Evaluation of Rubber-Metal Vibration Isolator Resource Indicators of Vibration Protection Systems of Aviation Equipment

The main purpose of vibration-insulating structures is to absorb source disturbances to a damped object or from an object to the base of a technical system. Hence, the task of damped object vibration protection and vibration insulation of a disturbance source appears. The most important part of a vibration isolator is its elastic element, made of an elastic material. The design of vibration isolators should provide their application in both reference and suspension loading diagrams. The design of technical systems in special cases does not provide for the vibration isolator replacement for an extremely long time. Application of rubber-metal vibration isolators in vibration protection systems for mechanisms and equipment working under increased continuous vibration loads requires an assessment of life-time rate so as to determine the possibility of their further operation. In this regard, a method for conducting experimental studies being the basis for research rubber-metal vibration isolator with nonlinear load characteristics, was developed in the present paper. The amplitude-temperature model of a vibration isolator operation was determined, six of dynamic loading modes of a structure at various amplitude-frequency and temperature loads were studied. Moreover, stress-strain state of a structure rubber array was studied. As a result of the work carried out, three limiting states defining the product operability - strength, rigidity, creep deformation along with their criteria were established. Rubber-metal vibration isolator failure level is assessed with regard to the principal operation characteristics listed above. Vibration isolator performance as a whole depends on the strength characteristics of a rubber array being the most vulnerable structural element. When designing rubber-metal vibration isolators, one should strive for a uniform stress distribution in a rubber array avoiding their concentrations. The application of the developed experimental research methodology makes it possible to determine the life time and predict the service life of vibration isolators in vibration and shock protection systems for various equipment.