Industrial Shock Absorbers: 3 Factors Every Engineer Must Know
In today’s fast-paced, tight-tolerance industrial environments, effective motion control extends equipment life, reduces noise, and protects equipment performance. One important component of motion control is the industrial shock absorber.
Centro, Inc. offers shock absorbers manufactured by industry leader Ace Controls that evenly decelerate moving loads over the full stroke and offer optimal braking force with minimal braking time.
The following are three critical areas you should consider when specifying industrial shock absorbers.
1. Right-Sizing
Using incorrectly sized industrial shock absorbers is a common issue that can cause premature product failure and unnecessary equipment wear and tear.
Undersized shock absorbers cannot dissipate the cumulative thermal load, leading to seal wear, altered damping characteristics, and shortened service life. Oversized shock absorbers may not reach their designed operating parameters, which causes improper damping.
To right-size your shock absorber, make sure you have the following dimensions:
- Mass to be decelerated
- Impact velocity at the shock absorber
- Propelling force
- Cycles per hour
- Number of shock absorbers (in parallel)
Ace Controls offers an online calculation tool that can help you right-size your industrial shock absorber. Centro’s team of engineers can also help you hone in on the correct shock absorber for your application.
Got Industrial Shock Absorber Questions?
2. Application Conditions
A shock absorber’s cycle life depends on proper alignment, controlled temperatures, and clean operating conditions. Make sure to account for:
- Ambient temperature
High ambient temperatures and cycling frequencies increase internal fluid temperature. In extreme cases, this leads to inconsistent deceleration or premature failure.
- Contamination
Dust, fine metal particles, coolant mist, and washdown environments accelerate seal degradation. Even minor contamination can compromise rod seals and cause leakage.
- Misalignment
When shock absorbers are exposed to expected impacts, it can cause undue stress, leading to rapid wear and premature failure. Uneven marks on the piston rod, with one side being more worn down than the other, are a clear sign that it is not handling forces as intended.
3. Capacity Changes
Production environments change quickly. As throughputs, tooling mass, and line speeds increase, it may be necessary to verify that your shock absorbers can handle these changes. Signs your existing shock absorbers are overloaded include:
- Bottoming out
- Excessive heat generated
- Oil leaks and seal failure
- Soft damping
- Structural damage to mounts
- Premature failure of the shock
How Can Centro Help
If you’ve increased capacity or have concerns about right-sizing or application conditions, reach out to connect with one of Centro’s technology experts, who can provide troubleshooting advice or application-specific guidance.
In addition to industrial shock absorbers, Centro carries Ace Controls hydraulic dampers, vibration isolation and safety products, and gas springs.
For a complete list of all the brands and products we distribute, check out the line card.