We are increasingly witnessing climatic and seismic events that cause damage to society and the economy. What can we do to try to limit the damage caused by these often-unpredictable events? Seismic engineering applied to new buildings has made great strides in recent years, and thanks to this we are able to limit damage to structures. However, it happens that following minor seismic events, some buildings remain unusable not because there is real damage to the structure but because elements that make up the systems are damaged, remaining unusable and inactive. Think of hospitals, airports or research centers.
Inside these structures there are units such as UPS that guarantee the operation of the generators for energy and that must be able to continue working even in the event of extraordinary atmospheric or seismic events. Even the air conditioning and treatment systems, which are usually installed on the roof, must be secured to the support surface to prevent the machines from overturning in the event of strong gusts of wind or, in the worst-case scenario, from being dragged and overturning causing damage and generating situations of further danger.
Ensuring the solidity of the systems and their operation under any climatic circumstances or in the event of a seismic event is the mission of Soleco, an Italian company that has been designing and producing anti-vibration and anti-seismic supports for over 50 years, offering innovative and customized solutions for special applications. Soleco anti-vibration devices are used to isolate machines for the HVAC/R sector such as air conditioners, refrigerators, heat pumps, compressors but also generators and transformers, ensuring at the same time stability in the event of an earthquake and strong gusts of wind. Soleco technicians support the customer in the selection phases of the correct anti-vibration devices by providing a complete and efficient solution. A pre-selection service for anti-vibration devices is available for machine manufacturers. This service allows the customer to already have a list of suitable anti-vibration devices for each machine model and considerably reduce delivery times.
The products, in this way, will be delivered to the Customer in kits with the codes of the machine under which they will be installed and assembly instructions that can be branded and provided in different languages in order to make installation easier and minimize any errors. If necessary, Soleco offers an after-sales service to verify the exact installation and carry out analyses on the unit using specific equipment. Soleco production consists of spring anti-vibration mounts, bell-shaped anti-vibration mounts and thermoplastic elastomer dampers. All Soleco production can be customized according to customer requests, with special paints, self-extinguishing materials and the use of stainless steel for special applications. Soleco’s top-of-the-range product is the anti-seismic series, revisited in its design and presented on the market during the latest edition of MCE 2022.
The Soleco anti-seismic series has been tested and certified at the Polytechnic University of Milan. This special anti-seismic vibration damper guarantees greater stability to the machine compared to free spring anti-vibration dampers, especially if the unit is installed on a roof. In the case of units that do not require vibration isolation, such as UPS or transformers, Soleco designs and produces steel bases that can reinforce the machines and always guarantee their stability. The growing awareness of anti-seismic design has generated a significant increase in requests from manufacturers and designers for operational tests to be carried out on the units. In fact, construction technical standards require that systems and non-structural elements be verified, together with their connections to the structure, for seismic action depending on the various installation sites.
These assessments consist of testing the machines on a vibrating table that reproduces the force of the earthquake and examining the units once the test is completed. If the machines work and do not report significant damage to the structure, they are approved and can thus be included in the specifications. Soleco has developed a partnership with the most highly rated Research Centers for more than 10 years to perform tests on a triaxial vibration table and issue Seismic Certifications to its Customers who need them. Atmospheric events and earthquakes will always be part of our lives but it is up to us to find a way to limit and prevent damage. Soleco is one of those Italian companies that proudly promote research to ensure everyone’s safety.
