How to design the ideal acoustic welding bay

The importance of incorporating welding curtains and acoustic solutions

Safety is always a primary concern when designing a safe and efficient acoustic welding bay. And as industrial environments become ever-more conscious of worker wellbeing and noise control, incorporating soundproofing measures has become just as imperative.

Acoustic welding bays – that combine protection from welding hazards with noise reduction – are becoming a common requirement in the manufacturing, construction, and education industries. One key element of an acoustic welding bay is the welding curtain.

Here’s why welding curtains have become an essential part of designing efficient, safe acoustic welding bays.

Why are welding curtains essential for acoustic bays?

Designed to shield against welding dangers, welding curtains are necessary to ensure the safety of both workers and bystanders during welding operations.

If not properly controlled, the intense brightness from welding arcs can result in flash burns or even permanent blindness. Welding curtains also filter out harmful intense ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation, which can cause severe eye damage – while still allowing some visibility through the curtain. This ensures both protection and functionality.

What’s more, welding curtains guard against sparks and welding spatter, which can pose fire hazards and cause injuries. These curtains are specifically designed to prevent welding spatter from escaping the work area, containing potential accidents in a confined space.

Australian Standards for welding curtains

In Australia, certified welding curtains are governed by strict safety standards. Welding curtains must comply with AS/NZS 3957:2014 – Light Transmitting Screens and Curtains for Welding Operations. This standard ensures that the curtains protect against harmful UV and IR radiation while safeguarding against flying sparks and spatter. To ensure compliance with local safety regulations, only welding curtains that meet these standards should be used in professional environments.

Combining welding curtains with acoustic solutions

While welding curtains primarily focus on safety, they also manage noise within the welding bay. Yet to create an effective acoustic welding bay, you’ll need more than just curtains.

Welding and grinding operations produce high noise levels, often exceeding safe exposure limits for workers in nearby areas. Prolonged exposure to this noise can result in hearing damage and decreased productivity due to fatigue. That’s why soundproofing measures are necessary to reduce noise pollution and create a safer and more comfortable work environment.

To achieve this, welding curtains must be combined with specialised acoustic materials that absorb and block sound effectively.

How to design an acoustic welding bay that optimises both safety and noise control

When designing the ideal acoustic welding bay for your site, consider incorporating:

1) Welding curtains are essential for protecting against radiation, sparks, and spatter. They also help contain noise, creating a boundary between the noisy welding zone and quieter surroundings.

2) Acoustic panels are important components in soundproofing a welding bay. Flexshield’s Sonic System acoustic panels are designed to absorb and block sound, significantly reducing noise levels both inside and outside the welding bay. Highly effective in controlling the harsh sounds generated by welding and grinding operations, these panels help to maintain safe noise levels in industrial environments.

3) Acoustic doors and full enclosures can be installed around the welding area to enhance noise reduction. These doors are designed to provide a complete acoustic seal, preventing noise from escaping and minimising sound transmission to surrounding areas.

By combining welding curtains with acoustic panels and enclosures, you can create a state-of-the-art acoustic welding bay. This will protect workers from welding hazards and control noise pollution, improving the overall work environment.

The growing need for acoustic welding bays

Noise control is becoming increasingly important in industries ranging from manufacturing plants to educational institutions. With stricter regulations on workplace noise exposure, the need for soundproofing in welding bays has grown. Acoustic welding bays are now being implemented to not only meet these regulatory requirements, but also improve workers’ wellbeing and productivity.

Acoustic welding bays are also imperative in noise-sensitive environments. For example, in educational institutions welding bays are often situated near classrooms or office spaces, which makes noise control a high priority. Similarly, manufacturing plants prioritising worker safety and comfort benefit greatly from installing acoustic welding bays.

Get expert advice on creating your ideal acoustic welding bay

Welding curtains play a vital role in creating safe and effective welding environments, and when combined with acoustic solutions, they offer a powerful way to manage both safety and noise control. By adhering to Australian safety standards like AS/NZS 3957:2014, industries can protect workers from radiation and sparks. At the same time, acoustic panels and enclosures provide the necessary soundproofing to create a superior acoustic welding bay.

Need to create an acoustic welding bay? Contact Flexshield to optimise your welding environment by combining certified welding curtains with our state-of-the-art acoustic solutions. For more information, contact Flexshield on 1300 799 969.