Rail Pads

Overview

We offers two types of specialized shock-absorbing rail pads for rail systems, both designed to dampen vibration, reduce noise, distribute wheel loads, and prevent rail displacement—ultimately extending the service life of rails and foundations.

The two types differ in their support structure compatibility and application focus, with broad adaptability to industrial scenarios including mining operations:

Continuous Rail Pads: Heavy-duty design tailored for continuous rail support systems, available in two high-durability rubber materials (NBR/SBR) and optimized for heavy-duty industrial scenarios (e.g., ports, steel plants, open-pit mining heavy gantry cranes).
Individual Rail Pads: “Soft-mount” design for intermittent support structures, offered in three materials (SBR/NBR/EVA) to cover light-to-heavy load requirements and noise reduction needs with greater flexibility, suitable for underground mine workshops or indoor mining material handling cranes.

Continuous Rail Pads

Product Overview

Engineered for continuous rail support systems in port cranes, shipbuilding, and heavy industry, these pads use Nitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR) or Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) as base materials. Embedded vulcanized steel strips enhance lateral stability, enabling the pads to withstand high dynamic loads and adapt to harsh industrial environments—including dust, oil contamination, and outdoor humidity common in mining sites.

Material Selection Guide

Oil-exposed environments (e.g., machinery workshops, oily docks, mining crane lubrication zones): Prioritize NBR (superior oil resistance).
General heavy-duty scenarios (e.g., port container cranes, steel plants, open-pit mining gantry cranes): Choose SBR (balanced abrasion resistance and low-temperature flexibility).

Core Design & Functionality

Grooved Surface Technology: Deep grooves on the pad surface ensure tight contact with supports, reducing sliding wear and lateral displacement under dynamic loads.
Steel Strip Reinforcement System: High-strength thin steel strips embedded in rubber:
1. Enhance resistance to crushing and expansion.
2. Maintain transverse rigidity even in extreme operating conditions.
3. Enable rollable transportation to minimize handling damage.
Load Distribution Optimization: Spreads concentrated wheel loads over a larger area to reduce pressure on concrete foundations; dampens irregular contact between rails and supports, protecting crane mechanisms and extending wheel/axle lifespan.

Applications

Ports & Wharves: Container cranes, Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes.
Heavy Industry: Steel plants, coking plants, cement factories.
Mining Operations: Open-pit mining heavy gantry cranes, mining material transfer cranes, crane rails in ore storage yards.
Shipbuilding: Dockside rail systems for heavy lifting.
Logistics & Warehousing: High-capacity overhead crane installations.

Installation Instructions

Sizing & Cutting: Pads should be 5mm narrower than the supported rail to avoid interference; standard 12m lengths can be cut with a hacksaw or jigsaw. Minimum installed length must not be less than the spacing between three pairs of rail fixing clips.
Surface Preparation: Ensure the support area is clean, oil-free, and free of protrusions that could damage the pad; do not paint the steel structure beneath the pad to ensure optimal adhesion.
Installation Steps: Place the pad with flutes (grooves) facing upward for proper load distribution.
Welding Protection: Remove the pad under the weld zone or use thermal barriers to prevent heat damage during rail welding.

Individual Rail Pads

Product Overview

Designed for “soft-mount” installations in crane rail systems, these pads are compatible with intermittent support structures. They are available in three materials: SBR (Styrene Butadiene Rubber), NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber), and EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate). SBR and NBR variants include internal steel reinforcement for enhanced stability (suitable for semi-underground mining material handling), while steel-free EVA pads offer lightweight flexibility for light-load and noise-reduction applications (ideal for underground mine maintenance workshops).

Applications

Heavy Industry: Port cranes, steel plants, coking plants, logistics hubs.
Mining Operations: Underground mine workshop cranes, semi-underground mining transfer cranes, light-duty ore sorting cranes.
Light Industry: Warehouse overhead cranes, workshop hoists, sortation systems.
Special Environments: Wet docks, oil-exposed workshops, outdoor rail installations (SBR/NBR preferred for weather resistance).

Rail Pads Selection Guide

Customization & Ordering

General Customization:

Size Customization: Both pad types support lengths beyond 12m (e.g., pre-cut to rail length); Continuous Rail Pads offer custom widths/thicknesses to match special rail profiles (e.g., wide-gauge rails for mining gantry cranes).

Material Customization: Continuous Rail Pads are available in special formulations (e.g., flame-retardant rubber for underground mining safety requirements, dust-resistant coatings for open-pit mining) for explosive/hazardous environments.

- Sample Policy: Free samples are available upon request for material performance testing and application validation (including mining dust environment compatibility tests).

FAQs

Q: What types of rail pads do you offer?

A: Two types: Continuous Rail Pads (for continuous-support systems, heavy-duty scenarios) and Individual (single-piece) Rail Pads (for intermittent/soft-mount supports).

Q: What materials are available and how do they differ?

A: NBR (Nitrile Butadiene Rubber, MK7) — best for oil-exposed environments; good abrasion and aging resistance.

SBR (Styrene Butadiene Rubber, MK7) — balanced abrasion resistance and low-temperature flexibility; good outdoor/UV performance.

EVA (MK2) — lightweight, no steel reinforcement, easy to cut; suited to light-load and noise-reduction applications (not recommended for oily/outdoor heavy-duty use).

Q:Are steel reinforcements used? Which pads include them?

A: Yes — continuous pads and SBR/NBR individual pads include vulcanized thin steel strips (acid-washed & sandblasted for bonding). EVA pads are steel-free.