Analysing noise & vibration.

AcSoft has introduced the latest NoisePAD four-channel real time Acoustics & Vibration Analyser from SINUS. The combination of robust 8” tablet and DSP-based analyser is ideal for a range of automotive, NVH, aerospace, aeroacoustic, building acoustic and environmental monitoring applications, as well as engineering services, quality assurance and research and development.

When used in conjunction with the flexible Sinus SAMURAI™ software, NoisePAD is a four-channel sound level meter with real-time, third-octave filters and FFT-analyser. The measurement system allows the recording of audio signals up to 20 kHz bandwidth.

All connectors are protected against water and dust with rubber protection cups allowing the NoisePAD to be used outdoors as well as in the office with 12 hour operation and on board 4G, GPS and WiFi.

With bright TFT display, a very low power consumption and full connectivity, the NoisePAD unites the performance of a high quality measuring device with the functionality of a modern Windows tablet PC.

The universal SAMURAI 3.0 software package offers real time noise and vibration analysis offers comprehensive evaluation functions for post-processing. The Base package includes data recorder and FFT analyser.

The acoustic bundle comprises Class 1 sound level meter allowing simultaneous measurements with the frequency weightings A, C, Z and the time weightings Fast, Slow and Impulse.

The sound level meter also supports the processing of percentiles, automatic impulse detection, impulsive and low frequency characteristics as well as markers and triggers. The acoustic bundle also includes 1/3 octave analyser and reveberation time measurement.

The vibration bundle includes additional transfer FRF, vibration meter, Zoom FFT and Order tracking. A number of software options are available for SAMURAI 3.0 including post processing, automation, building acoustics, building vibration measurement, fractional octaves, NoiseCam, tracking, room acoustic measurement and sound intensity and sound power.

Standards
The latest NoisePAD meets a range of standards: IEC 61260 (class 1 filter); DIN EN SO 8041, ISO-2631, ISO 5349, ISO 8662 UNI 2614, UNI 11048 and UNI 9916 (HVMA weighting filters); DIN ISO 7919, ISO 2954 and ISO 10816 (evaluation of mechanical vibration) and IP54 rated with Lemo NIM-CAMAC protecting caps.

 #PAuto @Acsoft_Sound  @elhcomms

Traceable calibration of noise & vibration instrumentation.

In a move to safeguard the quality of measurements and eliminate the costs associated with unreliable monitoring equipment, AcSoft is offering traceable calibration of a wide range of noise and vibration instrumentation with a five-day lead time as standard.

AcSoft’s state-of-the-art acoustic calibration laboratory is capable of calibrating a variety of noise and vibration equipment from its subsidiaries, Svantek UK and GRAS UK, as well as instruments from other manufacturers.

The laboratory calibrates sound level meters, microphones, preamplifiers, calibrators and pistonphones, accelerometers (frequency response and sensitivity), analysers and dosimeters.

The company uses the goCA calibration systems from GRAS for calibration of microphones, sound level calibrators and pistonphones.

For calibration of sound and vibration meters, AcSoft uses a bespoke calibration system from Svantek Poland. A full factory calibration is performed on Svantek products ensuring all new instruments have a fresh calibration certificate every time.

A bespoke shaker system from Data Physics is used for sensitivity calibration of accelerometers over a range of frequencies. A Dytran 3123AK reference accelerometer set is used.

AcSoft’s equipment is located in an air conditioned, purpose-built laboratory and is calibrated to nationally traceable standards. Return shipping is free of charge – within Britain – and the company can also arrange collection of kit, if required.

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25 years in sound & vibration.

AcSoft Sound & Vibration is celebrating 25 years as one of Britain's leading specialists in high performance sound and vibration instrumentation and sensors for a wide range of sectors including environmental, automotive, aerospace, transport and telecommunications.

The company was established in 1994 by Managing Director, John Shelton, working from his home. Having spent many years with a competitor business in Britain and Denmark, he recognised that software-based measurement systems were the future.

Reflecting on the company’s early years, John comments: “There was definitely a demand for new, more innovative ways of doing things such as audio recording for noise nuisance and portable real-time analysis. Most of our software was in DOS then but we were the first business to offer a Windows-based laptop system that met the sound level meter standards.

“A firm believer in the power of marketing, we were also one of the first businesses in the industry to launch a website and produced regular newsletters which were very well received at the time.”

In those days, recording signals to disk, and real-time frequency analysis required high specification hardware and digital signal processing, but modern PCs easily outpaced dedicated hardware of even a few years ago.

During the past 25 years, John and his team have built on contacts in the industry and experience of advanced applications to develop a complementary range of products and software from top quality transducers through to final analysis and reporting software.

AcSoft has now grown into a multidisciplinary company offering solutions to large multinational businesses and small consultancies alike, along with applications advice, to ensure maximum return on investment.

In 2016, AcSoft opened an air conditioned, purpose-built noise and vibration calibration laboratory at its facility in Bedford. It can calibrate a variety of acoustic and vibration equipment to nationally traceable standards, including microphones, preamplifiers, calibrators and pistonphones, accelerometers, analysers and dosimeters, whilst offering competitive rates and fast turnaround times.

AcSoft also boasts a growing rental division designed to make it easier for customers to hire instrumentation, software and sensors to meet short and long term project monitoring needs. If fact, the company recently announced that revenue from its rental business doubled during 2018, with more growth forecast for the year ahead.

John continues: “We are delighted to be celebrating 25 years in business. Along with our loyal customer base, we attribute a lot of our success to our dedicated employees. We’ve always strived to put people first, building a talented workforce and nurturing a culture of first class customer service, loyalty, best of breed products and strong values.

“Plus we have always chosen our partners carefully which has allowed us to offer a high quality, solution-based approach, ensuring long-term growth and close relationships with both suppliers and customers alike.”

AcSoft offers a large portfolio of cutting-edge products from major brands, including Sinus Messtechnik, gfai tech, Microflown, Listen Inc., SEMEX EngCon, Sensidyne, Crystal Instruments, Look Line and Sources Line.

Long-standing customer Andy Officer, Senior Engineer at Arup says: “I have known John Shelton for over 35 years, since his early days at Bruel & Kjaer. As a fledging new kid on the very competitive noise and vibration block, he quickly managed to establish AcSoft as the ‘go to’ for an alternative suite of powerful instrumentation. As a result, AcSoft is now recognised internationally as an established and well respected company with real integrity.

“The team are very professional, providing excellent customer care, support and technical advice, alongside great products, which I have purchased from Acsoft from the very outset, starting all those 25 years ago with the ground breaking Svan 912. The company’s latest venture into the sound level meter calibration field is another testament to their commitment to providing customers and others with a competitive alternative for traceable calibrations, and backed by fast and efficient turnaround times.

“In fact, we have been so impressed with this new service that AcSoft now calibrates all our noise instrumentation. I look forward to the time when they perhaps provide UKAS calibrations too.”

AcSoft Sound and Vibration now has two sister companies. Svantek UK was formed in 2011 to expand the market for high quality noise and vibration instrumentation for environmental and occupational health monitoring applications.

GRAS Sound and Vibration UK Ltd, was established in 2014. A subsidiary of Denmark-based G.R.A.S Sound and Vibration A/S, it is a leading specialist in measurement microphones and related acoustic equipment.

“As a business we are in good shape for the future and we want to thank our customers, suppliers and employees. Without them, we would never have reached this significant milestone,” John concludes.

@Acsoft_Sound #PAuto @elhcomms 

Sales executive in sound, vibration & health!

AcSoft Group, which comprises AcSoft Sound & Vibration, Svantek UK, G.R.A.S UK and AcSoft Health & Safety, has appointed Philippa Wolfarth as Internal Sales Executive where she will provide support across all three divisions of the business.

Philippa brings considerable business development expertise to her new role having worked in advertising sales for local newspapers and magazines during her early career. She was also employed as Business Development Manager at Cromwell Tools selling a large portfolio of industrial products.

Most recently, Philippa was Sales Agent at Integral Resource Group located in Melbourne, Australia. Very much a people person, Philippa spent several years in Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam where she taught English as a foreign language.

In her role at AcSoft Group, Philippa will be responsible for helping increase sales of the full portfolio of products, including G.R.A.S. microphone sets and accessories, Svantek dosimeters, GilAir sampling pumps and high level data acquisition solutions. She will also provide administrative support to the field / direct sales teams where required.

Paul Rubens, General Manager at AcSoft Group comments: “I’m delighted to welcome Philippa on board during a significant period of growth for all businesses in the Group. As well as a proven track record in tough sales environments, she brings enthusiasm and vibrancy to the team.”

@Acsoft_Sound #PAuto @elhcomms

Seminar on noise & vibration.

The AcSoft Group, comprising AcSoft, Svantek and G.R.A.S UK, is hosting a free one-day seminar covering Environmental Noise & Vibration Monitoring on 28th March 2017 at the Sharnbrook Hotel in Bedfordshire (GB).

John Shelton

Paul Rubens, General Manager at AcSoft Group comments: “We have run a number of seminars near our office in Bedfordshire and they’re always very popular. We recognise that environmental sound and vibration monitoring can be a minefield at the best of times but when you add all the variables for monitoring outside then ensuring everything is set up correctly is even more critical.

“The one-day seminar in March is designed to help that process by covering a variety of key topics including industry standards, accessing data via a web portal, transducer selection and calibration. We are confident delegates will find it extremely interesting and highly relevant to their specialist applications.”

AcSoft Group’s seminars always attract an interesting and diverse selection of speakers and delegates, offering networking opportunities, debates and insightful exploration around industry relevant topics.

Speaking at the event will be John Shelton BSc (Hons) MSc MIOA who chairs the instrumentation working group for the Institute of Acoustics (IOA), Krzysztof Koltys from Svantek in Poland and Mirjam Stevens from Munisense in the Netherlands.

 #Noise #vibration. @Acsoft_Sound @ioauk @elhcomms

Sales director for sound and vibration specialist.

The AcSoft Group (AcSoft, Svantek and G.R.A.S UK),  has promoted Emily Norman to Sales Director.

Emily Norman

Prior to taking up her new role, Emily was Sales Manager at G.R.A.S UK - having joined the AcSoft Group in 2011. She comes from a strong sales and financial background and has previously worked in customer facing roles in both the retail and technical sector.

John Shelton, Managing Director at AcSoft Group comments: “AcSoft Group is in a good place after a successful 2016 so the promotion of Emily will help strengthen the senior management team to ensure the business maintains and builds on this momentum. Emily will oversee new business development and maximise opportunities in our key target markets. She has already proved herself to be a dynamic and forward-thinking individual who has in-depth knowledge of the three companies and all products across the Group.

“As leaders in our field, we work with major universities and consultancies, as well as companies within the automotive, aerospace, telecommunications, environmental and occupational health markets. Emily will play a crucial role in further developing these relationships as we focus on continued growth.”

Emily Norman adds: “My focus as Sales Director is to continue to develop AcSoft Group’s reputation whilst delivering profitable business growth and ensuring high service levels to clients. I now have the scope to help drive the business forward and achieve these goals.”

 @acsoft_sound #PAuto @elhcomms

Specialist in sound and vibration instrumentation strengthens sales function.

AcSoft has further strengthened its sales function with the appointment of Aidan Hubbard as Sales Engineer and Rebecca Lever as Internal Sales Executive.

Aidan Hubbard

Aidan brings significant commercial experience to this position. He spent 11 years in a variety of roles with leading power tools supplier, Cooks of Bedford, including E-Commerce Manager where he was responsible for eight members of staff, and helped the department grow to become 50% of the company’s total turnover.

“AcSoft is an impressive company with market leading products and exciting prospects, and I am thrilled to have joined the team at this key point in its growth story,” comments Aidan.

Rebecca Lever

Rebecca has a strong strategic sales background having held business development roles at Liquid Learning in Auckland and Global1 Events in Australia, as well as similar positions at British-based OfficeTeam and Universally Speaking.

Rebecca says: “It’s great to have joined AcSoft at such an exciting time for the company. I am delighted at the prospect of working alongside the team in this newly created position to assist in the growth of new and existing business well into the future.”

Paul Rubens, Managing Director at AcSoft adds: “Both Aidan and Rebecca are enthusiastic individuals with strong commercial backgrounds and well-developed business development skills. We are confident this will make them a valuable asset to AcSoft as we continue to develop our sales strategies and strengthen our market position.”

 #ACSoft #PAuto #Aerospace @elhcomms 

Accurate monitoring of indoor air quality.

AcSoft Health & Safety is targeting the facilities management industry with its range of reliable and accurate Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Monitors from E Instruments.

Aimed at facilities managers and heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) professionals, these portable, handheld IAQ monitors offer real-time continuous data logging for a wide variety of buildings, namely homes, schools, offices, hospitals, laboratories and airports.

The models available in this key range are AQ Comfort, AQ PRO and AQ VOC. All boast a lightweight, durable design and provide real-time data logging for graphs, data analysis and easy reporting. They also incorporate Bluetooth for wireless communication with a PC and printer.

Depending on the model, the portable, handheld IAQ monitors measure CO2, CO, VOC, NO2, O3, humidity, temperature, air velocity, air flow, and barometric pressure. The AQ VOC instrument provides dynamic photoionisation detection (PID) volatile organic compound (VOC) sensor technology which is capable of detecting 0-20,000 parts per billion (PPB) and 0-200 parts per million (PPM).

Standard features of the range include active internal sampling pump, easy-to-use menu system, Li-ion rechargeable battery and large internal memory, whilst optional extras comprise wireless printer, handheld probe and protective rubber boot.

Paul Rubens, General Manager at AcSoft Health & Safety, comments: “Indoor air quality has a major influence on the health, comfort and well-being of building occupants.

“As a result, Sick Building Syndrome is becoming an increasing concern for employers and building owners and managers, as well as builders, architects and engineers. As specialists in occupational health monitoring systems, it was appropriate that we added IAQ monitors to our portfolio."

He concludes: “The E Instruments’ solutions have been specially developed to perform precise IAQ parameter testing for a range of toxic pollutants such as gases, VOCs, bacteria and moulds, in a bid to help avoid or identify a potentially serious health & safety issue.”

#AcSoft #PAuto @E_Instruments

Sound new premises!

The sound and vibration instrumentation and software specialist, AcSoft Group, which comprises AcSoft, Svantek and GRAS, has relocated to a new purpose-built office in Bedford (GB) to accommodate recent significant growth of the business.

As well as more space and meeting facilities, AcSoft Group’s new office will comprise a noise and calibration laboratory.

John Shelton, Managing Director, AcSoft Group commented: “Our growth over the past few years has been so exciting and more space is critical to continue to support future expansion. The new office will better reflect the brand identity and core values of the business whilst maintaining the entrepreneurial spirit it was founded on.

“Our aim is to ensure that AcSoft Group is a pleasurable and motivational place to work and the office move reflects that effort. The location is also set to enable a more efficient and effective interaction with our national sales force.”

Appointment aids noise & vibration instrumentation specialist’s ambitious growth strategy.

Further underlining its commitment to an ambitious growth strategy AcSoft Group, which comprises noise and vibration instrumentation and software specialists, Svantek, GRAS Sound & Vibration UK Ltd and AcSoft Ltd, has announced the promotion of its former Sales & Marketing Manager, Paul Rubens, to the newly created position of General Manager.

Paul Rubens

In his new position, Paul will continue to oversee the sales & marketing function, whilst taking a more hands-on role in the day-to-day management of AcSoft Group. His primary task will be to further strengthen the company’s presence and growth prospects in British occupational health, environmental, aerospace and automotive industries in particular.

Having worked in the noise and vibration industry for many years, Paul has built extensive management experience and in depth knowledge of the health, safety and environmental technology markets across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Prior to joining AcSoft Group, he spent ten years as Managing Director of a global monitoring instrumentation company. Paul also brings extensive experience of helping businesses target new markets and has a proven track record in setting up subsidiaries.

John Shelton, Managing Director of AcSoft Group comments: “The new General Manager role will be key to the continued success of the Group and I have every confidence Paul is the right person for the job. His background in business strategy development and implementation together with plenty of drive and enthusiasm will unquestionably work to enhance our offering to customers with a focus on delivering on our promises of innovation and service.”

Talking about his new role, Paul says: “I’m delighted to accept this new role – the scope and potential for each of the businesses within the AcSoft Group presents an exciting challenge. As well as being much more visible across the Group on a day to day basis, I will be focused on reviewing our management and operating processes to ensure they are geared for further growth. We are backed by a great team and it will remain essential that we have the right people in the right positions and with the right attitude.”

Sales manager for sound and vibration specialists!

AcSoft has announced the appointment of Justin Barker as its new Sales Manager.

Justin Barker

In this pivotal role, Justin will be responsible for developing and implementing a sales strategy in line with AcSoft’s ambitious long-term growth plan.

Justin brings a strong 15-year sales track record and wide acoustics industry experience to AcSoft. Prior to joining the company, he was Sales / Business Development Manager at Cirrus. Earlier roles include Acoustics Consultant at Eckel Group and UK Sales Manager at Campbell Associates.

John Shelton, AcSoft’s Managing Director comments: “Justin is a highly motivated and experienced sales manager with an excellent strategic understanding of the acoustics industry and occupational and environmental noise monitoring in particular. This is a key appointment for us at an important time as we are seeing a surge in demand right across our wide product portfolio.

“We are confident his practical approach and technical understanding will give customers even more confidence in AcSoft’s ever-growing portfolio of products. In fact, his enthusiasm, knowledge, expertise and can-do attitude are already proving a massive asset to the business.”

Sound design, analysis, quality and synthesis!

AcSoft has been appointed exclusive distributers in Britain for LEA software from Genesis S.A. at the Instrumentation, Analysis and Testing Show at Silverstone.

LtoR: John Shelton, MD of AcSoft
with Patrick Boussard, CEO of GENESIS S.A.

LEA software offers sound design, analysis, quality and synthesis across a wide range of industries, including automotive, aerospace, defence, rail and audio and telecommunications. It is able to link sound to driving and flight simulators and virtual reality platforms and enables sound definition, brand sound creation, subjective and objective testing, component separation, troubleshooting and sound dataset preparation.

John Shelton, Managing Director at AcSoft comments: “We are pleased to be able to offer LEA software which provides significant flexibility and performance benefits for aerospace, automotive and defence in particular. We are confident that it will help existing and potential customers in these and other industrial sectors achieve the high levels of sound quality required to ensure comfort, safety and efficiency plus reduce the impact of noise on communities.”

Patrick Boussard, CEO of Genesis adds: “We are happy to be working with AcSoft, who we consider to be the best possible partner for us in the UK. This new and exciting partnership will help further build on our success in the French and Japanese automotive, aerospace, rail and defence markets.”

The acoustic signal from a car’s electric starter allows for an in-depth analysis of the engine starting sequence. With just a few clicks, LEA separates the components of the sound, plays them and extracts the harmonics.