We can’t see it, but we can certainly hear it. From the rattle of a car engine to the drone of a dishwasher, vibration-induced sound is all around us. It emanates from just about anything with moving parts: HVAC systems, washing machines, buses, trains, cars and more. Sound-damping technology helps bring quiet to the chaos by reducing the mechanical vibrations that create these unwanted sounds. In automotive and other applications, a common method of sound damping involves placing thick bitumen pads between door frames, under floor boards and other vibrating parts. While these materials play a critical role in noise mitigation, they are not compatible with automated assembly. Pads must be cut, glued and installed by hand; they can be particularly difficult to place in hard-to-reach areas of an automobile or other end product.
Recognizing a need for streamlined solutions, Dow developed a portfolio of waterborne acrylic resins to facilitate the replacement of bitumen pads with thick-film coatings. Known as liquid-applied sound damping (LASD), this technology offers a number of key OEM benefits versus traditional pads, including easier application, higher damping performance, less weight and less waste. For coatings formulators, the technology offers an opportunity for new market sales: potential applications include automobile manufacturing, appliances and commercial construction.