Exceptional Noise Suppression and Dispersion with Knitted Wire Mesh
Noise—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 in equipment.
Basically, there are four ways to achieve noise suppression:
- Add a physical sound barrier
- Install a vibration damper
- Provide sound absorption
- Metering the air flow
Only knitted wire mesh functions as all four—economically and as a single-composite material.
Due to its basic 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.
In the same way that an aerator on a household faucet disperses the stream of water into smaller bubbles, so too, Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh distributes air— breaking it up and sending it through very small exit apertures before it is dispersed into the atmosphere. Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh combines all three approaches to sound attenuation in one composite structure: it acts as a reflecting barrier, a vibration damper, and a sound absorber. This three-in-one combination is cost effective and is easier to design with reduced space requirements. It can be incorporated into existing products without changing their design specifications and manufacturing.
More Efficient, Economical Noise Suppression for Equipment and Industrial Plants with Knitted Wire Mesh
Unlike metal baffle plates-which usually involve costly welded constructions and add significant weight. Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh noise suppression solutions are light in weight and economical. Metal baffles can also slow the passage of air-in some cases resulting in reduced equipment operating efficiency due to generation of excessive back pressure. Porous materials such as foamed plastics and synthetic felts are highly susceptible to degradation at elevated temperatures- leading to eventual embrittlement and decomposition.
Knitted metals can be virtually custom tailored to specific needs of a given application. Engineered products can be fabricated from Metal Textiles 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.
In addition, knitted metal mesh has both a large surface area of wire to absorb sound vibrations, and a highly controllable percentage of free sound deadening space. 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.
Knitted wire mesh has an ability to absorb high-energy sound and provide noise suppression. When this sound energy hits a knitted mesh element, the sound energy is absorbed into the wire structure, making the wire vibrate and thus absorbing harmful sound energy.
In compressed air tools where the escaping exhaust air creates sound levels in excess of ever-tightening government regulations, sound must be reduced, yet back pressure cannot significantly affect output power of the tools. Metal Textiles has developed several compressed knitted wire units for air tools. In a typical case, sound was reduced from 98 to 88 dB, with a loss of only 100 RPM out of 6000 in a hand-held, air-operated impact wrench.
Applications
The superior noise suppression characteristics of Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh provide greater performance in a wide range of applications, including:
- Silencers
- Air tools
- Compressors
- Air Motors and Starters
- Cylinders and Valves
- Blankets and Curtains
- Machine or Equipment Isolation
- Internal Combustion Engines
- Mining
- Mufflers
- Automotive
- Marine
- Recreation Vehicles
- Small Gasoline Engine-Powered Equipment
PRODUCT BENEFITS
- Lightweight-especially as compared with metal baffling
- Easy to install
- Adaptable to a wide range of design configurations
- Resistant to high temperatures, cryogenics and corrosion
- Wide range of material selections
- Low pressure-drop to noise-reduction ratio
- Adaptable to a wide range of design configurations, including compressed units, wound units, and drawn and calendared
Knitted wire mesh, in a compressed form, can handle shock loadings as high as the yield strength of the material itself. In fact, it is not uncommon for a one-inch-thick disc to absorb up to 100,000 pounds of loading—a level not obtainable with any other fabricated material. Loading may be in any direction. Knitted wire mesh is also versatile: additional resilience, as well as reduction of surface friction, can be obtained by knitting plastic fiber in parallel with metal, in which case the metal wire acts as a structural support and binder for the plastic.
Proven performance in shock and vibration damping
Knitted mesh has a distinct advantage in its ability to withstand hostile environments over other materials such as polymers, rubber, plastic, cork, and felt. By proper selection of the material or combination of materials, it is possible to provide vibration or shock control in corrosive atmospheres or at ultra-high or cryogenic temperatures, as well as radioactive, dirty, oily, and other extreme conditions.
Knitted Wire Mesh-Providing High Temperature Dampers for the World’s Most Demanding Industrial Environments
Not only does knitted wire mesh provide superior performance-with an extra measure of protection against shock and vibration-but it can be fabricated from any material that can be drawn into a wire form. The most common knitted materials are stainless steel, copper, aluminum, and Inconel.
The versatility in selection of materials and their fabrication make knitted wire mesh an ideal solution for an extremely wide range of demanding industrial applications.
Applications for Metal Textiles knitted wire mesh include vibration, noise suppression, and shock control for:
- Engine mounts—aircraft, cars, trucks, boats, recreational vehicles electric motors, auxiliary motors,
- Vibration pads—Machinery, floating slabs and pipes
- Mounts—Electronics, tubing, hydraulics, aircraft and marine
- Bumper pads—Pneumatic tube systems, ball screws, and steering columns
- Clamps—Tubing, tongs and furnace clamps (fingers)
- Exhaust Systems—Catalytic converter monolith supports, exhaust pipe hangers