Noise control has over the years become far more technologically advanced and effective and nowadays, it's very conceivable to achieve a high degree of noise reduction.
It is quite common that companies end up over spending on industrial noise control and ultimately not achieve what they have set out to. This is usually as a result of a misdiagnosis to the source of the noise problem and not applying the correct solution. Simply put, if the right source and location of the noise is not correctly identified and if the right solution isn't put in place, there may be little or no effect on the noise reduction rates.
When choosing a supplier for your noise control solution, ensure that they have the right equipment combined with the right experience and expertise. A good supplier should be able to diagnose the source of the noise problem and transmission pathways accurately and be able to come up with the appropriate solution. This means that the money that you invest will not be wasted and be targeted to where it is the most effective.
What Causes the Noise?
Noise control is important in many different situations, but what is the root cause of that noise anyway? You will find quite often that the noises actually are caused by vibrations emitting from the product or machine. Taking the example of a typical factory machine, even very small vibrations can result in loud noises emitting as the rubber parts placed in the machine to quell the vibrations may not be able to handle it. The resulting noise is generally a lot louder than one would anticipate to be caused by mere vibrations.
The companies that offer noise control assessments usually have testing capabilities that include:
• Vibration measurement
• Sound intensity measurement and noise mapping
• Precision sound pressure level /sound power level measurement
• Frequency analysis
• FFT and noise source identification
• Modal analysis and frequency transfer function measurement
• Sound absorption testing of new materials/composites in reverberation chambers.
Health and Safety Laws exist in some countries around the acceptable levels of noise. In some instances, the heavy fines that are charged are exceptionally high by comparison to the costs incurred from trying to eliminate the noise in the first place.
Take Australia as an example. The decibel noise level of a busy road is around 85dBA of sound. In Australia, the acceptable noise levels in the workplace is 85dBA for 8 hours per day. It doesn't seem like there should be any problems controlling the noise levels until you put it into context. A chainsaw emits 110dBA, a disco approximately 100dBA, and then a jet engine a massive 1120dBA. Four hours exposure at 88dBA is permissible, or only half an hour at 97dBA.
Now take into consideration how much noise is created per day from your factory or workplace, and it is almost a certainty that some form of noise control is essential. In Ireland, there is no exact level or standard of noise that is illegal, but for the wellbeing of your employees, it is good to know what levels can potentially be damaging.
