How Ribbed Anti-Vibration Pads Work

An anti-vibration pad is the simplest isolator there is, and for a great many installations it is also the right one. There is no bolting, no bracket, no thread to align: the pad sits between the machine foot and the floor, and the ribbed rubber does the work. That makes it the fastest way to cut transmitted vibration and structure-borne noise from an existing installation without lifting or re-drilling anything. The performance comes from the rib pattern. Each face carries alternating high and low ribs, and the two faces are oriented so that the ribs cross. Under load the ribs deflect laterally as well as compressing, which gives the pad a much softer effective spring rate than a plain rubber sheet of the same thickness. The result is real isolation from a component under 10mm thick. Pads are supplied as squares and are designed to be cut. Trim the pad slightly larger than the machine foot or leg using shears or a sharp knife, so the load is spread over the full ribbed area. Where more deflection is needed than a single pad provides, layers can be stacked, ideally with a thin steel shim between them to keep the ribs from nesting into each other. ABAW stocks the BPF series in six sizes from 3 inch to 18 inch square, with recommended loads from 65kg to 410kg and maximum loads to 480kg per pad. Stock is held in Sharjah for immediate supply across the UAE and export to GCC and African markets.