Acoustic panels are used to improve room acoustics in rooms with a high proportion of sound-reflecting surfaces. To make them look more attractive, the surface of these panels is covered with a slotted or micro-perforated wooden veneer. This regular surface design narrows the width of the absorption spectrum and impairs the high-quality, natural impression of the wood surface.
In the project “Development of brushed acoustic panels as a surface covering”, this technical problem is solved by a novel brushing process that opens the wood veneer along the grain, creating irregular holes. This irregularity creates a wide absorption band. The orientation of the holes along the grain means that the holes blend into the natural appearance of the veneer. To use the innovative veneer, an acoustic panel is being developed that is based on a sustainably manufactured sound absorber.
Due to the irregularity of the veneer openings, it is not possible to determine the acoustic properties of the newly developed panels using conventional models. The scientists in the Acoustics department plan to develop an acoustic model that takes the natural shape of the veneer openings into account.
Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics IBP