Rubber bushes consist of a rubber cylinder bonded on their outer and there are inner surfaces to rigid metal layers. Bushes are widely used as engineering components and designed to take up torsional movement, axial and radial load and conical deflection. There are various shapes of bushes which are available as standard items in the market while special requirements or sizes can be made to order.

Materials to make rubber bushes
Both natural rubber (polyisoprene) of different grades and alternative elastomers are used to make these bushes.

Installation of Bushes
These bushes may be pressed into place or a loose fit on assembly. Moreover, the act of assembly may compress the rubber against mating surfaces to provide a pre-load.

Types of Bushes
There are various types of bushes and each of these types is active under different excitations and important for different NVH attributes:

• Simple bush
• Flanged bushes
• Laminated bushes
• Void bushes
• Pivot bushes
• Spherical bushes
• Suspension bush
• Equalizer bush
• Torque arm bushes
• Conical bushes etc.

Manufacturing Process of Rubber Bushes
The steps involved in the manufacturing process of Bushes are as follows:

• Preparing rubber compounds according to specification required
• Preparing metal parts, cleaning and blasting, etc.
• Applying adhesive
• Moulding rubber compound with the metal part normally via extrusion or compression
• Painting and
• Finishing

Features

• These bushes are usually designed to accommodate torsional movements and axial and radial loads.
• The rubber is pre-stressed to give the maximum durability and dynamic strength.
• The full movement is taken up by the bonded rubber.
• Lubrication or other bearing maintenance are usually not required.
• The rubber bush has excellent sound and vibration isolation characteristics.
• Using these bushes improve friction, wear and noise, and isolate high frequency vibrations.

Applications

• Vehicle suspension arms
• Mechanical linkages
• Vibratory feeders
• Pivot bearings
• Conveyer tracks etc.