3M Thinsulate™ Acoustic Insulation offers high-performance acoustic solutions that help reduce noise. And because noise reduction varies by application‚ 3M has a wide range of Thinsulate™ Acoustic Insulation. Quiet‚ versatile‚ lightweight‚ hydrophobic and cost-effective.
To most people, quiet brings to mind peace and restfulness. Quiet also equates to sturdiness, luxury and quality in a machine or environment. This isn’t just an opinion. Research has substantiated this finding from survey’s conducted by IPSOS, J.D. Power & Assoc. 2009 I.Q. Study and Owens Corning. ‘Exposure to noise and vibration can produce certain amounts of fatigue and irritation’1. A growing number of consumers have stated that they would spend more on products that were quieter, from appliances to automobiles.Consumers are more value driven today. They are looking for longevity in the appliances they purchase. Going ‘old school’ with expectations has made Appliance manufacturers consider improvements in overall quality with their electronics, motor efficiency and durability. Life expectancies for major units are being extended. Advances in technology have resulted in quieter washers, dryers and dishwashers to name a few. This is a direct result of inclusion of nonwoven materials within the design of the unit. Nonwovens such as Thinsulate, are composed of an interlacing network of polypropylene and polyester fibers, generally in ratios 2:12. The resulting substrate is of increased density (without increasing volume), flexible, has greater tensile and shear strength, improves the suppression of vibration and is Hydrophobic (resists the absorption of water).
Automotive manufacturers are continuously creating lighter and stronger vehicles. Fuel efficiency not with standing, the cost to manufacture a car or truck has design engineers world wide searching for materials that are strong, economical and light. Current vehicles are being designed with roomier compartments but aren’t necessarily getting a larger wheel base. This results in a unit that does not have the cavity depth that earlier versions had, which would have meant less insulation. This is not the case with the properties of the insulating materials used in current automotive construction. Nonwovens,
by definition, ‘...strong fibers, bonded together, which are neither woven nor knitted’3 offer higher sound absorption, are lighter in weight and flexible. Several materials are manufactured with Tier One suppliers in mind; Libeltex, Zetajet, Thermolite and Thinsulate have been used increasingly as acoustic insulation in vehicle body cavities, head and hood liners, dashboards, firewalls, underbody shields, wheel wells and support pillars.
Most of the material is transported to a converter as a jumbo roll (widths from 36” to 80”). It is slit to manageable widths for Die cutting of parts. The advantage that Strouse has pioneered is the result of engineering a complex, compound die blade, which creates a part with a permanently sealed edge that is done in-line using a rotary die. The die cutting of nonwovens isn’t new technology, shoemakers and haberdashers were doing this in the 19th century. In order to seal the edges of the fibrous material it needed to be compressed. Flat bed die cutting processes accomplish this hydraulically. Rotary Die cutting
is faster, precise and more cost effective. Should the client’s part require an adhesive, it, and the parent liner can be webbed into the material sequence. The liner will be back-scored for easy removal. The instant that the part is cut, the edge is compressed and sealed via heat, securing the edge and controlling fiber migration and fray. Edge sealing gives a more finished appearance, allows improved shape retention of parts and trim rigidity. This task is completed inline, on a web up to 30” wide, to shaped parts up to 60” in length. The speedy throughput of the process versus a flatbed, results in savings of production cost, and quicker turn around to the end user. Given the lower material cost (MSI) of nonwovens, the manufacturer’s bottom line is much more profitable.
Markets using acoustic insulation include, Automotive, Appliances, Medical, Construction, Defense, Transportation ( Aerospace, Rail & Marine), Audio/Sound and Home/Office Environments. The material can be attached with Adhesive, Hook & Loop, Velcro, Sockets, Brackets or Heat spot welds.
1- Quieting- R.Berendt, E.L.R.Corliss, M. Ojalvo
2- 3M Thinsulate Acoustic Insulation TA1-2099
3- Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry
