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 

Noise monitoring terminal.

Svantek has launched the SV 307 integrated Noise Monitoring Terminal (NMT) designed for permanent noise monitoring applications. The small, lightweight system features a new Class 1 MEMs microphone for major cost benefits and sleeve type case for easy mounting.

Protected by an IP66-rated waterproof, removable casing, the SV 307 integrates a Class 1 (IEC 61672) sound level meter with 3G modem for fast data transfer over the internet to PC with standard connectivity. Offering optional airport and community characteristics, a Class 1 MEMs microphone with lifetime warranty enables wide frequency range up to 20 KHz with the measurement data stored on a microSD card.

The energy efficient NMT incorporates an innovative patented system check with an inbuilt reference sound source producing level of 100dB at 1 KHz. As an option, the SV 307 can perform real-time frequency analysis in 1/1 and 1/3 octave bands and save results with the time history data. In addition, it can record the audio signal as standard WAVE files for noise source recognition.

A large colour OLED display and 10 push buttons enable easy configuration of the NMT in the field removing the need for an external handset or reconnection to a PC. The large windscreen is highly efficient in reduction of a wind noise effects even at high wind speeds. Metal spikes protect the NMT from birds.

The SV 307’s waterproof casing can be easily mounted to a post and removed for quick access to the user interface. It also offers protection against extreme weather conditions whilst fulfilling Class 1 accuracy.

The SV 307 has an internal Li-Ion battery and interface for connecting solar panels. A waterproof mains adapter for charging the battery and powering the station is also included for continuous operation in the field.

Svantek’s SvanNET cloud service monitors the wireless communication, powering and access to the SV 307 data. The scope of the basic SvanNET can be extended with multipoint project management that offers data storage in the cloud, data sharing, advanced alarming and reporting features. SvanNET is an on-line solution which means it doesn’t require software installation and is accessible through a web browser. The responsive design enables use of SvanNET on various devices such as smartphones or tablets.

The SV 307 is available with a number of optional functions including an accurate GPS hardware module providing information on the localisation as well as measurement time synchronisation.

The SvanPC++ Environmental Measurements feature is designed for post processing of data recorded by the NMT. It offers a powerful calculator and an automated noise event finder for noise source identification.

The option for 1/3 octave real-time analysis allows measurement of the noise frequency contents and is used for verification of noise sources in the environment. Plus time domain signal recording to WAVE format works during measurement and is logged in parallel to a time history. Once downloaded to PC it can be played back.

The SV 307 is supplied with a factory calibration certificate and 36-month warranty card.

@Svantek_UK  #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

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 

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.”

Sound measurement pioneer celebrates!

Gunnar Rasmussen founder of G.R.A.S. Sound & Vibration, celebrates his 90th birthday on 23 November 2015.

Gunner Rasmussen

As an engineering student Gunnar Rasmussen already showed great promise, and shortly after his graduation he was hired by the Danish audio pioneers Brüel & Kjær. In the 1950s the company sent Gunnar Rasmussen to the United States to promote its products and manage the after-sales service. The inquisitive microphone specialist also took the opportunity to get acquainted with America’s futuristic technologies and to forge ties with a wide range of industries.

World class accuracy and durability
The fast growing American automotive, aerospace and consumer industries in the 1950s had a continuous demand for more and better acoustic measurement microphones. Through his intense involvement in all kinds of acoustical measurement projects, Gunnar realised that the microphones available at that time needed some serious improvements. After returning to Denmark, he set out to develop a new generation of microphones using the most advanced materials and assembly techniques. The outcome was a new, revolutionary and simple design, which for the past 60 years has been preferred for all types of professional acoustic measurements and has been internationally standardized.

G.R.A.S. Sound & Vibration
At the age of 67 where most people are heading for retirement, Gunnar Rasmussen left founded G.R.A.S. Sound & Vibration in 1994. Starting out as a small family business, run by Gunnar Rasmussen and his wife Hanna Hertz, the new company quickly grew into a respected and leading manufacturer of measurement microphones, turning many of its founder’s so-far unexploited ideas and inventions into commercial successes. Today, the company offers more than 100 different microphones types, employs 90 people, and has offices or affiliates in approximately 40 countries worldwide.

Gunnar Rasmussen’s and Hanna Hertz’ sons, Per Rasmussen and Peter Wulf-Andersen now play key R&D roles at G.R.A.S. Sound & Vibration, while Lars Kjærgaard, who joined the company in 2011, has been serving as CEO since 2014. As Chairman, Gunnar Rasmussen continues to inspire with his extraordinary vision and guiding principles for the company.

Honors and accolades
He was appointed as chair of the ISO committee, made a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America and he received the Danish Design Awards for his design of measurement microphones and sound level meters. The famous conductor Leonard Bernstein turned to Gunnar Rasmussen for help producing a better recording microphone for classical music. Gunnar Rasmussen earned a CETIM award and the IEC Award. In 2008 he was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievements in Acoustics award by the European Acoustics Association. However, Gunnar Rasmussen does not dwell much on accolades. On the contrary, he seems to be looking ahead to solve the next problem.

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.

Miniature outdoor logging of environmental sound system!

The MOLES (Miniature Outdoor Logging of Environmental Sound) system has been launched by Svantek. Low cost yet powerful, this new outdoor noise monitoring solution can operate for up to an impressive four weeks on a single charge.

Using their market leading Class 1 SVAN 971 sound level meter and featuring a weatherproof, robust and compact design with IP65 protection level, the MOLES is a fully autonomous environmental noise monitoring solution that can be easily deployed in the field.

Lightweight and long-lasting, the MOLES’ internal batteries can be swapped without interrupting measurement. External batteries can be added to extend life to eight weeks or more.
Svantek’s new MOLES system is available with options for 1/1 and 1/3 octave real-time analysis and triggered audio recording. It also offers two in 10 audio recording making it ideal for measuring levels of noise from wind turbines.

John Shelton, Managing Director at Svantek comments: “The MOLES is based on our diminutive and well proven SVAN 971 instrument. It is an integrated kit with long-term rechargeable battery and outdoor protection for both meter and microphone. Extremely cost effective, it is perfect for independent environmental noise assessors or larger consultancies, and reinforces Svantek’s aim of developing high performance solutions that offer real value for money.”

Svantek’s MOLES is available with free SvanPC++ software with the option of environmental calculations / tonal assessment. MOLES provides 4GB storage capacity and data can be stored on an easily downloadable micro SD card.

The SVAN 971 sound level meter is ideal for general acoustic, occupational health and safety and environmental noise measurements. It is easy to use with predefined setups and operated using a simple Stop / Start mode.  It also incorporates an OLED colour display with excellent brightness and contrast.

Seminar on measurements on electroacoustics!

Reinforcing its position at the forefront of high performance measurement microphones and related acoustic equipment, GRAS Sound and Vibration UK Ltd  recently held a free one-day seminar on ‘Measurements in Electroacoustics’, with keynote speakers from USA-based Listen Inc.

John Shelton

The seminar looked at some of the key measurement issues in electroacoustics including loudspeakers, microphones (condenser and MEMS), hearing aids, MP3 players, headphones, headsets, Bluetooth and telephones.

Listen Inc is a world leader in audio test and measurement systems. The company’s flagship product, SoundCheck®, is a software and sound card based electroacoustic test and measurement package, running under Windows or MacOS, that can be customised with a selection of software options and audio input devices (dual or multichannel) to build a system to customers’ exact specifications and budget.

Speakers included Steve Temme, founder and President of Listen Inc and John Shelton, Technical Director at GRAS UK.

The highly successful event, which was held at the Regus facility at Atterbury Lakes in Milton Keynes, was attended by participants from a wide range of businesses including BAE Systems, Hosiden Besson, Cirrus Logic and Hoare Lea.

Roy Drake, Senior Flight Test Instrumentation Engineer at BAE Systems said: “The presenters at the seminar were genuinely at the forefront of their respective fields. I was also impressed with the specifications of the range of products on offer and the flexibility of the software.”

David Morris, Trainee Production Engineer, Hosiden Besson added: “As someone relatively new to acoustics I found the seminar easy to understand, broad and fascinatingly in depth. A rare trick to pull off but the team managed it with ease, or at least that's how they made it look. Glad I was invited.”

Android app for sound level meters!

Svantek has announced the launch of SvanMobile. This exciting new Android ‘app’ has been designed for use with the company’s high performance SVAN 977B and SVAN 979 sound level meters.

Using the built in Bluetooth functionality of the Android smartphone or tablet, Svantek’s SvanMobile allows remote operation of the company’s high performance SVAN 977B and SVAN 979 sound level meters when making general acoustic measurements or monitoring environmental and occupational noise and vibration. Users can set up and then control the meter using the app.

It enables the user to link measurement files from the sound level meter to media from smartphones such as images, videos and audio notes, as well as location and meteorological data. It is also possible to use SvanMobile to connect to the sound level meter over the internet if it has a GPRS modem or WiFi.

John Shelton, Managing Director at Svantek comments: “This is a significant development for Svantek. For devices running on Android platform, SvanMobile helps extend the functionalities of the SVAN 977B and SVAN 979 sound level meters. Plus anyone who monitors noise in the environment will appreciate being able to build a project around their sound level measurements by adding weather data and GPS positions.”

Svantek’s SVAN 977B and SVAN 979 instruments are robust, reliable, accurate and easy to use and capable of type 1 IEC 61672:2002 sound level measurements and acceleration, velocity and displacement vibration monitoring. Both models offer a variety of key features: all weather microphone protection, hand held, lightweight and robust case, real time FFT analysis, advanced data logging and advanced trigger and alarm functions.

In addition, data is stored on a standard micro SD card and easily downloaded to a PC using SvanPC++ software over USB interface.

A key feature of these sound level meters is being able to disconnect the microphone preamplifier and use them for vibration measurements. The instruments also have two high-speed digital signal processors meaning they are capable of measuring 2ms steps of time history, logged simultaneously to audio recording (with 48 kHz sampling) and real time frequency analysis.

As Svantek’s flagship sound & vibration level meter and analyser, the SVAN 979 is one of the most advanced and powerful single channel instruments on the market. It offers 1/1, 1/3, 1/6 and 1/12 octave real time analysis and features a large, super contrast OLED display with excellent visibility in all light conditions. The SVAN 979 also has a large dynamic range of measurement – over 110dB – and incorporates a high quality G.R.A.S. 40AE microphone for measurement in frequency ranges starting as low as 3HZ.

The SVAN 977 is a new generation sound & vibration level meter and analyser offering 1/1 or 1/3 octave real time analysis. Exceptional hardware design enables ultra sound measurements up to 40 kHz.

Sound vibration!

The latest version of National Instruments' NI Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite software, provides a comprehensive collection of analysis and signal processing tools for noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) testing, machine condition monitoring (MCM) and audio test applications. Engineers can use the suite as stand-alone software or combine it with NI hardware and NI LabVIEW system design software to greatly simplify test system development and control. With its new vibration data-logging functionality and other enhancements, the Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2011 helps engineers to more easily customize and automate any MCM or NVH test or monitoring application.

“The NI Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite is an integral part of our MCM applications,” said Professor Jay Lee, director of the National Science Foundation’s Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Intelligent Maintenance Systems at the University of Cincinnati. “The suite has tremendously reduced system development time and has helped us achieve a variety of efficiencies throughout our machine analysis process.”

The Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2011 greatly simplifies the development of MCM, NVH and audio measurement systems with several new features, including a ready-to-run data-logging virtual instrument that makes it possible for engineers to save data continuously or based on specific criteria such as triggers or time. Engineers can easily configure the data logger and run it as long as necessary for a variety of sensor types including accelerometer, tachometer and proximity probes. The measurement suite also includes the Sound and Vibration Assistant, a stand-alone software module for quickly acquiring, analyzing and logging acoustic, noise and vibration data. Additionally, the Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite provides new, easy-to-use application examples for impact test and swept sine analysis. These enhancements for the 2011 version add superior flexibility and high-performance capabilities to a variety of sound and vibration measurement projects.

By integrating with LabVIEW, the Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2011 helps engineers increase test throughput with advanced parallel processing capabilities, among many other advantages of LabVIEW. LabVIEW 2011 can dramatically increase development efficiency through new engineering-specific libraries and its ability to interact with almost any hardware device. Together, LabVIEW and the Sound and Vibration Measurement Suite 2011 help engineers integrate individual measurement types into a single, reconfigurable platform so they can do their jobs faster, better and at a lower cost.

Low-cost array mikes

Automotive, aerospace and general test & measurement applications

Meggitt Sensing Systems has announced the introduction of Endevco® models EM40PH and EM40PL, two low-cost free-field pre-polarized array microphones, designed for multi-channel acoustic measurements of sound power; sound pressure levels and frequencies; sound-field analyses; and concurrent spatial and transient measurements within the audible range in aerospace, automotive and test & measurement applications.

Endevco® models EM40PH and EM40PL offer a wide frequency range of up to 20 KHz.  The model EM40PH is offered with a high sensitivity of 50 mV/Pa and a large dynamic range of up to 135 dB, while the model EM40PL is offered with a low sensitivity of 10 mV/Pa and a large dynamic range of up to 150 dB.  Their highly durable design incorporates use of an SMB connector for ease of test setup assembly and seamless integration with most data acquisition systems. ISOTRON® (IEPE) capabilities allow Endevco® array microphones to be used interchangeably with IEPE-type accelerometers within the same test setups for added convenience. In addition, ISOTRON® microphones have no additional power supply requirements when used within standard 2-20 mA constant current powered systems. Incorporation of TEDS technology allows a microphone to be recognized by any TEDS compatible input module, allowing an analyzer to derive information about microphone type, serial number and sensitivity, which can then be read by the application software. Close manufacturing tolerances and TEDS capabilities provide models EM40PH and EM40PL with the major advantage of a high degree of interchangeability within multiple array matrices.

Endevco® models EM40PH and EM40PL are ideal for use in larger-channel count acoustic measurement applications, such as near field acoustic holography; trending and frequency analysis; white goods testing; automotive and aerospace NVH, or as a lower-cost alternative to a Type 1 compliant microphone in general acoustic testing.  Recommended accessories include the Endevco® model EM42AA handheld pistonphone calibrator and the model 133 three-channel signal conditioner.  All Endevco® acoustic sensors and instrumentation are backed by a five-year comprehensive product warranty.