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Thread: Rubber Isolator Deflection Calcs

  1. #1
    Associate Engineer
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Posts
    2

    Rubber Isolator Deflection Calcs

    I am trying to calculate the force required to move a piece of equipment in the horizontal direction that is mounted on a set of rubber isolators.
    I have the stiffness in the horizontal direction (k) of the rubber isolators and can work out the force required to deflect all of the isolators a given amount but my equation doesn't take into account the mass of the equipment on top of the isolators.
    Eg
    Force = deflection x K x No. Isolators

    If this equipment was sitting on a flat plane then using friction along with the equipment loads, I can easily calculate the force required to move the object but I am sitting on a flexible mount.

    If someone could clear this up for me, it would be appreciated.

    Thanks.

    Jason

  2. #2
    Lead Engineer
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Houston TX USA
    Posts
    421
    I think we need a clearer explanation of "move the equipment". Are you trying to slide the equipment across the top of the isolators or slide the equipment and attached isolators across the surface on which they are sitting?

    Still, if either of the above is your case, your friction equation using the appropriate friction factor for the contacting surfaces still applies; but, you will need to determine if the force required is within the lateral load limits of each of the isolators.

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