What is a sound enclosure?
A disintegrator, also known as an industrial shredder, is a high volume shredding device. These machines can shred high volumes of material like paper, optical media, data tapes, small e-media and more at speeds of up to 2,000 pounds per hour. However, the sheer power and speed of these industrial systems mean that some will require high performance fan cyclones waste evacuation systems. While these central destruction systems are designed for warehouse like environments, they can produce a great deal of noise and dust depending upon the volume and material being shredded.
A primary method to reduce the noise and dust is to house the system in an enclosure that provides easy access to feed to system and removal of the waste that is collected in waste collection bags. As the inventors of disintegrators in the late 1960’s, SEM continued to be pioneers around the product and developed a highly efficient sound enclosure for these very purposes.
Not all sound enclosures are equal.
The SEM sound enclosures are built for maximum sound reduction and dust containment. They are constructed with high quality steel using highly effective mineral wool insulation located between the steel walls. They include double insulated doors to gain access to system for waste removal and system maintenance. Glass surveillance windows to view the waste collection and solid steel insulated feed opening doors are also included within the double door configuration. These high quality air tight enclosures are modular in design for easy set-up and relocation if needed. They are fire retardant, weather resistant, easily adjusted to align to uneven floors and most importantly, reduce sound by up to 22 decibels at a confirmed STC-40 rating. They are both dust resistant and easy to clean.
SEM sound enclosures are customized to match the system being used. They also include powder coated walls, acoustically sealed doors and seams and a free standing roof allowing for easy removal of walls for system access if needed. This keeps the roof panel intact where ventilation filters and electrical wiring is housed.
Other market systems can be made from carpeted plywood and foam which are dust collectors and possible fire hazards. They are conducive to fire, rot, mildew, mold and possible collapse, and many time more resemble a wooden shed than something designed specifically to work with the disintegrator. They are not airtight or include any leveling agents for uneven floors. They do not include surveillance windows leaving the operator uncertain when waste collection bags are full. They are far less safe and because they are not modular, they are difficult, if not impossible, to relocate.
Summary
Sound enclosures are an important added value optional feature to a large disintegrator system. Their purpose is to reduce sound, contain dust and provide the operator with easy access to the system for waste removal and system maintenance. Not all enclosures are the same. SEM offers a solution that is highly effective, equally efficient, and most importantly, customized to maximize its capability. Learn more about our enclosures and reach out today to the team to have a conversation about if a sound enclosure solution makes sense for you.