Metex | Custom Solutions for Maufacturing

Noise Suppression

Noise Suppression

noisesupressionNoise—whether continuous or intermittent—is unpleasant, reduces productivity, and may even promote hearing loss. In addition, meeting OSHA, MESA, and other state and federal legislative requirements mandates that manufacturers incorporate effective noise suppression on equipment, such as by adding pneumatic tool mufflers.

Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh combines all three basic approaches to sound attenuation by acting as a reflective barrier, vibration damper, and sound absorber. This three-in-one combination makes it ideal for pneumatic tool mufflers and other general noise suppression applications. It is cost effective and is easier to design with reduced space requirements. It can be incorporated into existing products without changing their design specifications or manufacturing.

Due to its inherent structure, knitted wire mesh provides exceptionally efficient absorption of high-energy sound. Beyond acting as a physical barrier, mesh also causes sound to vibrate as it imparts the wire surface, thereby converting sound to thermal energy, effectively dampening, absorbing, and dissipating equipment and plant-generated noise through an intricate path between a sound source and the ear.

Basically, there are four means to achieve noise reduction:

  • Add a physical sound barrier
  • Install a vibration damper
  • Provide sound absorption
  • Metering the air flow

Only knitted wire mesh functions as all four of these types of noise reducers—economically and as a single-composite material.

Knitted mesh can be custom tailored to the specific needs of a given application. Engineered products can be fabricated by knitting one or a combination of widely diverse materials, such as all types of stainless steel, aluminum, copper, sophisticated alloys, synthetic polymers, fibers, and yarns.

Knitted wire mesh has the ability to absorb high-energy sound. When this sound energy hits a mesh element, the sound energy is absorbed into the wire structure making the wire vibrate and thus absorbing harmful sound energy. In fact, the open space in a mesh part can be controlled within a range of 30% to 97%. These two features are extremely important in noise reduction, since the extent of surface area and air flow resistance are both critical factors.

Of equal importance to the dramatic noise level reduction achieved with Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh in these applications is the fact that not only are the operating speed losses minimal, but the operating efficiencies are not significantly reduced.

 

BENEFITS

  • Extremely lightweight
  • Easy to install/adapt to existing design
  • Adaptable to a wide range of design configurations
  • Resistant to high temperatures, cryogenics and corrosion
  • Wide range of material selections
  • Extremely efficient (low pressure-drop to dB reduction ratio)

Applications

The superior noise-suppression characteristics of Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh provide greater performance in a wide range of applications, including:

  • Mufflers for Automotive, Marine, Recreation Vehicles and Small Gasoline Engine-Powered Equipment
  • Pneumatic tool mufflers, industrial staplers, compressors, air motors and starters, cylinders, valves and hoists