31.05.2012
Noise, be gone!
“Noise be gone” – that’s how one could freely translate the name of one of the brands
“Shumoff” (or “Shum-off”), a player on the Ukrainian
market of materials designed for vibration and
sound insulation of car bodies. What other
materials are represented on this market, and what
are they like?
Today, the Ukrainian market offers a wide range of materials for vibration and sound insulation of cars (mainly of Russian production, occasionally from other countries). The manufacturer’s location determines their retail price. While Russian soundproofing materials are cheaper, overseas ones are sometimes “astronomically” expensive. We dare say that their price does not always match their quality. Naturally, each material has its pros and cons. Specialists from Digital Designs (Chernivtsi) tested 26 samples of insulation materials from various manufacturers. They developed a testing methodology, built special equipment, and verified it to obtain reliable and comparable data. This work took over two months, and here’s what we found...
Vibration and sound insulation: review of tested materials
The most common and widely used vibration and sound-absorbing materials in Ukraine are those produced under the STP brand by the Russian group of companies “Standartplast”. The manufacturer offers several STP product series.
Series “STP Vibroplast”.
The most well-known insulating material of this series (and probably of all STP products) is STP Vibroplast M1 – the sales leader in its segment. Installation is simple, the material is effective on thin metal. Defects are extremely rare. The price is slightly inflated due to the brand’s popularity. Its analog is “STP Vibroplast M2”.
A cheaper analog of “Vibroplast M1” is “STP Vibroplast Silver”, created to compete in the lower price segment. Its mastic layer is thicker, and the foil thinner. However, for some time it was sold in Ukraine at a higher price than M1 and positioned in the premium segment.
The analog of “Vibroplast M2” is “STP Vibroplast Gold”. This material has a modified embossed foil surface, which simplifies installation on complex shapes. It is positioned in the premium segment, outperforming combined materials like Bimast Standart and Bimast Super according to declared characteristics. “Vibroplast Gold” is easy to apply and install, but has no fundamental differences from M2.
STP Bimast series
The Bimast series represents a quality breakthrough among vibration and sound insulation materials. These are multilayer products based on butyl rubber resin, bitumen plates, and various coatings. They are effective on thicker metal. All materials in the series are installed using the following technology: heating to 40–50°C, shaping on the surface, removing the protective film, heating with a heat gun, and rolling with light pressure.
STP Bimast Standart is the most elastic material of this series. Over time, its protective layer (PE film, nonwoven fabric) has changed several times, but it is not sufficiently bonded to the bitumen plate. When unrolled, lumps form, and the coating adheres poorly.
STP Bimast Super is a very popular soundproofing material (covered with foil paper). It is similar to Bimast Standart but thicker, hence stiffer and harder to install (possibly because the paper doesn’t stretch). However, it performs well even on the floor.
STP Bimast Bomb is the flagship of the STP product line with the highest declared mechanical loss factor (MLF). The thick and heavy sheet is difficult to install, but in terms of efficiency, the “bomb” remained unmatched for a long time. Bimast Bomb is still one of the best, although recently there have been cases of foil delamination.
STP Vizomat series
Vizomat PB-2 and PB-3.5 are bitumen-reinforced sheets that are easy to install when heated with a heat gun and successfully imitate factory car soundproofing. On some car models, they should not be applied to the roof or door panels, as the adhesive may soften when heated and the sheet may peel off. PB-3.5 is heavier, improving damping performance.
STP Vizomat MP was the most effective product in the STP line before the appearance of STP Bimast. Popular among fans of rigid constructions, it is labor-intensive to install but holds its shape well. The installation technology is similar to “Bimast”. At high temperatures (above +28°C), its damping properties deteriorate, although the car floor rarely heats up that much.
The technical characteristics of STP vibration and sound insulation materials, declared by the manufacturer (supplier) and obtained from measurements, are shown in Table 2. The declared mechanical loss factor (MLF) values are given in relative units (manufacturers do not specify measurement methods or conditions). During testing, MLF was not evaluated.
Currently, vibration and sound-absorbing materials Shumoff, produced by the Russian company Pleiada, are gaining increasing popularity in Ukraine.
Sound insulation Shumoff
These are polymer-rubber sheets of unusually small size, covered with aluminum foil with deep embossing. The material appeared on the market relatively recently and is positioned as a premium product for acoustic solutions. It is easy to install, the mastic layer is sticky and dense. Its compact packs take up little space – convenient for storage. How the sheet size affects installation and performance will be shown by time and practice.
Shumoff M3
Is an analog of M2 with greater sheet thickness and, accordingly, a higher noise reduction coefficient (NRC). Effective on thicker metal.
“Shumoff M4” is a product similar to “Shumoff M2” but twice as thick. The manufacturer claims that this material can compete with combined products like “Bimast” from STP. Installation is as simple as with thinner versions and much easier than with “Bimast” – excellent flexibility, very sticky and dense mastic layer, no heat gun required. Practice will show which material is better.
“Shumoff Mix” is a combined multilayer material consisting of polymer-rubber and polymer-bitumen layers, covered with a thin PE film. The manufacturer claims good performance at low weight and a very moderate price. The top layer is elastic and does not deform when heated – important during installation.
Shumoff Mix F
The flagship of the Shumoff sound insulation line. It is a thick, fairly rigid multilayer material with a very sticky polymer-rubber base, a polymer-bitumen layer, and foil with the brand’s traditional deep embossing. All layers are firmly bonded. It claims leadership in its class. During installation, “Mix F” impresses with its easy application on complex surfaces almost without heating – respect to the manufacturer.
The technical characteristics of Shumoff vibration and sound insulation materials, declared by the manufacturer (supplier) and obtained from measurements, are shown in Table 3. The noise reduction coefficient (NRC) was not evaluated during testing.
The Ukrainian market also offers a wide selection of other vibration and sound-absorbing materials from well-known brands.
Vibration insulation Kicx
Kicx Exclusive 2 is a flexible, elastic material made of environmentally friendly, dense, non-hardening, and very sticky sealant laminated with aluminum foil. It is easy to install on complex surfaces without a heat gun. It is rare and expensive, although produced by “Standartplast”.
Kicx Exclusive 4 is a product similar to Exclusive 2 but twice as thick, with a very dense mastic layer. It is easy to install and pleasant to work with.
Dynamate materials
Dynamate Xtreme is the prototype of an entire series of insulating materials. Its black butyl base is covered with an aluminum sheet. It combines lightness, easy installation, and high damping properties. It has the highest status in its class and, accordingly, the highest price. The descriptions provide detailed test characteristics at different temperatures. It is less flexible during installation than analogs, possibly due to the lack of embossing and a denser elastomer layer. The MLF depends on temperature changes.
Dynamate Dynaplate is a lightweight vibration-absorbing material. It is quite flexible but requires some skill to work with. Difficult to apply. The MLF hardly depends on temperature changes. It is used for “high-end” installations as a filler for mounting holes and rarely as a vibration damper. Truly, space technology! And the price is just as “astronomical”.
Sound insulation Ultimate
- Ultimate Construct A1 – a new product in the Ultimate insulation line. It is a polymer-rubber composition covered with aluminum foil with original honeycomb embossing and logo pattern. It is easy to install; thanks to the embossing, the sheet can be rolled almost bubble-free. It has a thin, sticky, and dense elastic layer. It looks solid, although the sheet thickness seems less than stated.
- Ultimate Construct A2 is an analog of Construct A1 but thicker.
- Ultimate Construct Strong Plus is an ultra-light material that claims to compete with Dynaplate from Dynamat. It is a thicker aluminum plate with heat-resistant adhesive. Very flexible, easily shaped, adds strength and rigidity to the structure. Hard to cut with a knife – better use scissors. The description says: “...made from high-viscosity aluminum of special structure using space technology.” Indeed, there’s something space-like about it, but the price, compared to Dynaplate, is quite earthly!
The technical characteristics of vibration and sound insulation materials from Kicx, Dynamate, and Ultimate, declared by the manufacturer (supplier) and obtained from measurements, are shown in Table 4.
Here are a few more offers on the Ukrainian market.
“Vizol”
This is an economy offer from STP. A material with a thin elastic layer and very thin foil. It adheres well, installation is simple. The manufacturer makes no claims about its characteristics – it’s a no-name product with no markings. Overall, it’s cheap and simple, but the manufacturer does not recommend using it in cars (not safe for health), as it is intended for construction. Sheet thickness 1.4 mm, weight 2 kg/m².
“Vikar FA1.5”
The catalog says: “Self-adhesive cold-applied material based on butyl rubber, reinforced with 200 µm embossed foil.” No other characteristics are given. The actual foil thickness is about 70 µm. It’s a construction material, so values are often exaggerated. It’s easy to apply, the mastic is very plastic and viscous. Therefore, the price is affordable. Sheet thickness 1.5 mm, weight 2.8–3.0 kg/m².
“Vikar FA2.3”
This is a thicker analog of “Vikar FA1.5”. Sheet thickness 2.4–2.7 mm, weight 4.2–4.6 kg/m².
“APP hard mat”
A bitumen material – a veteran of the market. The characteristic pattern resembles the sound insulation of old imported cars, which once made it popular among body shops. The manufacturer provides no damping characteristics. It can be used to increase rigidity and weight. Sheet thickness 1.6 mm, weight 3.2 kg/m².
“Standart Isoplast 1.6”
Rarely found in Ukraine, but well known in Russia. It has an excellent adhesive layer. Easy to install on flat surfaces, difficult on complex ones due to poor embossing.
“Standart Isoplast 2”
A thicker analog of “Standart Isoplast 1.6”.
As you can see, the Ukrainian market now offers a wide range of materials for vibration and sound insulation of car bodies, with various performance characteristics and prices. Consumers can choose the right product based on their needs and budget.
Maksym Radomskyi, article from For’z magazine
Table of research results on an area of 0.4 m2
