MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO NOISE CONTROL IN PRODUCTION PLANTS

JOCHEN SCHAAL, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF SOUNDPLAN GMBH AND MICHEL ROSMOLEN, DIRECTOR OF SOUNDPLAN ASIA, OUTLINE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE SECTOR TO SOUNDLY IMPROVE OUR ENVIRONMENT

MANUFACTURING IS ONE OF THE HIGH growth sectors in India. The India Brand Equity Foundation (IBEF) reports that the country’s ranking, in terms of the most sought after manufacturing destination in the world, has climbed to the third spot, up from its fourth position the previous year. With the help of the ‘Make in India’ initiative, devised to transform the nation into a global design and production hub, it is on a path to becoming a focal point for hi-tech companies too.

The economic benefits are clear, however, the machinery and processes used in India’s diverse manufacturing sectors, including automotive, metals, and chemicals can generate huge amounts of clamour.

The noise emissions come from a wide variety of sources and have a range of impacts. Take, for example, a chemical production plant. The commotion generated from compressors and vacuum pumps can be deafening and disorientating. However, these emissions cannot be categorised easily, as every situation is different and their sources can vary widely in sound power, emitted frequency spectra, directivity and in their timings. This makes evaluation and mitigation much more difficult compared to other types of noise, such as traffic.

MAPPING NOISE LEVELS