Listen Up: Before & After Acoustic Sound Panels + EnduraFab

In October, we announced the new acoustic rating for EnduraFab textiles for sound absorption and noise reduction when used with an acoustic board or foam. So Ryan Moore, Vice President of DFMGraphics in Newnan, Ga., decided to put EnduraFab™ Frontlit Premier to the test.

DFMGraphics uses an HP Latex 335 for printing EnduraFab panels.

Moore’s operation includes office space, printing facilities and a recording studio. “Everything in here is a hard edge, and sound is bouncing back and forth,” he says. “When you’re on the phone, you can hear people talking in the background.” Worse, when recording music, sounds would reverberate, echo and distort the clean sound he was looking for.

“I looked into buying panels, but the cost was too much, and I knew there’s got to be something I could print on,” he says. His LexJet representative mentioned EnduraFab, which, when mounted on an acoustic board, would trap the extraneous sounds in the panel. He paired EnduraFab™ Frontlit Premier with Rockboards from Rockwool. In his 855 square-foot room, he constructed three acoustic panels using 3/4-inch flooring plywood, 4 pieces of RockBoard 4’x2’x2” glued to the wood, then wrapped the whole thing with printed EnduraFab.

Moore installed three of the panels in the room, and immediately noticed a significant noise reduction, both when someone was speaking or when playing an instrument. “You can really hear it,” he says. “You can immediately hear my voice without any echo.”

He used fun music-related graphics for the panels, including a photo from a Nirvana concert, installed over his HP Latex 335 printer; an abstract grouping of speakers with the musical instruments and a collection of retro mix tapes in a utility area.

“The EnduraFab prints great — the color is perfect,” he says, noting some trial-and-error with profile settings. After installing the panels, he quickly received a new order from a customer for printed acoustic panels to be used in a small room to record YouTube videos.

For an ultimate test, he recorded himself speaking and playing a snare drum to illustrate the reverb and echo reduction. Take a listen below:

BEFORE Acoustic panels were installed:

 

AFTER Acoustic panels were installed:

 

If you have questions about using EnduraFab for acoustic panels, give a LexJet print specialist a call at 800-453-9538.

VIDEO HOW-TO: No-Sew, Silicone-Free Frame for Fabric Graphics

Silicone-edge frames have grown in popularity in recent years as the ideal option for framing lightweight printed fabric used for signage or room decoration. Yet, using silicone requires sewing, and not every print shop has access to a machine … or a seamstress.

Which is why we’re excited to offer a sew-free, silicone-free option for easy print installation that anyone can do. It not only helps print shops, but makes it easier for your customers, too, who need to ask employees to switch out seasonal graphics, such as in a retail environment.

In the how-to video above, we used EnduraFab™ Frontlit Premier to print our graphic with a one-inch bleed. This latex-compatible fabric is a perfect choice, thanks to its thickness and tooth, which work well with the patented grip strips in SignComp’s Front Load Soft Signage Frame. The EnduraFab™ textile has also recently been acoustically rated for sound absorption to help reduce room noise.

To see how quickly and easily these two products work together, watch the video above. You’ll also need a squeegee, like this option from Avery, available at LexJet.

 

EnduraFab™ Textiles Now Acoustic Rated for Sound Absorption

For customers who want to reduce room noise, you can now offer latex-compatible EnduraFab™ Textiles for printing customizable sound-absorbing panels. All EnduraFab™ Textiles have received acoustic ratings for sound absorption and noise reduction when mounted to acoustic foam or board.

Choose any fine art, photography or graphics to create great-looking, customized sound-absorbing panels for use in theater rooms, recording studios, offices, restaurants, schools or anywhere you want to cut down the noise or improve a room’s acoustics. EnduraFab™ Textiles are finished with a proprietary chemical designed for exception image output on HP Latex printers. Colors are vibrant and the fabrics have a nice hand-feel that is easy to finish.

When the printed textile is mounted to acoustic foam or board, it acts like a sponge that absorbs all the sound and echo in the room. You can find a variety of acoustic foams and boards at providers like Acoustimac.com. When paired together with EnduraFab™, the design potential is limitless. You can even mount the boards to the ceilings to help cut down on echo and reverb in the space.

All EnduraFab™ Textiles have been acoustically rated. Check out the full portfolio: