The squeaky wheel gets the grease – that we all know. But it’s not just squeaks that concern product designers and engineers, but also grinding, buzzing, squealing, humming, and an endless list of strange sounds.
Noise, vibration, and harshness (or NVH for short) is a common challenge in various industries, including automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and more. In the simplest terms, NVH includes unwanted sounds and oscillation from metal panels, support structures, or other product components. Not only can NVH be unpleasant for consumers (such as a rattling sound coming from their vehicle), but it can hinder performance and lead to excess wear and tear on the product.
How to deal with NVH?
To control NVH, you must either reduce the source strength, interrupt the path of the vibration or noise, or absorb the energy. In some cases, this requires extensive testing and structural modification to reduce noise, vibration, or harshness. Of course, changing the overall design can slow down development and be very costly.
Thankfully, there’s another approach that can be simpler and more cost-effective – passive sound or vibration proofing. With this approach, specially designed material is placed within the structure to dampen noise and vibration. These custom-made products are available in a variety of forms, including foams, tapes, pads, foils, and insulation. Depending on your application, you can create a damping solution with pressure-sensitive adhesive, double siding, or film backing.
When correctly made and placed, damping products can offer several benefits:
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Reduce noise and vibration
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Convert vibrational energy to negligible heat that quickly dissipates
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Resistance to environmental factors, extreme temperatures, and UV exposure
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Prevent parts deteriorating or loosening over time due to vibration
Where custom converting comes in.
Custom converting is the key to making components that combat NVH. Dampening features should fit precisely into your existing design – alleviating the need for structural modifications. The raw material often comes in large rolls or sheets, which are then converting into the exact size and shape for your application. This can be done by slitting, die-cutting, or a variety of other processes. In some cases, multiple materials are combined to achieve the right level of NVH protection.
One of Tapecon's Engineers, Dave Shoemaker, says"Tapecon’s vibration and impact/shock resistant constructions are effectively and efficiently manufactured for hand tools, medical devices, industrial and electronic applications. All constructions are custom made to meet your needs within any application: adhesion to multiple surfaces, variation in environmental conditions, permanent and removable requirements."
At Tapecon, we have extensive experience designing and producing dampening products for noise, vibration, and harshness. Through our close relationships with the leading materials suppliers, we can recommend the optimal materials for your application. From there, we use a comprehensive range of converting techniques to create precise, reliable components that improve the performance and durability of your product.
Let’s make something great
With over 100 years of manufacturing experience, Tapecon works with product teams to solve challenges, create products, and enhance lives. Learn more about our custom materials converting services.
