Vibration Reduction Using Material Jetted Parts for Sander Grips

Workers in many industries are exposed to harmful vibrations that negatively impact their comfort and long-term health through tools such as hand-held sanders. Here we show that using material jetting we can produce durable and effective vibration protection equipment that reduces vibrations felt by the user by an average of 23% to 45%. We developed 3D printed vibration absorbing grips made from a blend of TangoBlack+ and uncured liquid. The grips were deployed at a Boeing factory and survived 1 month of usage. The grips were best at absorbing higher- frequency vibrations, able to reduce frequencies above 1kHz by over 20dB. Our results demonstrate promising capabilities of material jetting viscoelastic materials for direct part production of ergonomic components. Moreover, these grips could be improved and used to dampen vibrations on other tools such as bucking bars and used in various other industries.