Vibration isolation is the prevention of transmission of vibration from one component of a system to others parts of the same system, as in buildings or mechanical systems. Vibration is undesirable in many domains, primarily engineered systems and habitable spaces, and methods have been developed to prevent the transfer of vibration to such systems. Vibrations propagate via mechanical waves and certain mechanical linkages conduct vibrations more efficiently than others. Passive vibration isolation makes use of materials and mechanical linkages that absorb and damp these mechanical waves. Active vibration isolation involves sensors and actuators that produce disruptive interference that cancels-out incoming vibration.
Passive isolation
"Passive vibration isolation" refers to vibration isolation or mitigation of vibrations by passive techniques such as rubber pads or mechanical springs, as opposed to "active vibration isolation" or "electronic force cancellation" employing electric power, sensors, actuators, and control systems.
Passive vibration isolation is a vast subject, since there are many types of passive vibration isolators used for many different applications. A few of these applications are for industrial equipment such as pumps, motors, HVAC systems, or washing machines; isolation of civil engineering structures from earthquakes (base isolation), sensitive laboratory equipment, valuable statuary, and high-end audio.
A basic understanding of how passive isolation works, the more common types of passive isolators, and the main factors that influence the selection of passive isolators:
Common passive isolation systems
Pneumatic or air isolators
These are bladders or canisters of compressed air. A source of compressed air is required to maintain them. Air springs are rubber bladders which provide damping as well as isolation and are used in large trucks. Some pneumatic isolators can attain low resonant frequencies and are used for isolating large industrial equipment. Air tables consist of a working surface or optical surface mounted on air legs. These tables provide enough isolation for laboratory instrument under some conditions. Air systems may leak under vacuum conditions. The air container can interfere with isolation of low-amplitude vibration. Mechanical springs and spring-dampers These are heavy-duty isolators used for building systems and industry. Sometimes they serve as mounts for a concrete block, which provides further isolation. Pads or sheets of flexible materials such as elastomers, rubber, cork, dense foam and laminate materials. Elastomer pads, dense closed cell foams and laminate materials are often used under heavy machinery, under common household items, in vehicles and even under higher performing audio systems. Molded and bonded rubber and elastomeric isolators and mounts These are often used as machinery (such as engines) mounts or in vehicles. They absorb shock and attenuate some vibration. Negative-stiffness isolators Negative-stiffness isolators are less common than other types and have generally been developed for high-level research applications such as gravity wave detection. Lee, Goverdovskiy, and Temnikov (2007) proposed a negative-stiffness system for isolating vehicle seats.
The focus on negative-stiffness isolators has been on developing systems with very low resonant frequencies (below 1 Hz), so that low frequencies can be adequately isolated, which is critical for sensitive instrumentation. All higher frequencies are also isolated. Negative-stiffness systems can be made with low stiction, so that they are effective in isolating low-amplitude vibrations.
Negative-stiffness mechanisms are purely mechanical and typically involve the configuration and loading of components such as beams or inverted pendulums. Greater loading of the negative-stiffness mechanism, within the range of its operability, decreases the natural frequency. Wire rope isolators