Military

Thermal Acoustic Insulation for Reducing Heat and Sound (Part 1)

thermal acoustic insulation

This is the first in a two-part series about thermal acoustic insulation from Elasto Proxy, a global supplier of specialty “insulation sandwiches” that reduce both heat and sound.

Thermal acoustic insulation is used to reduce heat and sound in commercial, industrial, and military applications. In manufacturing and processing facilities, this multi-functional insulation is used with machine enclosures, pipes, and valves. On-road and off-road, composite structures that include both thermal and acoustic materials are also found in the floors, doors, side panels, and engine bays of mobile equipment and military vehicles.

Many different types of insulating materials are available, but you don’t need to have a PhD in material science to make the right choice. In this two-part series from Elasto Proxy, you’ll learn why you need thermal acoustic insulation, how thermal insulation and acoustic insulation work, and about two solutions from Elasto Proxy that may be right for your application. You’ll also learn how we manufacture these two products, and how we can custom-fabricate a specialty “insulation sandwich” to satisfy your application’s particular appetite. (more…)

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Military Vehicle Hatch Seals

Hatch Seal
Hatch Seal from Elasto Proxy

In this case study, you’ll learn how Elasto Proxy solved a sealing challenge for a manufacturer of military vehicles. The rubber hatch seals that we supply resist over-compression and demonstrate our defense industry knowledge and technical expertise.

Hatch seals for military vehicles need to meet multiple requirements. In addition to keeping out wind, water, dirt, and mud, these rubber parts must resist temperatures in environments such as arctic cold and desert heat. Rubber hatch seals need to withstand compression, too. If the vehicle’s hatch causes the seal to over-compress, the rubber part won’t provide proper sealing. Ultimately, this permanent deformation or compression set creates a gap and can cause seal failure. (more…)

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Military Vehicle Thermal Acoustic Insulation

 thermal acoustic insulationIn this case study, you’ll learn how Elasto Proxy applied its expertise in technical design, compound selection, and custom fabrication to replace the thermal acoustic insulation in the engine bays of military vehicles. How can we help you solve your sealing and insulation challenges? Contact us.

When a manufacturer of military vehicles isn’t satisfied with a product design, more than just the bottom line is at stake. For coalition forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, armored fighting vehicles provide mission-critical force protection. Most military observers focus on features like the steel plating and the guns, but this type of vehicle won’t deploy anywhere without a big diesel engine under the hood.

In military vehicles such as armored personnel carriers, diesel engines run hot and loud. Without engine bay insulation, this heat and noise could put both the powerplant and military personnel at risk. Thermal acoustic insulation must also meet flame, smoke, and toxicity (FST) standards. In addition, engine bay insulation must withstand vehicle wash-downs and exposure to detergents and other cleaning chemicals. (more…)

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Acoustic Foams for Noise Control in Vehicles and Equipment

Video - Acoustic Foam for Noise Control
Video – Acoustic Foam for Noise Control

Acoustical foams absorb and dampen sounds. Some of these foam rubber materials also provide flame resistance. Product designers need more than just an acoustic foam, however. They need a custom fabricator who can convert stock materials into a custom insulation solution.

Acoustic foams are used for sound absorption and sound dampening in applications such as military vehicles, commercial trucking, and equipment enclosures. They’re usually made of silicone, urethane, or foam-based melamine. Some acoustical foams offer additional properties, such as thermal resistance or fire resistance. For specialized applications, acoustical foams can be added as layers within “insulation sandwiches” that also contain fillers, adhesives, and barrier materials. (more…)

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Certified Transit Grade (CTG) Seals Resist Flame, Smoke, and Toxicity (FST)

Video - CTG Seals Resist FST
Video – CTG Seals Resist FST

Elasto Proxy custom-fabricates EPDM gaskets made of certified transit grade (CTG) rubber that resists flame, smoke, and toxicity (FST). Technical buyers and design engineers who source custom-fabricated CTG seals can meet mass transit industry requirements and precise project specifications.

Mass transit systems need to operate efficiently while ensuring passenger safety and controlling costs. Bus accidents, train derailments, and subway delays capture the headlines, but the mass transit industry must manage other risks, too. Fires within a cabin, vehicle, or passenger car can do more than burn seats, wall panels, and other interior components. Smoke from combustion reactions can obscure escape routes. Burning materials that release toxic gases can also overwhelm passengers and employees, too. (more…)

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Rubber Sheets for Flooring, Sealing, EMI Shielding, and Insulation

Rubber Sheets - Video
Video – Rubber Sheets from Elasto Proxy

Rubber sheets aren’t only used for flooring. They’re also used for environmental sealing, EMI shielding, and sandwich-style insulation against heat, noise, and vibration. Choose standard sheet stock or specialty sheeting, and ask Elasto Proxy to use water jet cutting and laminating or adhesives to create your custom solution.

Rubber sheets are used for sealing and insulation in industrial, commercial, and military applications. Many different types of rubber sheet stock are available, but an off-the-shelf product may not be right for your application. By working with a custom fabrication specialist, industrial buyers and designer engineers can source standard or specialty elastomers and then have rubber sheeting cut to size. Elastomeric sheets with laminates or adhesives already applied can also speed sheet installation. (more…)

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Industrial Tubing for Low Compression Sealing and Shock Absorption

Video - Industrial Tubing from Elasto Proxy
Video – Industrial Tubing from Elasto Proxy

Industrial tubing that’s made of rubber or plastic provides low compression force sealing and shock absorption. So whether you’re thinking about replacing metal tubing, or wondering which type of rubber tubing or plastic tubing is right for your application, Elasto Proxy is ready to help.

Industrial tubing is used in fluid transport, electrical sheathing, and structural applications. Metal tubes resist high temperatures and provide physical strength, but typically cost more than rubber or plastic tubes. Some metals are also subject to rust, corrosion and scaling – problems that can reduce flow rates and cause higher pressure drops. For industrial buyers and design engineers then, choosing the right type of industrial tubing begins with material selection. What type of tubes do you need for your application? (more…)

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Military Rubber Gasket Specifications

Military GasketsLearn about military specifications for rubber gaskets, and why defense contractors need a custom fabricator that can do more than convert elastomeric materials.

Military specifications for rubber gaskets are designed to ensure that elastomeric materials support the mission by meeting published performance requirements. Standards and specifications for the U.S. military are authorized by the Department of Defense (DOD), and used by defense contractors throughout North America. Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers are familiar with these standards, but may not fully understand how the details of a particular specification can affect purchasing and manufacturing decisions.

Official DOD definitions specify many different document types, but the format of each military standard generally begins with the letters “MIL”. For the defense supply chain, however, complying with what’s inside the standard is what matters. With rubber gaskets, buyers need to choose materials that meet or are tested to published requirements for properties such as hardness and oil-resistance. In addition, elastomeric gaskets for defense-related applications must be custom fabricated to exacting tolerances.

Let’s take a look at two military standards for rubber gaskets: MIL-R-900F and MIL-G-1149C. First, however, we’ll examine a related standard for non-metallic gasket materials.

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Military Gasket Design

Military GasketsMilitary gaskets for armored vehicles must account for media, temperature, application, and pressure (MTAP). Defense contractors are familiar with acronyms like MRAP, but gasket designers who include MTAP in their seal designs help support the mission.

Clyde Sharpe
General Manager of Elasto Proxy

Have you ever wondered why the military uses so many acronyms? Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines need to convey information quickly, accurately, and efficiently. Suppliers to the defense industry are also more likely to hear a term such as “MRAP” than the phrase “mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicle”.  For defense contractors who want to do business with military buyers, mastering these acronyms can be learning a new language. The process may be challenging at times, but the rewards are worth it.

Like any specialized discipline, gasket design has its own language, too. For example, many rubber gaskets are made of synthetic elastomers with names such as Buna-N and EPDM. Published specifications such as ASTM D2000 use letters and numbers to “call out” the properties of vulcanized rubber in a highly-structured way. Units of measure such as durometer (hardness) are sometimes unfamiliar, so buyers and designers may need assistance in order to translate the language of rubber into project specifications.

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Military Vehicle Acoustic Insulation

Acoustic and Thermal InsulationAcoustic and thermal insulation won’t stop an IED attack, but it’s still mission-critical. Learn about acoustic foams and thermal management materials, and how Elasto Proxy custom-fabricates insulation sandwiches that protect engines and soldiers against noise, heat, and vibrations.

Clyde Sharpe
General Manager at Elasto Proxy

Military machines like the MRAP are designed to project power while protecting personnel. With their V-shaped hulls and add-on armor, the mine resistant ambush protected (MRAP) vehicle can withstand IEDs, mines, RPG rounds, and small arms fire. Ballistic protection alone won’t keep armored vehicles on patrol, however. The MRAP is powered by a big diesel engine that runs hot and loud. Without engine bay insulation, heat and noise could put both the powerplant and military personnel at risk.

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