PORON® 79 for Drone and UAV Vibration Management: Protecting Sensitive Electronics with Precision-Converted Vibration Pads
For drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), vibration is rarely isolated to a single component.
Motors, propellers, actuators and other moving systems can introduce continuous vibration into the airframe. That vibration can travel through the structure and reach electronics, sensors, cameras, payloads, circuit boards and mounting points.
For sensitive equipment, managing that vibration can be an important part of the overall system design.
One material worth considering is PORON® 79 polyurethane foam from Rogers Corporation. PORON polyurethane foams are designed for cushioning, impact absorption and vibration management, with high resiliency and resistance to compression. Rogers identifies PORON materials as suitable for vibration pads and dampeners that help protect sensitive components over time.
As a Rogers Preferred Converter, ABLE can help engineers evaluate PORON materials and convert them into custom vibration pads, cushions, and other application-specific components.
Why Vibration Management Matters in Drones and UAVs
A UAV is a highly integrated system.
A vibration source does not necessarily remain where it originates. Mechanical energy can travel through mounting structures, frames, and brackets before reaching components that may be much more sensitive to vibration.
Potentially affected systems include:
- Flight-control electronics
- Cameras and imaging systems
- GPS and navigation equipment
- Sensors
- Communications equipment
- Payload electronics
- Circuit boards
- Battery and power-management components
- Optical systems
Even when vibration does not cause immediate component failure, persistent mechanical stress can affect performance, introduce noise into sensors, or contribute to fatigue and wear over time.
This is why vibration management should be considered as part of the overall UAV system design, rather than treated as an isolated material problem.
What Is PORON® 79?
PORON® 79 refers to the 4790-79 family of PORON polyurethane foam materials, including PORON ShockSeal™ grades.
It is a microcellular urethane material from Rogers Corporation that can be applied to a wide range of applications that demand cushioning and vibration management.
Its cellular structure enables it to compress when subjected to a load and rebound after compression, thus being applicable in areas requiring controlled cushioning. In the drone and UAV industry, pads, gaskets, strips, and other custom shapes can be produced. The last part may be customized to suit the size and specifications of the electronic or payload being safeguarded.
How PORON 79 Can Help Manage UAV Vibration
The goal of a vibration pad is not necessarily to eliminate all movement.
Instead, the material can help absorb and manage mechanical energy between components.
PORON polyurethane foam can provide:
Vibration damping
PORON materials are designed to deflect vibration while maintaining their physical characteristics over repeated loading. Rogers specifically identifies PORON polyurethane foams as vibration-management materials and notes their use in vibration pads and dampeners.
Cushioning
The foam can provide a compliant interface between components, helping cushion sensitive electronics and payloads from mechanical shock.
Impact absorption
Rogers describes PORON polyurethane as providing shock absorption and impact protection for industrial, electronic, and transportation applications.
Compression-set resistance
For a vibration pad to remain useful over time, it needs to maintain its ability to recover after compression.
Rogers highlights PORON’s resistance to compression set and stress relaxation, which helps maintain cushioning performance over extended use.
The Right Vibration Pad Starts with the Problem
One of the biggest mistakes in vibration management is starting with the material instead of the application.
Rather than asking:
“What foam is vibration resistant?”
Engineers should first ask:
“What vibration problem are we trying to solve?”
That distinction matters because the appropriate material and pad design depend on the actual system.
Where is the vibration coming from?
For a UAV, potential sources could include:
- Propellers
- Motors
- Rotating equipment
- Actuators
- Landing systems
- Airframe resonance
- Payload mechanisms
Identifying the source can help determine where isolation or damping should be introduced.
What are you trying to protect?
A vibration pad for a camera may have different requirements from a pad supporting a circuit board or sensor.
The protected components:
- Mass
- Sensitivity
- Mounting configuration
- Operating environment
- Allowable movement
can all influence the design.
How much space is available?
The available thickness can have a significant effect on the performance of a cushioning or vibration-isolation component.
A thicker pad may provide more room for deflection, but the available installation space may be extremely limited in compact UAV designs.
How much compression is required?
Compression force and deflection are important when selecting a foam.
The material needs to operate within a suitable compression range for the intended application. Rogers’ published data for 4790-79 provides compression-force-deflection information at 25% deflection for different grades.
Why Compression Set Matters for UAV Vibration Pads
Compression set is a factor to consider when choosing a foam for vibration management. It describes how much a material remains compressed after being subjected to a specified compression and recovery period.
In the case of UAV applications, the material can be compressed between components for long periods, so it should be appropriate for the loading conditions. Compression set is one of the factors engineers can consider when designing a long-term vibration management component.
Custom Vibration Pads for Drone Electronics
Off-the-shelf foam pads may not always fit the geometry or performance requirements of a UAV assembly.
A custom-converted component can be designed around the actual application.
ABLE can convert PORON materials into components such as:
- Vibration isolation pads
- Electronics cushioning pads
- Sensor cushions
- Payload protection pads
- Mounting interface pads
- Shock-absorbing components
- Gap-filling components
- Custom-shaped foam inserts
The geometry can be designed around the mounting location, available space and component configuration.
This can be particularly useful for UAV systems where weight and available space are tightly controlled.
Precision Die Cutting for PORON Vibration Pads
A high-performance foam still needs to be converted accurately to work as a finished component.
ABLE’s custom converting capabilities include precision die cutting, rotary die cutting, flatbed cutting, laminating, slitting and prototyping.
For a UAV vibration pad, precision converting can provide:
- Consistent dimensions
- Repeatable thickness
- Custom profiles
- Mounting holes and cutouts
- Adhesive-backed configurations
- Multi-layer constructions
- Repeatable production components
ABLE’s experience as a Rogers Preferred Converter includes converting PORON polyurethane and BISCO silicone materials for cushioning, sealing, vibration management, and other demanding applications.
ABLE: A Rogers Preferred Converter for Vibration Management Components
ABLE is a Rogers Preferred Converter, giving the company access to Rogers materials, technical resources, and expertise in converting PORON and BISCO materials.
ABLE has more than 50 years of custom converting experience and provides processes including precision die cutting, laminating, slitting, laser cutting, water-jet cutting, and rapid prototyping.
For aerospace and UAV applications, ABLE has already focused on Rogers materials for vibration mitigation, cushioning, sealing, and protection.
That means the project can be approached from both sides:
Material selection + converted component design
rather than treating them as separate problems.
Conclusion
Proper vibration management can help keep sensitive electronics and payloads safe in drone and UAV applications. PORON® 79 offers a cushioning option that can be precisely converted to pads for specific assembly needs. With its converting capabilities and experience with Rogers materials, ABLE can help manufacturers develop custom vibration management components for their UAV applications.
Contact ABLE today to discuss your custom PORON® vibration pad and UAV component requirements!
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