Acoustic Imaging: Making Noise Visible
25.07.2024
Making sound visible? How does that work? With acoustic cameras, which locate sound sources and represent them as an acoustic photo. Here’s how our technology lets you see what you need to hear.
Identifying Noise Sources
In noisy environments or with complex objects, pinpointing which parts generate sound and accurately identifying a noise source can be challenging. Conventional measurements or those with individual microphones often yield unsatisfactory results.
An acoustic camera perfectly complements the human ear, determining exactly where a noise originates and how the sound propagates. Since people process information best visually, this technology provides an effective solution.
An acoustic camera is versatile, suitable for both individual and continuous measurements. It can be permanently installed or used in various locations, offering users not just accurate measurements but also a “map” of all fixed and moving objects—a Google Maps of sound.
When the Machine Sounds Strange
Sounds can be both health-damaging noise sources at the workplace and indicators of serious malfunctions in systems. Such sounds can provide clues about impending machine failures.
Users should regularly monitor these atypical sounds in machines during operation and product development.
Acoustic cameras detect all deviations from the norm and identify the cause of defects, such as breaks, leaks, or cracks. They are crucial in quality assurance, spotting problems before they become costly.
The Benefits of Acoustic Imaging
“With our acoustic imaging technology, industrial applications can be measured on a large scale” explains Thomas Rittenschober, our CEO.
Our method utilizes a rotating Sound Scanner equipped with five state-of-the-art digital microphones, scanning the sound field with a diameter of up to 1.32 meters at very high resolution.
The finer the sound field is scanned, the higher the quality of the resulting image dynamics. This acoustic imaging system allows for a finer distinction of the respective acoustic sources.
Moreover, the area of the sound field scanned by the sensor plays a crucial role: the larger the area, the better the spatial resolution and the better closely spaced sources can be assessed.
Acoustic Images in the Cloud
The sensor data is transmitted via a mobile device to a high-performance computer in the cloud, where the actual processing takes place.
This process delivers acoustic images with precise spatial resolution and dynamics, similar to those known from thermal imaging cameras. This allows the user to accurately determine the origin of the sounds.
“Our mobile measurement system delivers high-quality results and is technically reduced to essentials. Users want quick technical solutions, not overwhelming measurement results and analyses” says Thomas. The system is quick to set up and intuitive, avoiding an overload of options accessible only to acoustic experts.
Universal Application Areas
Acoustic cameras have versatile applications:
- noise analysis
- sound reduction
- fault diagnosis
- quality assurance
- condition-based and predictive maintenance
- free-field measurement of large objects
- long-term machine monitoring
- acoustic vehicle tests,
- measurements inside aircraft
- wind turbines
- sound mapping in wind tunnels
The system is also ideal for maintenance in areas like energy provider substations, where inspectors must approach life-threatening high-voltage objects from a distance. Here, unwanted noises are often hard to pinpoint.
A Sound Scanner can accurately localize emerging noises, such as rattling components, for preventive maintenance.
Measurement System for Quick Analysis
The Sound Scanner, coupled with a mobile device and cloud infrastructure, forms a compact, high-performance measurement system for analyzing acoustic challenges. Seven Bel’s developers emphasized a simplified workflow for measuring and analyzing acoustic image information.
These automatically generated data can be easily shared with employees, partners, or customers. Companies in the automotive, transport, household appliance industries, and mechanical engineering are already using this acoustic imaging technology.