Vibration challenges in Industrial environments where many heavy machinery and equipments are constantly working may present many challenges due to vibration. Vibration can fail too early, cause high maintenance costs and put the equipment users at risk. To avoid all these problems industries use vibration isolation joints – parts which absorb and damp vibration.

This blog post details the benefits of vibration isolation joints.

Vibration Isolation Joints are special parts designed to dampen or absorb vibrations. These parts may act as buffers between the vibrating source and the connected equipment or piping system to prevent excessive vibration transmission.

A few types of vibration isolation joints are listed:

Other applications of vibration isolation joints include: Manufacturers plants / Power generation / Chemical plants / Refineries / HVAC applications in residential and commercial facilities.

These joints will provide industries with many benefits by damping vibrations in their systems.

The first benefit of vibration isolation joints is the reduction of vibration and noise. In many industrial applications vibration is associated with structural damage and compromised components. And it is linked to the high noise in the industrial system that harms employees / productivity / processing also. Vibration isolation joints damp vibrations so they do not travel through pipelines, ductwork and equipment. This lowers the risk or damage of mechanical parts breaking down but also ensures a quieter working environment for employees. In noise-sensitive installations such as buildings with HVAC systems they ensure minimum noise pollution whose legality determines whether the property is habitable.

Second benefit is equipment preservation. Longevity of vibrations exposure causes faster wear and premature equipment breakdown. Vibration persistence of equipments will be reduced by installing vibration isolation joints. This leads to reduced downtime and maintenance, and industries saving thousands of dollars that they would have paid for the installation without it. A study by National Institute of Standards and Technology found vibration control measures extended the life of industrial equipment almost 50%.

The vibration isolation joints installed in industries absorb this risk and improve safety in general. These joints prevent a pipe leak and are unsafe if the facility has to work with hazardous materials or high pressures. Moreover equipment failures and unplanned downtime are reduced, ensuring a safer working environment and safety. More frequent maintenance and less disturbed downtime mean less disturbance in the industrial settings. In one example Vibration Solutions Inc. found that recording vibrations post-implementation reduced machine downtime due to failures by 75%. That meant more safety for a company which produces without stopping because of the identified vibrations.

This is a great advantage in the Long Run as the savings due to the use of vibration isolation joints outweigh the initial cost of installation. Increasing the life of the machines and reducing regular maintenance and downtime is a cost saving. Moreover, industries may be fined for complaints of people about vibration and noise of transport. Installing such devices is a good return on investment to avoid the excessive costs. The American Society of Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Engineers estimates that vibration isolation joints bring down HVAC system expense by 20% over the system life.

The benefits are enormous and you know vibrations Isolation joints are great for use. When installing vibrations isolation joints many considerations must be given to choose the right type and size:

Operating Temperature: The most common isolation joints are those which absorb vibrations in extreme heat and cold. For instance, rubber joints are not recommended for high temperature; So joints manufactured from steel or another metal would be a suitable substitute.

Pressure and Media: The pressure and media to the point where the system will flow should be considered. A number of the joints are used in high pressure and others in very low pressure. For example, rubber is best at low pressure.

Movement and Flexibility Requirements: Any isolation joint used should be able to move freely and resist to material hardness to absorb any vibration. What kind of and degree motion joint should allow a vibration depends on the one which will be designed depending on the machine and working condition.

In all cases, chemical exposure, corrosive environment or outdoor condition may affect vibration isolation joints selection process. Some materials are resistant to environmental conditions.

Recommendations regarding the selection process of vibration isolation joints and their installation are invited. Consulting from experts / manufacturers allows selection / guidance according to application / operation condition / industrial standard /. Choosing the wrong vibration isolation joints may cause failures, performance reductions and safety problems.

Vibration isolation joints can benefit industries with proper selection and expert assistance for selections to maintain longer life, reliability and cost saving.

Vibration Isolation Joints should be installed as follows:

Installation Procedures:

Maintenance:

The correct installation and maintenance lengths improve the life expectancy and reliability of the vibration isolation joints for vibration reduction in industrial applications.

Using vibration isolation joints would make Management vibrating machinery processes more destructive. The benefits of reducing and damping excessive vibrations are lower vibration and noise levels, longer equipment life and reduced operational accidents downtime. Less expensive and more performant devices will in future benefit the user industry greatly. Type selection should however be made in accordance with operating temperature, pressure, media and environmental conditions. Proper selection & installation by a manufacturer or expert will also give the user benefits. This makes them indispensable in any manufacturing, power generation or HVAC commercial services industry. All industries that are considering vibration isolation joints need expert consultation.