Acoustic Enclosure to a Soenen 500 Tonne Perforating Press

An acoustic enclosure for a Soenen Hydraulic Perforating Press operated by one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of high specification perforated materials and expanded metals

Scope of Works

To survey (both acoustically & mechanically), design, manufacture, deliver and install the required enclosure, this being of approximate overall sizes 6.6m long x 6.4m wide x 5.8m high.

Design Considerations

  • The overall design & construction being fit for purpose in providing a safe working environment for operations & maintenance personnel – practical, cost-effective & functional, whilst reducing ambient noise levels in the surrounding shop floor area, and wherever possible, utilising the sheet materials actually produced by the customer.
  • Enclosure totally isolated from the press pit / foundations and designed to fully integrate with the metal perforating process, accommodating the raw material in-feed, product out-feed, tooling changes, waste conveyor arrangements and hydraulic power-packs.
  • Totally demountable for major maintenance works (press strip-down & overhaul) with panels having hidden fixings to enhance the aesthetics, whilst also being of a robust, durable construction, resistant to machinery lubricants, oils & greases etc.
  • Incorporating hinged personnel / emergency exit doors, plus horizontally-sliding and counterbalanced vertically-sliding access doors / hatches to cater for the numerous points of quick access required by the customer, together with a variety of strategically positioned acoustically insulated vision panels so that the perforating process can be overseen safely from outside the facility.
  • Sealed service(s) apertures where required for hydraulic hoses, cooling system pipework, electrical cables and control wiring etc.
  • Attenuated, forced extract ventilation employed to ensure that the temperature rise inside the enclosure was acceptable and allowed the press & associated equipment to operate in a normal manner whilst maintaining the acoustic integrity of the enclosure.

Acoustic Performance

The enclosure reduced operational noise levels by 30dB, bringing factory ambient noise levels in the surrounding area to well below the First Exposure Action Level (80dBA) of the Control of Noise At Work Regulations 2005 and exceeding the customer's expectations.

Completed

May 2008

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