Guide to Understanding How Damper Plates Work
Damper plates are utilized throughout the tech industry for a large amount of machinery. With their silencing qualities and robust design, damper plates are a fundamental component that keeps your machinery working efficiently by absorbing noise and vibrations generated by the mechanical composition of the valve.
There are many cars that use dampers – also called shock absorbers – as part of the suspension, this operates in a similar way by absorbing the friction created when passing over a bump in the road. They would most generally use telescopic, strut or lever-arm dampers.
What is a Damper Plate?
A damper plate is a disc that is located within the main valve to absorb the noise and vibrations that build up as the machine is being operated. The damper plate is constructed of stainless steel material and co-exists with cushion plates, springs, bolts and the internal workings of the valve or engine in your machine. By having a damper plate inserted in your valve or engine, the operation of your machine will be smooth and quiet.
How Are Damper Plates Used?
You will find damper plates used in the following machinery:
- marine machinery
- farm vehicles
- construction machinery
- medical and dental machinery
Throughout every machine the damper plate covers a similar function for all of them. Absorbing the rattle or vibrations and noise of the machine.
Marine Damper Plates
Damper plates used in the marine industry are designed to absorb the vibration in the gear box when used at low speeds. The marine damper plate is attached to the flywheel with bolts and works by damping the vibrations from the drive train. If your drive train becomes noisy, there’s a good possibility the damper plate will need replacing. If you are competent in fitting the damper plate yourself, then obtaining a quality damper plate is your next task. Using an organization who produces quality parts suitable for all makes and model of machinery will maintain a seamless replacement.
Construction Damper Plate
As the machinery in the construction industry uses power to perform their service, it is without question that they are noisy machines. Although the noise of these machines has been controlled over time by modifying the formation of the damper plates within the machine. When figuring out how to control the noise and vibrations, it was considered a thin damper plate would do the job. As this failed, the attention shifted to a thick damper plate, but once again this was not feasible. So, the damper plate in the construction machinery is solved by applying a multi-layer damper plate. As the vibrations from the machine reaches the front plate the additional plates also vibrate. The additional layers of steel damper plates absorb the vibrations making it a suitable method to control the noise and vibrations from heavy machinery used in the construction industry.
Dental Damper Plate
We’ve all been to the dentist and listened to the dentists’ drill being used to grind away the tooth. But over time they’ve become more silent in operation. This is because of the damper plate. As it does in all other machines it’s applied in, the damper plate controls the noise and vibrations of the drill.
The dentists’ drill which was developed in the mid 1700’s, is essentially made up of a hand piece, a drill bit and a turbine. The drill has advanced a long way since then with the help of modern technology. These days they are more sophisticated in their design and have developed a less curdling noise by means of taking advantage of the damper plate.
How Are Damper Plates Produced?
Damper plates are produced by using precision cutting machinery. The technical accuracy of the laser cutting machine uses precise dimensions to produce a metallic plate with a specific thickness for individual machines. The machine operates by applying a laser which is precisely targeted at the piece of metal. With the measurements keyed into the machine, the laser can cut through the metallic plate to its precise measurement. This cutting process can be carried out by either melting, burning, vaporizing or forced with a stream of pressurized gas. This leaves you with a component of machinery that will then be cooled before removing.
The damper plates for your compressor fulfill its safety factor by its reduction in vibrations that could ordinarily cause significant damage to the machine or somebody working on it. By making certain the damper plate is fitted correctly, you are dealing with the safety aspect of operating the machine. Although the machine you are using could breakdown if you have a broken damper plate, it could also cause someone a serious injury. If the damper plate breaks and the vibrations continue to accelerate at the equivalent velocity within a limited period of time, the machine could catch fire or explode causing serious danger or at its worst, death. So, above all find out how your machine functions and perform regular maintenance to avoid any accidents or serious situations that would cause injury to anyone at all.
Replacing your Compressor Damper Plate
You may feel that your machine is running inefficiently and the damper plate needs to be replaced. The symptoms that give away the information that you need a new damper plate are:
- A loud and noisy compressor that can be heard in the distance
- The damper plate has cracked or broken
- The plate has become uncentred, causing the compressor to work inefficiently
- Your compressor has become clogged with dirt and dust that has damaged the plate and caused the malfunction
By removing the valve and separating the components you will come across the problem that has developed. By replacing the damper plate your compressor will now operate at its normal capacity. To avoid being out of pocket by a machinery malfunction, it’s a good idea to perform regular routine maintenance on your machine. This will show up any deficiencies in your parts and give you an opportunity to clear away any dirt and debris that may create a future malfunction.
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