupling noise in exhaust systems
• Shocking control in suspension designs

Industrial & Manufacturing

• CNC and automated equipment
• Compressors and heavy-duty motors
• Generator and pump mounting systems

HVAC & Electrical

• Air handlers and fans
• Electrical enclosures and switchboards
• Cooling equipment and transformers

Aerospace & Marine

• Navigation instruments
• Cabin fixtures and subsystems
• Marine boat engines and on-board electronics

Selecting the Right Mount for the Job

Not all vibration mounts are equal. Choosing the right one involves many critical considerations:

• Load Capacity: Think about static loads and dynamic loads. A terminated load too big will collapse; an unload too small won’t decouple.
• Vibration Characteristics: Mounts with the proper natural frequency may be selected based on the vibration frequency and amplitude to be anticipated.
• Environmental Exposure: Some materials are subject to degradation through exposure to excessive heat, oil, chemicals, or UV radiation. Lusida offers substitutes like Neoprene, Silicone, EPDM, and Viton for such applications.
• Design Constraints: The mount has to physically fit within the available space without hindering other components.
• Fatigue Life: 24/7 operation means machines that will not fatigue. High-cycle life is a must.

Why Engineers Trust Lusida Rubber

Here at Lusida Rubber, our engineering process is committed to creating custom-made solutions tailored to the conditions of your operation. Whether you need one mount or many thousands, we offer:

• Custom and off-the-shelf rubber-to-metal bonded mounts
• High-performance rubber compounds (NBR, EPDM, Silicone, Viton, Neoprene)
• Engineered solutions for compression, shear, or combined-mode loading
• Resistance to oils, UV, ozone, and alternating temperatures

We help you safeguard your equipment and minimize operating expenses from the design phase to installation.

Real Results: Success Story

We had a water utility operator customer who was experiencing ongoing issues of pump vibration leading to mechanical failure and noise disturbance. By replacing them with Lusida’s application-specific rubber mounts, they observed:

• 60% reduction in operation noise
• 40% fewer maintenance callouts
• Increased machine uptime by a substantial percentage

Over time, this adjustment yielded quantifiable financial and performance benefits throughout their facility.

Best Practices When Installing Vibration Mounts

To maximize your anti-vibration mount, keep the following in mind:

• Match the load rating of each mount exactly to the weight it will bear.
• Utilize an even number of mounts to prevent imbalance.
• Don’t over-tighten when installing—leave some slack for flexibility.
• Perform regular wear inspection for cracking, material breakdown, or damage.

FAQs

Q. Can these mounts be mounted outdoors?

Yes. Rubbers like EPDM and Neoprene are ideally used in outdoor applications and are UV-stable and humidity-tolerant as well.

Q. Do they need lots of maintenance?

While relatively low-maintenance, regular eye inspection every couple of months detects wear before it is an issue.

Q. Are custom designs supported?

Yes. Lusida Rubber can supply totally bespoke anti-vibration solutions to suit specific operating conditions.

Final Thoughts

Out-of-sight vibration mounts, so-called, leave nothing to the imagination regarding their effect on machine performance and lifespan. By isolating detrimental vibrations, they allow sensitive components to be saved, noise is reduced, and machines are as good as new for years.

Whether you’re installing industrial equipment, HVAC equipment, or vehicles, the correct vibration control solution is an investment that pays in cost savings and reliability. When performance and lifespan are paramount, Lusida Rubber Products is committed to delivering tailored solutions that are designed to deliver long-term value and peace of mind.