Acoustic Blanket Non-Reinforced Standard with full width clear vinyl view windows form a three-bay acoustical curtain enclosure at a Ford Motor Company plant.

Inside a Ford Motor Company assembly plant, employees in the Roll Test Operation Department jump into a Ford fresh off the assembly line, accelerate to 60 MPH and then stomp on the brakes. This is the first step in testing acceleration and braking on new vehicles. Ford Motor Company’s policy of creating and maintaining high standards of employee comfort and benefits led to a desire to reduce the noise level exposure for workers in the surrounding area.

After extensive testing and analysis, Acoustical engineers selected noise control materials manufactured by All Noise Control. All Noise Control specializes in flexible noise control products and systems. As opposed to some of the rigid, metal panel type of noise control products available in the marketplace, flexible sound absorber/noise barrier composite products can offer maximum accessibility, visibility and affordability, while still offering significant noise reduction. Acoustical engineers recommended utilizing All Noise Control Acoustical Products to create three forty-foot long bays to separate the idle lane from the active lanes. The All Noise Control Acoustical Curtain Panel model ANC-AB12 combines a quilted fiberglass sound absorber on both sides of a loaded vinyl noise barrier. The modular curtain panels were fabricated with full width view windows; grommets at the top with hook and loop fasteners along each edge to join adjacent panels together to form the designed configuration. The ANC-AB12/full width view window panels are specifically designed to offer complete visibility into the area along with effective sound absorption and noise barrier characteristics.

The ANC-AB12 Acoustical Composite Curtain Panels satisfied acoustical engineer’s requirements to provide separator partition walls between each bay by utilizing a single product that would serve as both a noise barrier material between bays as well as a sound absorption product within each bay. In general, ASTM laboratory testing standards are utilized to determine how effective various products perform regarding their ability to either absorb sound waves, rated as NRC, or block sound waves, rated as STC. The NRC (Noise Reduction Rating) of ANC-AB12 is .85. The STC (Sound Transmission Classification) is 29. Since a heavy duty one pound per sq.ft. flexible transparent vinyl noise barrier material is utilized as the view window section of the panels, there is minimal, if any, loss of acoustical performance thru the window area.

A related All Noise Control Acoustical Curtain Panel, ANC-AB11V-2, was used as an end cap on one end of the bays. Its purpose was also to contain and absorb the noise. However, since these panels are in a potential high abuse area where they drive the cars and move other equipment into the bays, the ANC-AB11V-2 Acoustical Curtain Panels are utilized because they have a very rugged, durable reinforced noise barrier exterior and the quilted fiberglass sound absorber on the interior side only.

Even with large open areas and an open top, upon completion of the Acoustical Curtain Enclosure, employees noise exposure dropped by 8dB(A) bringing these employees within acceptable noise exposure limits and creating a better working environment for Ford Motor Company’s valued employees.

Installation instructions: ANC-AB12

Material typically required completing installation: ANC-AB12, self-tapping screws or nails appropriate for substrate, or other framing material (optional)

Determine the area to be covered.

If the material is provided in bound pieces (no grommets or Velcro along any edge)

Using a self-tapping screw that is appropriate for the substrate screw directly through the ANC-AB12 material into the wall or framing material.

You may use a washer, between the screw and the ANC-AB12, to help secure the material in place

If the material is provided in curtain panel form (with edges bound and grommets and/or Velcro along at least one edge)

Using a self-tapping screw that is appropriate for the substrate, screw through the grommets in the ANC-AB12 curtain panel into the wall or framing material.

Place a washer, with an ID smaller than that of the screw head, on top of the grommet you are securing through.

Each progressive panel should overlap the previous section by approximately 2”. Secure pieces in place via the mating vertical Velcro strips (if applicable).

Where the panels form a multi sided wall (or enclosure) the panels are designed with a “built in” corner strip which consists only of the barrier portion of the composite product. This corner strip should reach around to the adjacent “wall” and secure with mating Velcro. (Note: if you have too much or too little material to cover a particular area the overlap of the Velcro strips can be adjusted, though not less than a 1” overlap between adjacent panels is recommended.)