Vibration isolation is the process of isolating an object, such as a piece of equipment, from the source of vibration

Vibration

Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...

s.

Passive isolation

Passive vibration isolation systems consist essentially of a mass, spring

Spring (device)

A spring is an elastic object used to store mechanical energy. Springs are usually made out of spring steel. Small springs can be wound from pre-hardened stock, while larger ones are made from annealed steel and hardened after fabrication...

 and damper

Dashpot

A dashpot is a mechanical device, a damper which resists motion via viscous friction. The resulting force is proportional to the velocity, but acts in the opposite direction, slowing the motion and absorbing energy. It is commonly used in conjunction with a spring...

 (dash-pot).

Negative-Stiffness Vibration Isolator

Negative-Stiffness-Mechanism (NSM) vibration isolation systems offer a unique passive approach for achieving low vibration environments and isolation against sub-Hertz vibrations. "Snap-through" or "over-center" NSM devices are used to reduce the stiffness of elastic suspensions and create compact six-degree-of-freedom systems with low natural frequencies. Practical systems with vertical and horizontal natural frequencies as low as 0.2 to 0.5 Hz provide isolation efficiencies one to two orders of magnitude better than top-performance air tables and pneumatic isolation systems. Electro-mechanical auto-adjust mechanisms compensate for varying weight loads and provide automatic leveling in multiple-isolator systems, similar to the function of leveling valves in pneumatic systems. All-metal systems can be configured which are compatible with high vacuums and other adverse environments such as high temperatures.

These isolation systems enable vibration-sensitive instruments such as scanning probe microscopes, micro-hardness testers and scanning electron microscopes to operate in severe vibration environments sometimes encountered, for example, on upper floors of buildings and in clean rooms. Such operation would not be practical with pneumatic isolation systems. Similarly, they enable vibration-sensitive instruments to produce better images and data than those achievable with pneumatic isolators.

The theory of operation of NSM vibration isolation systems is summarized, some typical systems and applications are described, and data on measured performance is presented.
The theory of NSM isolation systems is explained in References 1 and 2. It is summarized briefly for convenience.

Vertical-Motion Isolation

A vertical-motion isolator is shown in Figure 1. It uses a conventional spring connected to an NSM consisting of two bars hinged at the center, supported at their outer ends on pivots, and loaded in compression by forces P. The spring is compressed by weight W to the operating position of the isolator, as shown in Figure 1. The stiffness of the isolator is K=KS-KN where KS is the spring stiffness and KN is the magnitude of a negative stiffness which is a function of the length of the bars and the load P. The isolator stiffness can be made to approach zero while the spring supports the weight W.

Horizontal-Motion Isolation

A horizontal-motion isolator consisting of two beam-columns is illustrated in Figure. 2. Each beam-column behaves like two fixed-free beam columns loaded axially by a weight load W. Without the weight load the beam-columns have horizontal stiffness KS With the weight load the lateral bending stiffness is reduced by the "beam-column" effect. This behavior is equivalent to a horizontal spring combined with an NSM so that the horizontal stiffness is K=KS-KN, and KN is the magnitude of the beam-column effect. Horizontal stiffness can be made to approach zero by loading the beam-columns to approach their critical buckling load.

Six-Degree-of-Freedom (six-DOF) Isolation

A six-DOF NSM isolator typically uses three isolators stacked in series: a tilt-motion isolator on top of a horizontal-motion isolator on top of a vertical-motion isolator. Figure 3 shows a schematic of a vibration isolation system consisting of a weighted platform supported by a single six-DOF isolator incorporating the isolators of Figures 1 and 2. Flexures are used in place of the hinged bars shown in Figure 1. A tilt flexure serves as the tilt-motion isolator. A vertical-stiffness adjustment screw is used to adjust the compression force on the negative-stiffness flexures thereby changing the vertical stiffness. A vertical load adjustment screw is used to adjust for varying weight loads by raising or lowering the base of the support spring to keep the flexures in their straight, unbent operating positions.

Vibration isolation of supporting joint

The equipment and gears have joint with surrounding objects (the supporting joint - with the support; the unsupporting joint - the pipe duct or cable ).
Vibration isolation of supporting joint is realized in the device named vibration-isolator (absorber).
On an illustration presented dependence of difference is levels of vibrations which are measured before installation of the functioning gear on vibration-isolator and after installation in a wide range of frequencies.

The Vibration Isolator

A device that reflects and absorbs waves of oscillatory energy, extending from the working gear or an electrical equipment, with the aid of effect of a vibration insulation. Vibration-isolator is established between a body transferring fluctuations and a body which defend (for example, between the gear and the foundation).
On an illustration is presented the image vibration-isolator a series «ВИ» which are applied in shipbuilding of Russia. Shown «ВИ» allow loadings 5, 40 and 300 kg. They differ in the sizes, but have a similar structure .
In a structure is used the rubber envelope, which is reinforced by a spring. Rubber and a spring are strongly connected during transformation of crude rubber into rubber envelope by a method of vulcanization.
Under action of weight loading of the gear the rubber envelope is of deformation , and a spring are compressed or stretch. Thus, in springs cross section, occurs the twig twist with a material of rubber envelope, causing deformation of shift in rubber envelope. It is known, that the vibration insulation basically cannot be carried out without presence of vibration absorption .
The size of deformation of shift in elastic material of vibration-isolator it basis for definition of size of absorption of fluctuations. At action of vibration or shock loadings of deformation increase. Being thus cyclic, it considerably strengthens efficiency of the given device.
In the upper part of a design the sleeve, and in the lower part a flange by means of which the vibration-isolator fastens to the gear and the foundation.

Vibration isolation of unsupporting joint

Vibration isolation of unsupporting joint is realized in the device named branch pipe a of isolating vibration.

Branch pipe a of isolating vibration

Branch pipe a of isolating vibration is a part of a tube with elastic walls for reflection and absorption of waves of the oscillatory energy extending from the working pump over wall of the pipe duct. Is established between the pump and the pipe duct. On an illustration is presented the image a vibration-isolating branch pipe of a series «ВИПБ». In a structure is used the rubber envelope, which is reinforced by a spring. Properties of an envelope are similar envelope to a isolator vibration. Has the device reducing axial effort from action of internal pressure up to zero.

Active isolation

Active vibration isolation systems contain, along with the spring, a feedback circuit which consists of a piezoelectric accelerometer

Accelerometer

An accelerometer is a device that measures proper acceleration, also called the four-acceleration. This is not necessarily the same as the coordinate acceleration , but is rather the type of acceleration associated with the phenomenon of weight experienced by a test mass that resides in the frame...

, a controller

Controller (computing)

In computing and especially in computer hardware, controller is a chip, an expansion card, or a stand-alone device that interfaces with a peripheral device...

, and an electromagnetic

Electromagnetism

Electromagnetism is one of the four fundamental interactions in nature. The other three are the strong interaction, the weak interaction and gravitation...

 transducer

Transducer

A transducer is a device that converts one type of energy to another. Energy types include electrical, mechanical, electromagnetic , chemical, acoustic or thermal energy. While the term transducer commonly implies the use of a sensor/detector, any device which converts energy can be considered a...

. The acceleration (vibration) signal is processed by a control circuit and amplifier. Then it feeds the electromagnetic actuator, which amplifies the signal. As a result of such a feedback system, a considerably stronger suppression of vibrations is achieved compared to ordinary damping.

Subframe isolation

Another technique used to increase isolation is to use an isolated subframe. This splits the system with an additional mass/spring/damper system. This doubles the high frequency attenuation rolloff, at the cost of introducing additional low frequency modes which may cause the low frequency behaviour to deteriorate. This is commonly used in the rear suspensions of cars with Independent Rear Suspension (IRS), and in the front subframes of some cars. The graph (see illustration) shows the force into the body for a subframe that is rigidly bolted to the body compared with the red curve that shows a compliantly mounted subframe. Above 42 Hz the compliantly mounted subframe is superior, but below that frequency the bolted in subframe is better.

See also

• Cushioning
  Cushioning
  Package cushioning is used to help protect fragile items during shipment. It is common for a transport package to be dropped, kicked, and impacted: These events may produce potentially damaging shocks. Transportation vibration from conveyors, trucks, railroads, or aircraft can also damage some...
  
  
• Shock absorber
  Shock absorber
  A shock absorber is a mechanical device designed to smooth out or damp shock impulse, and dissipate kinetic energy. It is a type of dashpot.-Nomenclature:...
  
  
• Bushing (isolator)
  Bushing (isolator)
  A bushing or rubber bushing is a type of vibration isolator. It provides an interface between two parts, damping the energy transmitted through the bushing. A common application is in vehicle suspension systems, where a bushing made of rubber separates the faces of two metal objects while allowing...
  
  
• Vibration
  Vibration
  Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...
  
  
• Noise, vibration, and harshness
  Noise, Vibration, and Harshness
  Noise, vibration, and harshness , also known as noise and vibration , is the study and modification of the noise and vibration characteristics of vehicles, particularly cars and trucks...
  
  
• Base isolation
  Base isolation
  Base isolation, also known as seismic base isolation or base isolation system, is one of the most popular means of protecting a structure against earthquake forces...
  
  
• Vibration control
  Vibration control
  In earthquake engineering, vibration control is a set of technical means aimed to mitigate seismic impacts in building and non-building structures.All seismic vibration control devices may be classified as passive, active or hybrid where:...
  
  
• Oscillation
  Oscillation
  Oscillation is the repetitive variation, typically in time, of some measure about a central value or between two or more different states. Familiar examples include a swinging pendulum and AC power. The term vibration is sometimes used more narrowly to mean a mechanical oscillation but sometimes...
  
  
• Soundproofing
  Soundproofing
  Soundproofing is any means of reducing the sound pressure with respect to a specified sound source and receptor. There are several basic approaches to reducing sound: increasing the distance between source and receiver, using noise barriers to reflect or absorb the energy of the sound waves, using...
  
  

External links

at Lord Corporation

Lord Corporation

LORD Corporation is a privately held company that designs, manufactures and markets devices and systems to manage mechanical motion and control noise and vibration. The company formulates, produces and sells general purpose and specialty adhesives and coatings; and develops products and systems...

• "Vibration isolation is the key to accuracy" article at EngineeringTalk.com
• White Paper on Active Vibration Isolation for Lithography and Imaging

• Fundamentals of Vibration Isolation