ENGINEERING

DESIGN GUIDE
YOUR ENHANCED
GUIDE TO
SORBOTHANE
®

SHOCK & VIBRATION

SOLUTIONS

MADE IN USA
 INTRODUCTION TO SORBOTHANE ®

SHOCK & GLOSSARY OF TERMS

VIBRATION
SOLUTIONS Vibration: A periodic motion around a position
of equilibrium.

This design guide has been developed to assist Random Vibration: Vibration whose magnitude
engineers in a practical, hands-on approach to designing is not specified for any given instant of time.
with Sorbothane®. This guide is advisory only. It is the
responsibility of the user to verify the results. This guide Shape Factor: The ratio of the loaded area to
does not take into account buckling or casting limitations unloaded area of an isolator.
of the material.
ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

Static Deflection: The distance that a given mass

The data used in this manual is supported by empirical
compresses the isolator.
work. Sorbothane, Inc. offers additional technical
support. You may contact support@sorbothane.com
if you have questions. A program which parallels this Percent Deflection: The fraction of static deflection
calculation method can be found on the Sorbothane to uncompressed thickness.
website (www.sorbothane.com).
Frequency: The number of times the motion
Sorbothane is a polyether-based polyurethane. repeats itself per unit of time measured in Hertz (Hz).
It is formulated for enhanced visco-elastic properties.
Sorbothane is consistently effective over a wide Natural Frequency: The frequency of free
temperature range (-20 to + 72 degrees Celsius).
S ORBOT HAN E ®

vibration of a system.

Because Sorbothane is a non-Newtonian material

Resonant Frequency: A frequency at which
stress is not proportional to strain and mechanical
resonance exists.
energy is “lost” by conversion to heat. The response of
Sorbothane to a load is highly dependent on the rate
of force application (frequency dependent responses). Resonance: The frequency match between the nat-
2 ural frequency of the system and the external forced
Sorbothane is highly damped which makes it particularly vibration frequency.
desirable for difficult applications which require operation
near or at resonant frequencies. Damping: The dissipation of energy in an
oscillating system.
Sorbothane is available as custom-molded parts,
select standard shapes and in sheet stock in a variety Transmissibility: The ratio of the response
of thickness and sizes. Parts can be specified in
amplitude of a system in steady state forced
durometers ranging from 30 to 80 on the Shore 00 scale.
vibration to the excitation amplitude.

The most effective static deflection for Sorbothane

with a shape factor between 0.3 and 1.0 is in the Isolation: A reduction in the capacity of a system
range of 10-20%. to respond to an excitation.
 MATERIAL PROPERTIES

Material Properties of Sorbothane®

PROPERTY DUROMETER (SHORE 00) UNITS NOTES
30 50 70
Tensile Strength at Break 26 107 191 psi ASTM D 412-06a
Elongation at Break 334 765 388 % ASTM D 412-06a
Compression Set 10 3 2 % ASTM D 395
Bulk Modulus 4.5 5.0 4.3 gPascal
Density 83 84 85 lb/ft3 ASTME D 792-13
Reduced strength and damping up to
Optimum Performance -20° to -20° to -20° to °F
+140° +150° 200°F. Increrased spring rate down to
Temperature Range +160°
glass transition temperature.
Fungal Resistance No Growth ASTM G 22

ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

Material Properties of Water Resistant Sorbothane®
PROPERTY DUROMETER (SHORE 00) UNITS NOTES
30 50 70
Tensile Strength at Break 130 131 170 psi ASTM D 412-06a
Elongation at Break 342 219 154 % ASTM D 412-06a
Compression Set 10 2 3 % ASTM D 395
Bulk Modulus 4.25 3.99 4.14 gPascal

S ORBOT HAN E ®
Density 78.78 79.78 79.60 lb/ft3 ASTME D 792-13
Reduced strength and damping up to
Optimum Performance -20° to -20° to -20° to °F
+140° +150° 200°F. Increrased spring rate down to
Temperature Range +160°
glass transition temperature.
Fungal Resistance No Growth ASTM G 22

Sorbothane® meets or exceeds the following compliance policies:

• ROHS • REACH • PROP 65 • Conflict Materials • Latex Free
 CALCULATING VIBRATION RESPONSE FOR SORBOTHANE ®

• SHAPE FACTOR

Loaded Area
Shape Factor (SF) =
Unloaded Area

Length x Width
Rectangular Prism (SF) =
2 x Thickness x (Length + Width)

Length
Square Prism (SF) =
4 x Thickness

Diameter
Disk (SF) =
ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

4 x Thickness

Outside Diameter Inside Diameter

Ring (SF) = -
4 x Thickness 4 x Thickness

2 x Radius - Thickness
Spherical Cap (SF) =
2 x Radius
S OR BOT HAN E ®

• STATIC DEFLECTION

4 (Iterate until Assumed Percent Deflection agrees with calculated deflection within 3%)

Cs • See Figure 4 on Pg. 7 for Cs

Compressive Modulus =
Assumed Percent Deflection • See Page 9 for Water-Resistant
100

Corrected Compressive Modulus = (Compressive Modulus) x [1 + 2 x SF2]

Load per Isolator x Thickness

Static deflection (dST) =
Corrected Compressive Modulus x Loaded Area

dST
Percent Deflection (%d) = x 100
Thickness
CALCULATING VIBRATION RESPONSE FOR SORBOTHANE ®

• SYSTEM NATURAL FREQUENCY

(Iterate until assumed natural frequency agrees with calculated natural frequency within 3 Hertz.)

• See Page 6 for Dynamic Compressive Modulus ( Edyn )

• See Page 8 for Water-Resistant

Edyn x (1 + 2 x SF2) x Loaded Area

Dynamic Spring Rate (Kdyn ) =
Thickness

Kdyn x gravity
Load per Isolator

ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

System Natural Frequency (fn ) =
2p

• TRANSMISSIBILITY

Excitation Frequency (fexc )

Frequency Ratio (r) =
fn

S OR BOT HAN E ®
Eddyn @ fn
Dynamic Shear Ratio (Grdyn ) = • See Figures 1, 2 or 3 on Pg. 6 for Edyn
Eddyn @ fexc • See Page 8 for Water-Resistant

1 + (Tan Delta)2
Transmissibility (T) = • See Figure 5 on Pg. 7 for Tan delta @ fexc
(1 - r2 x Grdyn )2 + (Tan Delta)2 • See Page 9 for Water-Resistant

Percent Isolation = (1 - T) x 100

1 + (Tan Delta @ fexc)2

Transmissibility at Resonance (Q) =
(Tan Delta @ fexc)2
 SORBOTHANE ®

figure 1.

Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Compressive
Modulus
at 10%

Data obtained via Dynamic Testing (2018)

figure 2.
ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Compressive
Modulus
at 15%
SORBOT HAN E ®

Data obtained via Dynamic Testing (2018)

6
figure 3.

Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Compressive
Modulus
at 20%

Data obtained via Dynamic Testing (2018)

SORBOTHANE ®

figure 4.

Sorbothane®
Compressive
Stress VS
Durometer

Data obtained via ASTM D575 (2018)

figure 5.

ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Tan Delta

SORBOT HAN E ®
Data obtained via Dynamic Testing (2018)

7
 WATER-RESISTANT SORBOTHANE ®

figure 6.

Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Compressive
Modulus
at 10%
ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

figure 7.

Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Compressive
Modulus
at 15%
S OR BOT HAN E ®

figure 8.

Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Compressive
Modulus
at 20%
WATER-RESISTANT SORBOTHANE ®

figure 9.

Water-Resistant
Sorbothane®
Compressive
Stress VS
Durometer

ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

figure 10.

Water-Resistant
Sorbothane®
Frequency VS
Tan Delta

S OR BOT HAN E ®
9
 CALCULATING SHOCK RESPONSE FOR SORBOTHANE ®

Step 1.
Required Starting Information: Convert Weight in pounds-force to Mass:
1. Weight (W) or Mass (m)
W
2. Velocity (V) or Drop Height (h) m = —
g
For these examples the work will be
in English units of: Step 2.
• Acceleration of gravity (g) = 386.1 inches/second2 Calculate the Kinetic Energy (KE) for the impact:

• Free fall drop height (h) in inches

For horizontal impacts only the mass is considered.
• Dynamic deflection (d) in inches KE = 1/2 mV2
• Force (F) in pounds-force For vertical downward free fall drop impacts.

• Kinetic Energy (KE) in pounds-force-inch KE = Wh

• Mass (m) in slugs
ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

• Nominal spring rate* (k) in Pounds-force/inch Step 3.

• Percent deflection (ddyn%) is unitless
Calculate the Spring Rate for the trial part shape:

• Velocity (V) in inches/second * Sorbothane has a non-linear spring rate. For purposes of simplification the rate
is assumed linear based on its spring rate at 20% deflection.
• Part thickness (t) in line impact
There are three accepted methods to develop the nominal
• Static deflection ( dst ) in inches
Spring Rate.
SORBOT HAN E ®

1. Use the Sorbothane Design Guide Program. This calculator

is available at www.sorbothane.com. This is valid for parts with
shape factor of 1.2 or less. Load the selected shape to 20%
deflection. The program will calculate the static deflection ( dst ).
W

10 k=—
dst

2. Use static deflection equations on page 2 to manually

calculate the same values.

3. Load the given shape to a 20% deflection. Measure the static

deflection ( dst ) and record the load (W) at this deflection
W
k= —
d st
CALCULATING SHOCK RESPONSE FOR SORBOTHANE®

Step 4.
Calculate the dynamic deflection:

The Spring Energy (SE) is expressed as

SE = 1/2 kd st2
Equate the Spring Energy to the Kinetic Energy.

KE = SE
1
KE = —
2
kd2
Arrange terms and solve for dynamic deflection.
2 x KE
d dyn = —
k

ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

Step 5.
Calculate the dynamic percent deflection:
ddyn
ddyn % = — x 100
t

For Shape Factors less than 1.2 and percent dynamic deflections less than 40% the
expected fatigue life is considered to be in excess of one million cycle (indefinite).

SORBOT HAN E ®
For Shape Factors less than 1.2 and percent dynamic deflections between 40% and 60%
the expected fatigue life is considered to be in excess of 1,000 cycles.

If the results achieved fail to achieve the desired performance then revise shape and/or
durometer and repeat calculations.
11
The percent static deflection (continuous load without impact) must not exceed 20%.

There is no accepted methodology for higher shape factors or higher percent dynamic deflections.
 SAMPLE EQUATIONS
Assumptions:
VIBRATION • Total load is 1720 lbs
• Excitation frequency is 50 Hz
• 4 inch by 4 inch by 2 thick pads
• 70 Durometer
• Load is evenly distributed across all pads • 15% compression
• Use 4 pads in each corner

Shape = (4 in) x (4 in) Assume a Natural Frequency of 8 Hz

= 0.5
Factor (4 in) x (2 in) x (4 sides)
Dynamic Compressive Modulus (Edyn ) = 217 psi

Compressive 20.3 psi (217 psi) x (1+ 2 (0.52) x (4 in x 4 in)

= = 135.33 psi Dynamic Spring Rate (K') = = 2600 lb/in
Modulus (2 in)
15/100

1
Corrected Natural Frequency = x 2600 lb/in x 386 in/sec2 = 7.69 Hz
Compressive = (135.33 psi)(1 +(2)(0.52)) = 203 psi 2p 430 lbs
Modulus
for SF
50 Hz
Frequency Ratio = = 6.50
Static
(1720
4 parts )
lbs x (2 in) 7.69 Hz
Deflection = (203 psi)(4 in x 4 in) = 0.2648 in
Transmissibility = 1 + 0.372 = 0.04
ENGI NEERI NG DES I GN GUI DE

Percent 0.2648 in
(1-(6.50 ) (
2 217 psi
334 psi)) 2
+ (0.37 )
2

Deflection = x 100 = 13.2%

2 in
Percent Isolation = (1-0.04) x 100 = 96%

A 4 oz component must pass a 3 ft drop test. A space limitation of the pad thickness is 3/16 inch.
SHOCK Four pads will be used to protect the part but design criteria will be the worst case scenario of the total
weight being evenly applied to one pad.

Given Information: Drop Height – 36 in

SORBOT HAN E ®

Weight of Component – 0.25 lbs

Pad Dimension – 1.75 in x 0.5 in x 0.1875 in @ 70 durometer

Step 1. This is skipped because it is a drop test. Step 4. Calculate the Dynamic Deflection.

2 x 9 in – lbs
12 d= = 0.09 in
Step 2. Calculate the Kinetic Energy (KE) for the impact. 2205 lbs/in

KE = 0.25 lbs x 36 in = 9 in – lbs

Step 5. Calculate the Dynamic Percent Deflection.
Step 3. Calculate the Spring Rate for the trial part.
0.09 in
Method 1: From Design Guide Report - Load per Isolator %d= = 0.48 48%*
for 20% compression is 83 lbs and Static Deflection is 0.1875 in
0.0375 in.
83 lbs *Fatigue life is considered to be in excess of 1,000 cycles
k= = 2205 lb/in
0.0375 in

2144 State Route 59, Kent, OH 44240 USA

Toll Free: 800.838.3906 USA Only | Phone: 330.678.9444 | Fax: 330.678.1303 | support@sorbothane.com | sorbothane.com

©2018 Sorbothane, Inc.