World Fence News

February 2013

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80 • FEBRUARY 2013 • WORLD FENCE NEWS Cable Connection expands line of cable railing kits In April, 2012, The Cable Connection re-launched its Ultra-tec® cable railing kits, incorporating two new Push-Lock™ models into the line. The kits, originally available in lengths from 5' to 25', incorporated one tensioning device (pre-swaged at the factory) and a swageless fitting on each cable, so the cable can be trimmed to exact length on-site. The need for longer kits (over 25'), became immediately apparent, so The Cable Connection has developed 30', 40', and 50' kits to complement the shorter ones. However, the longer kits are more than short kits with added cable. "Longer cables often mean turn- Acoustifence quiets noise for neighbors near Florida wastewater treatment facility TAMPA, Fla. – An Acoustifence barrier recently installed near a noisy exposed aerator motor at the Hillsborough County Northwest Regional Water Reclamation Facility here resulted in an immediate and significant reduction in noise pollution for neighboring residents, reported Acoustiblok Corporation, the manufacturer of Acoustifence. The facility is part of a 1,500-acre multi-use tract owned by Hillsborough County. It is a Type 1 advanced wastewater treatment facility built to process five million gallons of wastewater per day. A residential community called Highland Park is located near the county facility. Last year, members of the Highland Park community voiced complaints about loud whining noises coming into their community from the nearby county facility. The facility took action to find a solution to the noise issue. In residential areas, road traffic noise is usually the major source of noise, with air conditioning/heat pumps, generators, construction, and industrial noises also problems typically, notes Lahnie Johnson, president and founder of Acoustiblok. Wastewater is sewage, stormwater and water that are used for various purposes around the community. Unless properly treated, wastewater can harm public health and the environment. It is not uncommon across the United States for wastewater treatment facilities like Northwest to be located within hearing range of residents living in a particular area. The wastewater treatment facility noise source was a 200-h.p. Carrousel high efficiency vertical aerator drive motor located on top of the facility's 24-foot oxidation aeration basin struc- The noise source at the wastewater treatment plant was a 200-h.p. Carrousel high efficiency vertical aerator drive motor on top of the facility's 24foot oxidation aeration basin structure. The solution to reducing the noise emanating from the motor consisted of erecting an L-shaped frame barrier with four 6 x 30 foot Acoustifence outdoor noise reduction panels secured to it. (Acoustiblok Corp. photos) ture, according to Flint Seth, general manager of bio solids production and maintenance at the Hillsborough County Northwest Water Reclamation Facility. Doug Fisher of the Hillsborough County Public Utilities Department worked with Acoustiblok to devise an economical solution consisting of an L-shaped frame barrier with four 6 x 30 foot Acoustifence outdoor noise reduction panels secured to it. Witt Fence Company of Riverview, Fla., was contacted by Hillsborough County personnel to install the barrier. Here are some technical details as related by Johnson: From a technical standpoint, Acoustifence is an advanced sound barrier. A sound barrier, by its own named definition, is put between the noise source and the listener. Some barriers can be made of virtually anything that sound does not penetrate. There are, however, differences and distinct advantages in some over others. Unlike a concrete block wall, which in one respect is a good sound barrier, the Acoustifence actually flexes with certain frequencies, especially very low frequencies. In the process of sound waves physically moving it, the product transforms sound wave energy into inaudible internal friction energy. A concrete block wall would not do this. As the Acoustifence is only 1/8 inch thick, it is easy to position it closer to the noise source. The closer a barrier is to the noise source the more restricting it becomes to the initial sound waves. Acoustiblok Corporation's Acoustifence product is a unique proprietary formula. It is a heavy mineral filled viscoelastic polymer material that is 1/8 inch thick and made in the United States. It comes in 6 X 30 foot-sheets. It is one of the most effective first steps in reducing noise for many applications including industrial, commercial, and residential. The amount of noise it reduces, however, is much related to other reflective structures in the area. Sound pressure is measured in decibels. The average person can hear sounds starting at 0 to 1 decibel. A typical conversation occurs at 60 decibels – not loud enough to cause damage. An idling bulldozer (not bulldozing) is loud enough at 85 decibels that continued on page 82 A detail from the 401 Series cable railing kit from Ultra-tec. ing corners, and in order to maintain the proper tension, our long cable kits supply a minimum amount of takeup," said CEO Lou Marino. "There is a big difference in what you need, however, if you're going around two corners instead of just one. Ultra-tec offers cable railing kits that successfully tension around two corners, up to 180°." Depending on the amount of takeup in the tensioning device, some kits are just "short length kits with more cable," Marino said, but single tensioner kits cannot be used in 2-corner applications. Since one end of the cable needs to be swageless to allow field-trimming, Ultra-tec has combined its swageless technology with a tensioning device. The result is a kit with dual tensioning, which ensures a taut cable – something you'll appreciate when the building inspector visits. "The burgeoning composite sleeve market has also generated its own cable railing demands," stated Marino. "At the recommendation of our distribution partners, Ultra-tec has created kits especially for wood posts with composite sleeves that have extended length lags. The lags go through the sleeve and deep enough into the wood post to ensure a secure hold." Kits for wood posts with composite sleeves also come in lengths up to 50'. More information is available at http://thecableconnection.com/pdfu/ap plication-guide1-3-13.pdf, and installation instructions are available online and come with the purchase of each kit. Sales representatives may be reached at 800-851-2961. Jock had passed away and as usual the minister was reciting his history and glowing attributes at his funeral. "Jock was a great family man, a model husband and father, never staying out late and never allowing a drop of whisky to pass his lips." His widow, squirming in her seat, could stand it no more. She bent down and whispered to her son, "Jimmy, go up and look in the coffin. I think we might be at the wrong funeral."

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