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This product is RoHS compliant.Acousti Fan Mounts - ULTRA-SOFT

Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts

Model: AFM02B Retail 8-Pack & OEM 100-Pack
& NEW AFM03B OEM 100-Pack

Help to eliminate every last dB of PC noise by reducing the noise generated by fan vibrations!

Why are Fan Mounts Necessary?

Vibration from fan motors can travel into a PC case and become amplified when a fan is screwed tightly to the chassis. This unwanted noise is 'vibrational' or 'secondary', and it is an issue if you wish to build a very quiet or virtually silent PC.

These mounts have been designed & uniquely produced by Acousti Products 'from the drawing-board' specifically to tackle fan-induced vibrational noise! Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts are a 'no-vibration' alternative to standard fan screws or hard plastic push pins.

To prevent the transmission of vibrations from a motor (such as a fan motor), the vibrating part needs to be decoupled (or disengaged) from the chassis or case, and the vibrations need to be damped (that is, attenuated). We have selected a ultra-soft silicone polymer that effectively decouples the fan from the case, and also attenuates unwanted vibration.

The 3-dimensional shape of a fan mount is intimately related to the mount material. A fan mount must be soft enough to be effective but also designed to securely hold a fan in position. Acousti Products have designed both the shape and materials together to give a widely compatible fan mount that is also the very softest and most effective available!

Why are these Mounts any better than Others?

We have chosen an ultra-soft silicone polymer because it is softer and more chemically stable than cheaper and inferior alternatives like rubber or EPDM. Cheaper alternatives can leach oils and tend to degrade more readily over time - they also tend to be more reactive with some plastics (wires etc.) than silicone. Silicone is non-toxic, more chemically stable, and can also tolerate higher temperatures - so it is a superior material for this particular use.
Animation: shows a 25mm fan mount (Model AFM02B in Black) stretched to over 100 percent of its original length. The caption reads: How soft is ULTRA-SOFT? This soft... Acousti Fan Mounts ULTRA-SOFT, Vibration Ends Here.

How soft is ULTRA-SOFT? These are the SOFTEST mounts available! For example, elongation is over 100%

 
Ultra-soft anti-vibration fan mounts. Image shows 4 black fan mounts - model AFM02B. The Retail Pack contains 8 Fan Mounts.

AFM02B Retail Pack contains 8 anti-vibration mounts, enough for 2 fans. AFM02B & AFM03B OEM Packs contain 100 anti-vibration mounts, enough for 25 fans.
Ultra-soft anti-vibration fan mounts. Image shows 4 black soft fan mounts - model AFM03B. This fan mount is available in OEM packs.
Fan Mount Design of the AFM02 and AFM03. The diagram shows the cross-section profile of the fan mount. The mount has smoothed corners to prevent crack propagation when stretched.

AFM02 and AFM03B Ultra-Soft Fan Mount Design. The fan mount has been designed with smoothed corners to prevent the propagation of cracks when stretched. When in position, the fan is held 1.25mm away from the case side - this is just enough to allow free movement of the fan and effectively absorb vibrations, but not too much to cause excessive air pressure loss around the fan.

 

Warning! Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts fit FLANGE TYPE fan moldings!

Fan Types. Image shows the difference between flange type fan molding (more common) and a rib type (less common).

Flange type fans (shown on the left) do not have a 'tunnel' connecting the mounting holes like Rib type fans. Flange type design is the most popular type of fan moulding used in PCs & Servers.

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AFM02 - Fitting Directions
Fitting AFM02 antivibration ultra-soft fan mounts. Image 1 shows four black soft mounts viewed from the inside of the case.

1. Fit fan mounts to the case FIRST! Thread the fan mounts from the outside of the case through the case fan mounting holes, and pull the end of the mount (the arrowhead part) though until the mount 'pops' into position.

 
Fitting AFM02 antivibration ultra-soft fan mounts. Image 2 shows a clear low vibration fan (an AcoustiFan™ C-Series) being threaded from the inside of the PC onto fan mounts in position.

2. Thread the fan onto the fan mounts. Align the mounting holes on the fan corners with the fan mounts, and gently place the fan onto the mounts, so that they poke through each hole.
Fitting AFM02 antivibration ultra-soft fan mounts. Image 3 shows a clear fan anti-vibration mounted, with the fan mounts pulled through the fan mounting holes on the fan.

3. Pull fan mounts through fan holes. Using your forefinger and thumb, carefully pull the 'arrowhead' part of the fan mounts through the fan mounting holes. The trick here is to pull through and sideways at the same time, easing the arrowhead through. The arrowhead should pull though with a small 'pop'.

AFM03 - Fitting Directions

Fitting the AFM03B fan mounts differs in that the fan mounts need to be fitted to the fan first, and then the fan assembly fitted to the fan mounting holes. This makes the AFM03B model easier to fit in restricted spaces and therefore may be more suitable for OEM and IT System Builders.

Fan Mount Reviews

Ultra-Soft Anti-vibe Fan Mount Reviews SilentPCReview is the world-leading review website & forum for modding & building quiet PCs. They tested some pre-production samples of our AFM02B & AFM03B fan mounts - here's what they found:

"Compared to the EAR mounts, the Acousti Product mounts are softer and easier to bend.
...installation is a simple matter of pulling the mount through the existing screw hole in the case and then threading it through the corresponding hole in the fan. It takes a little force to pull the mount through, but it comes through with a satisfying 'pop' and is completely secure thanks to the wide flange.
...As with the fan gasket, only the buzz in the noise signature was affected — the motor hum stayed the same. In fact, the buzz disappeared almost entirely, changing from the dominant source of noise to a background rattle that was only audible within a foot or two of the case. The motor hum was still present ...but most of the resonant buzz was eliminated. This indicates that the fan mounts were doing their job effectively." External Link[read the full review]

Reviewed by Mike Chin of SilentPCReview.com SilentPCReview

 

Ultra-Soft Anti-vibe Fan Mount Reviews "We have acoustically tested the Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts and found they out-performed others available. The black rubber soft mounts from Acousti Products were very effective in reducing vibration (and therefore noise levels) when we tested them in combination with a high speed CPU cooling fan and a CPU cooler."

Alon Slapak, Chief Technical Officer - Silentium Ltd, Israel - Silentium

 

Ultra-Soft Anti-vibe Fan Mount Reviews[Review of Fan Gasket, Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts and AcoustiFan DustPROOF™] "Installation is extremely easy... the whole installation takes only a fraction of the time ... and you don't have to worry that your fan will fall off. The Ultra-Soft mounts might be very stretchy but at the same time they provide for a secure fit, see small movie for a demo." External Link[read the full review]

Mad Shrimps movie of Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts - showing how secure the mounted fan is when they are in place. This review features a short movie showing how secure the fan mounts are once they are in place. To find the movie click here.

jmke, Mad Shrimps - MadShrimps.be

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Fan Mount Customer Feedback

Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts Feedback "...I like to use them [ultra-soft fan mounts] as they are extremely easy to use, not only do they remove noise, it's the fast installation which got my attention even more!" John Meys, Reviewer, Madshrimps.com

"Surprisingly effective. Should be standard on every quality case." Sam, UK.

"These are superb. I wouldn't believe the difference they could make until I tried them... Now I won't fit a fan without them." David, UK.

"Good addition to any Antec quiet case." Tanya, Canada.

"This product does make a significant improvement in decibel rate in a case. I would recommend this product." Nigel, UK.

"I have found these to be very effective at reducing the vibration noise from mounting case fans in the PC." Brian, Australia.

"I am using AFM02B and my noise dropped." Valentin, Bulgaira.

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Quick Links

Fan Mount Reviews

Technical Specifications

Fitting Recommendations

Where to Buy

External link.All Product FAQs (UK website)

External link.More About PC Noise (UK website)

Features & Benefits

  • Effective Fan Noise Reduction - truly 'ultra-soft', these mounts effectively decouple and absorb unwanted fan vibrations
  • Universal Design - designed to fit the vast majority of fans and PC cases (unlike other mounts available!)
  • Quick & Easy to fit - no case modifications required!
  • Cost Effective
  • Generous quantities - enough in a Retail Pack for two fans, enough in an OEM pack for 25 fans!

Technical Specifications

  • Designed to fit Flange Type fans (see image left)
  • Range of Fan Mounting Holes: 4.0 - 5.25mm diameter
  • Range of Case Mounting Holes: AFM02B: 4.0 - 5.5mm diameter, AFM03B: 4.25 - 5mm diameter
  • Suitable for fans up to 120x120x38mm (max. weight 300g)
  • Length: AFM02B - 26mm, AFM03B - 35mm
  • Largest Diameter: 8.0mm
  • Max. Elongation: >100%
  • Colour: Matt Black
  • Material: Ultra-Soft Silicone Dampening Polymer
  • Toxicity: Non-toxic
  • Normal Operating Temperature Range: (-)20°C to (+)70°C
  • AFM02B Retail Pack Weight: 15g

Ultra Soft Fan Mounts - Retail Packaging

Availability

Where can I Buy Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts?

EUROPE

UK UK Stores for Fan Mounts. Image shows UK Flag (Distributed by QuietPC UK)

Scandinavia Image shows Swedish Flag Image shows Norwegian Flag Image shows Finish Flag Image of Danish flag (Distributed by PCB Distribution)

Romania Image shows Romanian Flag

NORTH AMERICA

USA & Canada Image shows US Flag Image shows Canadian Flag (Distributed by QuietPC USA)

Notes:

AFM02B - Acousti Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts are available in both Retail Packs of 8 mounts, and in bulk packs of 100 mounts (enough for 25 fans) for OEM and system builders.

AFM03B - Acousti Ultra-Soft Fan Mounts are available in bulk packs of 100 mounts (enough for 25 fans) for OEM and system builders.

For Large Quantities (<10,000 mounts) and/or a bespoke fan mounting solutions please contact us. We can provide a fast prototyping service and supply anti-vibration mount products in a variety of materials (different colours, softnesses and flammability - all UL-certified, and RoHS compliant as standard).

Terms and Conditions

Image shows AP for Acousti Products

All Rights Reserved. Graphics and content ©2008. Acousti Products Ltd is a company registered in England and Wales No. 04514007. Registered Office: Lifford Hall, Lifford Lane, Birmingham, B30 3JN UK. Tel: +44 (0)845 873 1143. Fax: +44 (0)870 922 3971. See our Terms and Conditions.