Today consumers have a higher level of expectations when it comes to the products they purchase. Performance and reliability have always been important, but now consumers expect sleeker-looking designs and in the case of appliances and equipment, they expect quieter operation. To answer this demand, the designers and developers of products, from automobiles to appliances, are relying on fabricated adhesive materials to produce quieter designs.
When it comes to noise associated with product designs, the primary sources of noise are airborne noise and structural noise. Airborne noise is created by the interaction of a vibrating surface with the surrounding air. It can be reduced by adding absorbers, barriers, and layers to absorb or reflect sound energy. Structural noise is produced by mechanical vibration energy that travels throughout the structure of a product as well as materials with which it comes in contact. Structural noise can be controlled by controlling the vibration that causes it. A low friction surface positioned between parts is one way to manage vibration. Isolation of the vibration is another. A final way to manage structural noise is to change the vibration mode of the structure by adding a vibration dissipating dampening material.
Can-Do Tape offers two 3M adhesive tapes that are highly effective for dampening noise:
3M™ VHB™ Tape
When used in assembly of panels, 3M VHB Tape provides a visco-elastic layer between two rigid surfaces while bonding them together. Vibration that occurs in either panel places the VHB material in elongation mode, but this elongation is constrained by the rigidity of the panels. As a result, the vibration energy is turned into heat energy through constrained layer damping.
3M™ Vibration Damping Foil Tape
3M Vibration Damping Tape is applied to parts of an assembly that have a tendency to vibrate and dampens vibration through constrained layer damping. The tape is comprised of a soft polymeric damping adhesive material and a thick aluminum foil, which constrains the polymeric material. When vibration occurs, the polymeric damping material is placed in elongation mode by the force of the vibration. The foil constrains the elongation and converts the vibration energy into heat.
Can-Do Tape is your source for adhesive tape materials to dampen noise. Contact us to discuss your project!