Vibration Mounts for Machine Tools: How to Choose by Weight
Choose a machine mount by the load on one mount: divide the machine weight, including tooling and the heaviest workpiece, by the number of support points, and the result must fall inside the mount's working range - above the minimum and below the maximum. For 250-4500 kg per mount, use the OV-31M with an M16 stud; for 40-250 kg, use the M12 mounts. Then check that the stud fits the hole in the machine foot, whether you need height adjustment, and whether the base is uneven (if so, use a hinged mount).
What a vibration mount is and why a machine needs one
A machine-tool vibration mount is a rubber-metal support placed under the feet or base of a machine instead of rigidly bolting it to the floor. A metal housing with a stud transfers the weight to a rubber pad, and the pad damps oscillation: vibration from the motor, the spindle or nearby equipment passes less into the floor, and less from the floor into the machine.
In practice, this means you can install the machine without a foundation, level it, reduce vibration and noise, and get more consistent machining quality on precision machines. How vibration affects accuracy, the floor and neighbouring equipment is covered in our article on equipment vibration isolation.
Vibration mounts suit most medium-size metal-cutting machines with rigid beds - lathes, milling, drilling and grinding machines - as well as crank presses, pumps, compressors and fans. The exception is equipment whose manual requires a foundation or anchor bolts. The trade-offs are covered separately: vibration mounts or a foundation.
Types of vibration mounts: adjustable, fixed-height, hinged
All our vibration mounts are rubber-metal and made to the TU2-024-5997-87 specification. By design, they fall into three groups:
A hinge is needed when the machine foot sits at an angle to the floor or the floor itself slopes: a rigid mount then loads the pad unevenly. When a hinged mount is worth it and when it is not is covered in hinged vibration mounts: when you need them.
- Adjustable - the height is set with the stud to level the machine. Example: the OV-31M vibration mount, 12 mm adjustment range.
- Fixed-height - a simple mount without height adjustment, for equipment that does not need levelling on the mounts. Example: the OV M12 vibration mount.
- Hinged - the stud is joined to the housing by a hinge and takes up misalignment between the foot and the floor. Examples: the IV M12 vibration mount with height adjustment and the hinged rubber-metal mounts, OV-30sh type.
Machine vibration mounts: models and load ranges
Below are all the vibration mounts from our machine-tool components section, with data from their specifications. Loads are per mount. All models are rated for the UHL4 climate class (enclosed premises with controlled climate) and have an average vertical frequency of 20 Hz.
Note that the ranges of the M12 mounts (40-250 kg) and the OV-31M (250-4500 kg) meet, so together they cover 40 to 4500 kg per mount. Dimensions, height and uses of the OV-31M are covered in OV-31M vibration mount: specifications; to stop the machine shifting during operation there is an OV-31M mount fixator.
| Model | Load per mount | Stud | Pad diameter | Height adjustment | Hinge | Price excl. VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OV-31M | 250-4500 kg | M16 | 140 mm | yes, 12 mm | no | from ~1,085 UAH |
| OV M12 | 40-250 kg | M12 | 80 mm | no | no | from ~684 UAH excl. VAT |
| IV M12 | 40-250 kg | M12 | 55 mm | see passport | yes | from ~620 UAH excl. VAT |
| Hinged mount, OV-30sh type | 40-250 kg | M12 | 55 mm | not stated, see product page | yes | from ~620 UAH excl. VAT |
| Fixator for OV-31M | - | - | dimensions A 180 / B 140 / C 119 / D 18 mm | - | - | from ~345 UAH excl. VAT |
How to choose a vibration mount: 5 steps
The procedure is the same for any machine. Take the machine weight from its manual; if you cannot weigh the workpieces, estimate them with the metal weight calculator.
Steps 1-3 are the load calculation. How to handle a lathe with a heavy headstock, or a different number of mounts at the front and rear, with examples, is covered in how many vibration mounts you need.
- Total weight: machine weight from the manual plus chuck, vise, tooling, coolant and the heaviest workpiece you actually machine on it.
- Number of support points: usually set by the holes in the machine feet or bed (see the machine manual). Load per mount = total weight / number of mounts; for machines with a heavy unit on one side, calculate the most loaded point separately.
- Range: every mount must stay within its working load - not above the maximum and not below the minimum. An underloaded mount also works outside its design range.
- Stud: M16 on the OV-31M, M12 on the other models. The hole in the machine foot must clear the stud, and the foot thickness must leave room to tighten the nut.
- Conditions: need to level the machine - adjustable mount; uneven base or misaligned feet - hinged mount; risk of shifting during operation - OV-31M with a fixator.
Which vibration mount for which machine
The table below is a quick guide by equipment type. Always check the actual weight of your model in its manual: for example, the Soviet 16K20, 1K62 and 6R82 machines vary noticeably between versions.
If the load per mount comes out near 250 kg, or the weight distribution is unknown, send us the machine model and the number of support points through the quote request form - we will pick the mounts and quantity for your case.
| Equipment or condition | What to check | Which mount |
|---|---|---|
| Lathes, milling and grinding machines with 250 kg or more per mount | weight from the manual and number of support points | OV-31M, with a fixator if needed |
| Light machines and equipment, 40-250 kg per mount, level floor | whether levelling is needed | OV M12 without adjustment or IV M12 with 12 mm adjustment |
| Uneven floor, feet not parallel to the floor, 40-250 kg per mount | foot misalignment and load at each point | IV M12 or OV-30sh type hinged mount |
| Crank presses | whether the press manual allows installation without a foundation | OV-31M with a fixator if the manual allows; otherwise a foundation |
| Pumps, compressors, fans | load per mount | 40-250 kg - M12 mounts, 250-4500 kg - OV-31M |
| Equipment whose manufacturer requires a foundation or anchors | manual requirements | not vibration mounts: foundation per the manual |
What 20 Hz means and when a mount will not help
Our mounts' specifications state an average vertical frequency of 20 Hz - the natural frequency of vertical oscillation of the loaded mount within its working range. By general vibration-isolation theory, a mount attenuates vibration whose frequency exceeds the natural frequency by more than about 1.41 times, so for 20 Hz that is above ~28 Hz (about 1,700 cycles per minute). Vibration near 20 Hz is not attenuated and can be amplified by resonance.
A vibration mount isolates vibration but does not remove its cause. If the machine vibrates because of worn spindle bearings, an unbalanced chuck or pulley, or worn guideways, repair the machine first. A mount also does not compensate for a weak or cracked floor: the concrete under the machine must carry the load, and for the base requirements of a specific model, see the machine manual.
Common mistakes when choosing vibration mounts
Most problems with vibration mounts start at the selection stage. Here is what to check before ordering; for correct installation, see how to install a machine on vibration mounts:
- Choosing by maximum load only: 4500 kg on the OV-31M is the limit for one mount, and the 250 kg minimum is just as binding. A heavy-duty mount does not suit a light machine.
- Calculating from the empty machine weight, without tooling, coolant and workpiece.
- Splitting the weight evenly where it is not even: on a lathe, the mounts under the headstock carry more than those under the tailstock end.
- The stud does not fit the foot hole or is too short for the nut - check before ordering.
- A fixed-height mount where the machine must be levelled, or a rigid mount on a sloping floor.
FAQ
How much does a machine vibration mount cost?
M12 mounts (OV M12, IV M12, OV-30sh type hinged) cost from ~740 to ~684 UAH excl. VAT each, the OV-31M from ~1,085 UAH excl. VAT, and its fixator from ~345 UAH excl. VAT. We invoice companies with VAT and deliver across Ukraine.
Can a machine be installed on vibration mounts without a foundation?
Yes, that is what they are for: most medium-size metal-cutting machines with rigid beds are installed without a foundation. The exception is equipment whose manual requires a foundation or anchor bolts.
What is the difference between the OV-31M and the OV M12?
The OV-31M is rated for 250-4500 kg per mount, with an M16 stud, a 140 mm pad and 12 mm height adjustment. The OV M12 is rated for 40-250 kg, with an M12 stud, an 80 mm pad and no height adjustment.
How many vibration mounts does a machine need?
Usually as many as the bed has mounting points (see the machine manual), provided the load on each mount falls within its working range. If it does not, choose a different mount model.
What is the fixator for the OV-31M mount for?
The fixator secures installed equipment and prevents it from shifting during operation. It is made for the OV-31M.
