Door hardware noise reduction and evaluation

An exit device, comprising:

• a housing assembly configured for mounting to a door, wherein the housing assembly comprises a channel member and a header case at a proximal end of the channel member;
• a pushbar movably mounted to the housing assembly for movement between a projected position and a depressed position;
• a bolt mounted in the header case and operably connected with the pushbar such that movement of the pushbar drives the bolt between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein movement of the bolt from the retracted position to the extended position causes a first component to contact a second component at a point of contact;
• a contact dampener configured to dampen vibrations resulting from contact between the first component and the second component, wherein the contact dampener comprises a noise damping metal material;
• and
• a pushbar guide mounted to the channel member, wherein the pushbar guide comprises a lip that extends around a proximal end portion of the pushbar and defines a barrier between the header case and the proximal end portion of the pushbar such that the pushbar guide dampens impact of the pushbar against the housing assembly during depression of the pushbar.