Constrained Layer Damping (CLD)

Free-layer or extensional damping means that a damping material is glued onto the surface of a structure forming a damping layer. Energy is dissipated as a result of extension and compression of the damping material when the base structure is flexing during vibration.

The damping is dependant on the composition of a damping material and increases with damping layer thickness. Vibratec can offer several sorts of damping layers including visco elastic paint.

Constrained-layer damping (CLD) systems are used to increase damping in stiff structures. A “sandwich” is formed by laminating a damping layer in between two structural constraining base layers. When the system flexes during vibration, shear strains develop in the damping layer and energy is lost through shear deformation of the material. Varying layer thickness ratios permits optimizing system loss factors for various temperatures without changing the material’s composition.

Vibratec can offer several sorts of damping layers cut and punched according to client specification. Also visco elastic glue can be used for sandwich layering.