Marine Sound Damping

Marine sound damping and vibration reduction are essential for comfort on virtually any type of marine vessel. Not only does acoustic treatment improve passenger and crew comfort, but it also enhances safety by improving communication in marine environments.

Technicon Acoustics leads the industry in acoustic and vibration damping materials. We bring over 40 years of experience to a variety of sound absorption challenges, including open-water environments.

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Marine Sound Damping

Understanding Marine Sound Damping

Acoustic comfort is key to the comfort, health, and safety of all passengers and crew members. These are the main sources of noise and vibrations on a marine vessel, and they require specialized acoustic treatments:

  • Engine rooms: Engine rooms are the main source of power but also noise. The sounds and vibrations produced by various engines, motors, generators, compressors, and pumps are amplified by resonant structures and metallic surfaces, traveling throughout the boat and causing significant discomfort.
  • The hull: The hull is the main barrier between the water and the vessel, but noise and vibration from propellers, engines, and hydrodynamic forces can easily be transmitted through the hull. This phenomenon can increase noise levels and passenger discomfort throughout the vessel.
  • Floors: A vessel’s floors often go overlooked in marine sound damping. However, they permeate nearly the entire vessel and can easily amplify sounds and vibrations from foot traffic or machinery operation.
  • Generators: While generators are essential to powering various electrical systems on ships, they’re also particularly noisy and often located near working areas or living quarters.

Technicon Acoustics Marine Sound Damping Solutions

Technicon Acoustics provides unique marine sound damping solutions to address each of these sources of noise and vibration:

  • Engine Room Treatments: The cacophony of engine room noise is usually the most important issue to address. Technicon’s specially engineered acoustic absorbers mitigate noise and vibration transmission at the source. In addition to enhancing comfort, engine room sound absorbers can improve communication and reduce distractions, thus increasing safety.
  • Hull Structure Treatments: Our precision-engineered vibration damping materials provide an effective means of reducing sound transmission through the hull.
  • Floor Underlayment Barriers: Technicon’s underlayment’s, made of closed-cell foam with vinyl acoustic barriers, reduce sound propagation from the engine and generator rooms to the cabin.
  • Generator Set Treatments: Without interfering with or reducing generator efficiency, our custom-tailored generator treatments reduce noise and vibrations right at the source.

Applications and Industries Served

Technicon Acoustics designs and manufactures our sound absorption products for a variety of marine environments, including luxury yachts, ocean liners, commercial craft, and other shipbuilding applications.

We work closely with builders of production pleasure boats, custom yachts, and military craft to maximize comfort for personnel and passengers. Our noise absorbing and damping solutions have been designed and manufactured to stand up to the most rugged open water environments.

Marine

Engine Room Treatments

Engine Room Treatments

In many cases, the engine room is the original source for most of the noise problems generated in the marine environment. Therefore, there are a myriad of treatment methods employed to minimize the negative impact that this unwanted sound and vibration can have on your customers comfort. Technicon can assist you at this design phase in order to ensure that appropriate acoustical design elements are considered prior to any construction. This is often the most economical way to avoid have a noise problem.

Generator Set Treatments

Generator Set Treatments

Generator sets have many of the same sound features as the main engine and should be analyzed for treatment in much the same way. Even if the generator set is already located within treated engine rooms, it may be necessary to further treat the genset. Placing the genset in its own enclosure, isolated from the hull structure, and lined with the appropriate acoustical absorber or absorber/barrier composite is recommended.

Hull Structure Treatments

Hull Structure Treatments

In many cases, despite exceptional work done to minimize engine room noise impact on the hull structure, the hull itself, by the virtue of its contact with the external environment, can be a major source of noise problems. Secondary engine or shaft vibration, propeller caviation or even fluid dynamics can set up resonate modes in the hull that cause the entire boat to act as a giant surrounding sounding board or drum. The proper vibration damping materials applied strategically to the hull or deck can effectively dampen the resonate frequencies of the hull and minimize the noise problem and significantly improve passenger comfort.

Floor Underlayment Barriers

Floor Underlayment Barriers
Floor Underlayment Barriers

Noise transmitting from engine or generator rooms can be a significant noise source on boats. The addition of floor underlayment, made of closed-cell foam with a vinyl acoustic barrier, is a simple but effective solution to managing sound levels inside the cabin. Floor underlayment is designed to reduce the amount of sound transmitted through materials, which dampens noise and/or blocks it from entering the cabin. Our acoustic floor underlayment’s are available in a variety of sizes and can be custom-cut to fit the floor.

Floor Underlayment Barriers Floor Underlayment Barriers Noise transmitting from engine or generator rooms can be a significant noise source on boats. The addition of floor underlayment, made of closed-cell foam with a vinyl acoustic barrier, is a simple but effective solution to managing sound levels inside the cabin. Floor underlayment is designed to reduce the amount of sound transmitted through materials, which dampens noise and/or blocks it from entering the cabin. Our acoustic floor underlayments are available in a variety of sizes and can be custom-cut to fit the floor. Generator Set Treatments Generator Set Treatments Generator sets have many of the same sound features as the main engine and should be analyzed for treatment in much the same way. Even if the generator set is already located within treated engine rooms, it may be necessary to further treat the genset. Placing the genset in its own enclosure, isolated from the hull structure, and lined with the appropriate acoustical absorber or absorber/barrier composite is recommended. Engine Room Treatments Engine Room Treatments In many cases, the engine room is the original source for most of the noise problems generated in the marine environment. Therefore, there are a myriad of treatment methods employed to minimize the negative impact that this unwanted sound and vibration can have on your customers comfort. Technicon can assist you at this design phase in order to ensure that appropriate acoustical design elements are considered prior to any construction. This is often the most economical way to avoid have a noise problem. Hull Structure Treatments Hull Structure Treatments In many cases, despite exceptional work done to minimize engine room noise impact on the hull structure, the hull itself, by the virtue of its contact with the external environment, can be a major source of noise problems. Secondary engine or shaft vibration, propeller caviation or even fluid dynamics can set up resonate modes in the hull that cause the entire boat to act as a giant surrounding sounding board or drum. The proper vibration damping materials applied strategically to the hull or deck can effectively dampen the resonate frequencies of the hull and minimize the noise problem and significantly improve passenger comfort.

Marine Sound Damping With Technicon Acoustics

With impeccable quality controls and short lead times, Technicon Acoustics uses the latest design and fabrication technologies to develop superior sound absorption materials. Our additional expertise in heat shielding further enables us to produce effective sound absorbers, acoustic barriers, and vibration dampers for safe use near high-voltage equipment.

Marine sound damping creates a much more comfortable experience for vessel passengers and personnel. It also improves safety by making communication easier in working marine environments. To learn more about Technicon Acoustics’ specialty sound and vibration damping solutions, contact us or request a quote today.

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