Adjustable industrial shock absorbers help improve product handling

In principle an industrial shock absorber is a small, spring loaded hydraulic cylinder that absorbs the kinetic energy of moving objects, bringing them smoothly to a standstill. By pumping oil from one chamber to another at a flow rate that varies according to the load applied, the action absorbs smoothly. In contrast, a simple buffer or spring stop tends to cause the moving part to bounce back and forth before stopping which could cause damage in the process.

Because industrial shock absorbers keep moving objects under full control, the operational speed of machines and plant can be increased; while also providing smoother operation and less operator fatigue. Their smooth deceleration of moving parts leading to reduced wear, lower noise and extended equipment life, which reduces vibration, noise and shock loads, leading to reduced maintenance needs and a better working environment.

WDS industrial shock absorbers are maintenance free and sealed for life, so are fit- and-forget items that can make a significant difference to overall productivity. They are available in two variations, adjustable and self-compensating and come in a range of sizes and capacities.

Adjustable shock absorbers have a single variable orifice connected to an adjusting wheel with a graduated scale. A few strokes after initial installation the unit can be tuned to match the needs of the application. Once the absorber is set, the adjusting wheel can be locked using a removable key, while the scale allows simple, fine adjustment.

WDS’s adjustable shock absorbers are made to a robust steel design with rubber end caps and can working in a temperature range from -10 to 85°C. Their stroke length varies from 15-50mm.

Dynamically their operating speed varies from 3.2-3.6m/s. They have a maximum effective mass of 120-1400kg, which leads to a maximum energy capacity per cycle of 22-50Nm. The result is a maximum hourly energy dissipation of 26,400-10,8000Nm/hr depending on size.

WDS’s self-compensating shock absorbers are of a slightly more complex design, using a double tube configuration to create the oil chamber. In use, hydraulic oil is forced though an array of small orifices in one tube as the piston retracts. The spacing and design of the orifices maintains a constant pressure on the piston throughout the full stroke so that deceleration is linear.

Again of a robust design, and with a good tolerance to variations in operating temperature, the self-compensating units have either a rubber or nylon end cap.

They offer a wide operating speed range of 0.8-3.0m/s and stroke lengths from 8-50mm. Maximum effective mass is from 2-30kg; maximum energy per cycle is 4-15Nm and maximum energy per hour is 14,400-36,000Nm/hr.