Posted on: March 30th, 2017 by Alex Wills

Medical Device Manufacturing Consultations

Medical devices can take many shapes and perform a range of critical life-saving or life-sustaining functions. Often these devices include mechanical components, such as pumps and fans, that produce noise that can be bothersome, interfere with treatment, or create a less than recuperative atmosphere. In many instances, a number of devices will be required for one patient or in a small area, resulting in higher overall noise levels than those created by a single machine. 

Soundown’s technical team has experience in developing effective, functional solutions for devices of all types. Depending on the type of equipment and noise problem, the solution may be as simple as choosing an appropriate insulation material to block sound escaping the enclosure.

For equipment where a number of noise sources or paths come into play, we may perform a more complex analysis that starts with the airborne and structureborne spectrum to determine which components of the device are creating the noise (i.e., the source) and how that noise is travelling from the device to people nearby (i.e., the paths).

With a completed analysis, Soundown’s technical team can review treatment options. While acoustic performance is our highest priority, there are a number of factors to consider, including suitability to the application, size, cost, ease of installation, and compliance issues, such as RoHS.

Audio factors can have an impact on ultimate customer satisfaction for a wide variety of products, and considering them in your design and manufacture can help your product end up with an important advantage your competitors might not have considered.