How Shock Absorbers Improve Safety and Durability

Pneumatics offers a comprehensive solution for highly advanced motion control. Shock absorbers are an essential component to allow for predictable deceleration across a variety of applications. With the right kind of industrial equipment, you’ll have the capacity to absorb energy and safely bring moving objects to rest.

What Are The Advantages of Industrial Shock Absorbers?

The way shock absorbers work can feel wholly complicated. The motion that is applied to the piston of a hydraulic shock absorber, pressurizing the fluid, forcing flow to begin and quickly heat. This process converts the kinetic energy to thermal energy that dissipates into the atmosphere.

The key advantage of the right shock absorption solution is predictability. When you’re operating automation technology, you need to know when and where activity is going to happen and – more importantly – when and where activity is going to stop. While that is one of the most essential advantages of a reliable shock absorber, there are a number of other reasons the right shock absorption solutions can benefit your operation.

  1. Safety – In addition to predictability, shock absorbers also provide control. Deceleration needs to be something that you’re able to scale and manipulate depending on the needs of the application. Moreover, the right shock absorbers can incorporate designs that adhere to a wide range of safety specifications.
  2. Durability – Shock absorbers reduce shock and vibration during the usage of machinery which can greatly limit long-term damage caused by friction in equipment. In addition to increasing the machine lifespan, industrial shock absorbers also reduce downtime and maintenance needs during the life of the machinery.
  3. Quality – Motion can compromise quality in many scenarios. With shock absorption, the impacts of friction and vibration can be moderated and eliminated, helping you maintain the quality standards that are necessary for your operations.
  4. Speed – Controlled and gentle motion control is the key advantage of shock absorption, which allows you to operate and produce at higher speeds without compromising quality.

Case Studies: How The Right Industrial Shock Absorbers Transformed Industries

Drawbridges are a vital component of many intra-community transportation systems. Structural engineers have a lot to consider when designing and developing bridges and they cannot make the functional and durable infrastructure that is necessary for the long-term usage of a bridge without the right hardware and automation solutions. The Rengersbrug drawbridge benefited from ACE Controls’ MC6450M shock absorber which supported the deck’s deceleration and maintained excellent connection between Lemmer and Brekkenpolder.

When it comes to manufacturing processes, even the slightest inefficiency compromises operations and profitability. When a fan manufacturer found that their tester balancers were being affected by shock absorbers which had early end-of-life issues, which was compromising their yield, they called on ACE Controls. The MAGNUM series provided the durability necessary to support production across three tester-balancers, each weighing 220 pounds.

Some of the most advanced skiers are pushing the limits of the equipment they use when practicing and competing. It’s thought that the shock absorbers needed to protect the Innsbruck Institute for Sports Science’s one ski cross training machine would need to absorb impact velocities up to 33 feet per second, as well as impact forces ranging from 45,000 Newtons to 80,000 Newtons. An ACE Controls shock absorber that features an energy capacity of 11,506 in-lbs per cycle, absorbing 50% more than its predecessor with a more compact design.

Contact JHFOSTER For Your Shock Absorption Solutions

Whether you’re operating an automated line or need motion control for a very specific piece of equipment, JHFOSTER has the right industrial shock absorption solutions for every case scenario. Contact our team today to learn more about the different motion control options available that can improve safety and increase production.