Fan mounts damp out vibration and noise

Equipment designers or assembly houses that use nuts and bolts to mount miniature cooling fans may be adding to their noise problems and assembly costs.

Equipment designers or assembly houses that use nuts and bolts to mount miniature cooling fans may be adding to their noise problems and assembly costs.

Small fans are often the dominant noise source in set-top boxes, video projection equipment, office and lab equipment.

A properly designed isolation mount made of a high damping material can form a resilient connection between the fan and its housing.

This will stop the transfer of structural vibrations to the chassis and enclosure panels.

Reducing these vibrations means less sound radiation and quieter operation.

Gel-Mec's new antivibration fan mount range is designed for the most commonly used small cooling fans.

They can typically achieve a reduction in fan noise levels of 5-7dB(A) when compared to a hard mount or nuts and bolt solution.

A set-top box fan controls heat build-up in the electronics.

Vibration energy from the spinning fan blades can cause other lightweight components to vibrate as well, creating unacceptable noise levels.

A standard mount is suitable for a typical set top box fan weighing 70g with 4.4mm diameter and 3mm deep predrilled mounting holes.

They isolate the fan from the housing and other components and prevent noise from resonating through the chassis.

To speed up assembly the mounts snap in through the chassis and fan mounting holes.

Their unique design - resembling a golf tee - is engineered for pull through assembly.

Without additional tools and hardware, they easily tug into place and fasten securely.

This removes the need for a bolt, washer and nut, which provide no energy control benefit.

The collapsible portion of the mount is fed through the hole in the sheet metal (or other support structure) and pulled through until seated in the proper groove.

This procedure is then repeated on the fan's mounting flange to secure it in place.

The mounts come in three sizes to fit mounting hole diameters from 2.5 to 4.4mm.

A variety of elastomer materials are available giving the designer a wide choice of temperature range, damping and durometer (hardness).

The mounts provide high-energy control, are soft and pliable but physically strong with good chemical resistance.

Materials are injection mouldable thermoplastics; so custom configurations are a time and cost efficient option when necessary.

Gel-Mec also has a range of cushioning foams, sheet damping and acoustic materials for die cutting into shock mounts, protective gaskets and sound barriers.

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