Gyms and factories may be two completely different things at first glance. Gyms are commercial venues where people go in order to be healthy and get in shape. Factories are industrial areas where people work in order to produce goods and keep day-to-day commerce flowing. However, there is one aspect of these two different areas that is common to them. That aspect is impact. Both gyms and factories can be high-impact places thanks to the heavy machinery present and the constant amount of activity going on in them. The careful observer will notice that these places use shock absorbing mats for any applications that see heavy physical impact on a regular basis. These products are made of rubber, which is an excellent vibration damping material, making them ideal for use as anti-shock mats.

First, we must learn the sources of physical impact and just how damaging they can be to an area’s overall integrity. In both gyms and industrial factories, one of the biggest sources of physical impact comes from the vibrations of equipment and machinery while they are in motion. Without any kind of protective rubber shock absorber in place, both the floors and the equipment itself may be damaged. Floors can suffer from chips and cracks that can be very expensive to repair. In return, this kind of floor damage can also damage the machine that caused it, adding further expenses to an already expensive problem. Worse still, people may be injured.

To give you an idea how real this possibility is, consider the fact that according to one study for the year 2012, there were 459,978 people who were injured while exercising with gym equipment (http://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/gym-accident-statistics.html). You do not want to be a part of that statistic? Without rubber shock absorbing mats in place, the chances of accidents occurring increase the more a machine is in motion.

Rubber is the ideal material to use because it is naturally a very good vibration damping material. Many different types of elastomers are used as rubber shock absorber materials, but on the whole they generally provide an effective barrier between machine and surface. Rubber can reduce the amount of vibrations that reach the surface below. Sometimes it can even completely negate it! The vibrations are spread across the surface of the shock mats, dissipating most of the force right away. Due to this quality, shock absorbing mats are placed under any machinery or equipment that is expected to vibrate a lot on a regular basis.

As a material that is meant to handle impact, rubber is generally elastic enough to handle the weight of heavy objects on it. Keep in mind that various different types of rubber shock absorber products will come in different specifications. For the lighter duty jobs, it is best to get a light or average grade rubber mat. For the more intense and abrasive situations, the thicker the shock absorbing mats the better off your application will be.

This vibration damping material not only minimizes the overall impact of vibrations that a surface may experience, but it also helps to negate direct and sudden physical impacts. Vibrations are steady and constant over time as long as the machine is active. In other cases of physical impact, a blow may be a one-time occurrence, albeit a heavy one. The best example of this would be a heavy bar bell in a gym. During weight training, it is not uncommon to see someone lift a hundred pound weight and then drop it suddenly on the floor. If the floor had no shock absorbing mats protection on it, the existing surface could suffer incredible damage. In this instance, a rubber shock absorber is vital to have!

No matter if your application is light-duty or heavy-duty, a residential fitness center or an industrial workshop, it is highly advisable to invest in anti-shock mats made of durable rubber. A piece of shock absorbing mats resistant to steady and harsh physical impacts will save you money in the long term and also help keep you and everyone else safe. To get the right kind of vibration damping material for your needs, carefully consider the thickness of the shock absorbing mats product and what type of elastomer it is made from. You are sure to appreciate the superior protection that such items will provide for your application.