An apparatus and a continuous process produce composite structural insulated panels (SIPs). Lower boards are placed on a conveying system through a foam application zone and then upper boards are applied. The foam material adheres to the upper and lower boards to form a structural insulated panel after passing through a curing apparatus.

A damper for reducing vibration in a least a portion of a component during inertia welding. The damper includes a generally annular body having a spiral slot formed therein.

A process is provided for applying multi-component composite coating compositions to substrates to provide sound damping and print-through resistance. The process includes applying at least one first coating composition to a surface of the substrate; applying at least one second coating composition over the first; and curing one or both of the first and second compositions, thereby forming a multi-layered coated substrate. The coating compositions may be applied by a method selected from spraying, extruding, brushing, and/or dipping.

A thermally expandable material is provided that, once expanded, has a Young's storage modulus E' between 0.1 MPa and 1000 MPa, a loss factor of at least 0.3 (preferably, at least 1) and preferably a shear storage modulus G' between 0.1 MPa and 500 MPa at a temperature between -10 and +40 degrees C. in the frequency range 0 to 500 Hz. Such materials are useful in combination with a carrier to form a dissipative vibratory wave barrier that effectively reduces the transfer of vibrations from a vibration generator, as may be present in a vehicle.

A foam barrier heat shield is provided having a layer of foam adhesively disposed between opposing first and second metallic outer layers. The foam is expanded in between the outer layers and is adhesively formed to the outer layers without the use of a separate adhesive. In addition to shielding heat, the heat shield is effective as a noise barrier and is internally damped against vibration. In a preferred embodiment, the foam is a substantially rigid polyurethane foam that is sufficiently pliant to be bent to and accommodate a particular shape and contour to which the heat shield will conform in use, and it is reversibly deformable acoustical deflections.