Steel Fabricator

The Issue

Building an over-sized curtain enclosure to reduce and absorb noise has never been a problem. Building an over-sized curtain system without a lot of support columns has always been a challenge, but Acoustical Solutions reps love dealing with challenges like these. According to the steel fabricator’s engineer, the product grinder was the most noise offensive piece of equipment in the company’s entire operation.

The Challenge

The product grinder’s noise levels exceeded 100 dB(A). Because the unit was relatively small (3′ x 4′ x 6′), we knew we could easily reduce the noise level with a curtain enclosure. However, the steel pieces moving in and out of the roll shop are so big that a full 10′ x 10′ access area was required.

The Solution

Acoustical Solutions designed a 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ x 3/16″ thick heavy-duty steel frame that easily supports large enclosures for the steel fabricator. A 10-foot square curtain enclosure only requires 4 corner posts instead of the usual support columns installed at five-foot intervals. Even large fork trucks have easy access and the pre-drilled and tapped frame made it quick to assemble and easy to install. The structure was rugged enough to accommodate a partial roof over the grinder. Because only a partial roof was used, there was no need to consider ventilation, lighting or sprinkler systems.

PrivacyShield^® Dual-Sided Absorptive Soundproofing Blankets feature a heavy duty, reinforced loaded vinyl noise barrier exterior and a 2-inch thick quilted fiberglass sound absorption interior. The panels were installed on sliding double tracks on two sides for quick and easy access. The remaining two sides were attached directly to the frame thus saving the cost of track and rollers.

The Result

The result was an overall noise reduction of 17 dB(A). In addition to significantly reducing noise levels, the PrivacyShield^® Dual-Sided Absorptive Soundproofing Blankets are durable enough to withstand the punishment we know they’ll get in that busy area. Virtually any large area can now be enclosed without compromising access.

The next time you’re confronted with a large, noisy piece of equipment that looks impossible to enclose with acoustical curtains, don’t hesitate. Think heavy duty.