The 96 dB(A)Leq recorded from a 250 ton Rhodes billet hydraulic guillotine was cut by 17dB(A) – without using an acoustic enclosure and hence without the associated access, maintenance and temperature issues. The noise was dominated by high levels of transmitted vibration from the motor-pump unit to the machine frame (and through rigid pipework to the remainder of the machine) and the transmission of impacts from the valve-bank.
The motor-pump unit was mounted on a rigid frame that was then isolated from the machine body and the valve bank isolated using rubber-cork composite. This reduced the noise level from 96 dB(A) down to 79 dB(A) at very little cost.