Because not all elastomers are created equal.

When comparing the damping characteristics of E-A-R ISODAMP C-8002 side by side with EPDM rubber, the difference is palpable. In the linked video, Pete Masterson, Senior Applications Engineer with Aearo Technologies LLC, explains and demonstrates this difference.

Testing shows that the ISODAMP elastomer drastically outperforms rubber by damping up to 10x the amount of energy, as summarized with a material nomogram (see our upcoming video on “How to Read a Material Nomogram”). This is then shown by a simple ball drop demonstration, in which the two materials are dropped simultaneously from the same height and onto the same surface. While the EPDM ball bounces more than a foot high and does not come to a rest for two full seconds, the reaction of the highly damped ISODAMP C-8002 is nearly unnoticeable: miniscule bounce and then, nothing. If you blinked you probably missed it.

The high damping properties of E-A-R’s long line of ISODAMP materials are what make them an effective solution for vibration isolation and device protection applications in the Electronics Market. Standard isolator products are available online through select distributors and custom engineered solutions can be obtained by contacting solutions@earsc.com.