HSA3

Affordable.

Effective.

Light.

HSA3 is a micro-perforated absorber (MPA) made of high-strength steel or aluminium - developed for maximum acoustic performance with low weight and maximum resistance. The innovative lateral micro-perforation enables broadband sound absorption without the use of conventional insulating materials and extremely high stability at low weight.

HSA3 is the ideal sheet metal for acoustics and lightweight engineering

✓ Absorbs both sound and vibration

✓ High performance in low frequencies

✓ Lightweight and formable

✓ Sustainable: Fully recyclable, reusable, repairable

✓ >50% cheaper due to 70% faster machine-based production

✓ No fiber migration or hygiene issues

>50%

cheaper than competitors

50-80%

more effective in low frequencies than rockwool or foam

60-80%

lighter than rockwool constructions

Advantages of HSA3

Broadband sound absorption

due to lateral microperforation

Economical

Low-cost production, durable and reusable
Insensitive to liquids, hardly gets dirty, and easy to clean

Customisable geometry

thickness varies from 0.15 - 3.0 mm, the hole pattern can be flexibly designed

Simple integration

No support structure required - direct installation in standard profile construction systems

Extremely robust

high rigidity at low weight

Sustainable

Reusable, repairable and fully recyclable

Application areas

Architecture & real estate

Suspended ceilings, including heating/cooling: Save space and energy by including heating/cooling in the ceiling, living up to high hygienic standards, if needed (e.g., in surgery room, clean rooms, etc.)
Wall and ceiling tiles: Highly effective and hygienic
Acoustic louvers for rooftop installations: Alleviating neighbors from the noise of heat pumps, ventilators, or air-conditioning without the hassle of having to protect rock wool or foam from rain or wind
Sound-absorbing facades or window louvers, e.g. for balconies, outdoor areas of restaurants, playgrounds, schools, Innenhöfe or traffic-facing facades: Reduce the noise for you and your neighbors without adding costs for additional noise control
Acoustic insulation: Increase sound transmission loss by integrating HSA3 between plasterboard or wooden walls

Cars, mobility and construction machines

In-exhaust silencers: Eliminate the noise before it is even released into the environment
Sound-absorbing heat shields for engines and motors: Eliminate the noise right where it is created
Acoustic shields in wheel wells or drivers cabins: Protect drivers from fatigue and avoid worker protection fines
Attenuated EV chargers and electrolyzers: Bring electric mobility close to where people live without having to care for the noise protection

Aviation

Turbine nacelles: Reduce costs and noise. Improve air flow by using nubs of HSA3
Engine enclosures and in-exhaust silencers: Eliminate the noise before it is even released into the environment
Propeller enclosures: Enable drone delivery and air taxiing by creating sound-attenuating propellor enclosures

Industry and machinery

Machine enclosures: Eliminate the noise right where it is created, even in wet or dusty environments
Industrial silencers: reduce costs, save space and improve efficiency of industrial silencers
Air intakes: save space and improve efficiency of industrial air intakes

Energy & infrastructure

Sound-absorbing enclosures: Electrical infrastructure comes with acoustic challenges from turbines, transformators, inverters, compressors. etc. Eliminate the sound right at its source, even for low frequencies
Noise barriers: Create sound-absorbing surfaces where rock wool cannot be installed.
Facades for wind turbine towers: avoid infra-noise by installing a sound-absorbing façade

Household appliances and power tools

Noise-killing enclosures of critical parts (e.g., fans or compressors) in noisy appliances, such as laundry dryers, pressure washers, vacuum cleaners, hair dryers, chain saws
Sound-absorbing protective gear, e.g., for table saws angle grinders, etc.
Silent CPU fans

HVAC

Improved low-frequency sound absorption
Reduce fan noises
Increase efficiency of HVAC systems

Furniture

Sound-absorbing design furniture: Silence offices despite using metal design furniture
Create lamps, wall tiles, and thin divider walls
Phone and focus booths that don’t lead to sweating employees

Q&A

Can HSA3 be made from any metal?

Yes, any metal is possible. Aluminum and stainless steel are typically in stock

Can HSA3 be made in any thickness?

Almost any thickness is possible: from 0.15 - 3mm, depending on the material

Does HSA3 need a mounting structure to which it needs to be attached?

No. Due to its high stiffness, HSA3 is self-supporting

How is HSA3 installed best?

Ideally, HSA3 is installed in front of a soundproof wall, with an air gap (cavity) between HSA3 and the wall. However, in some cases the soundproof wall can be omitted. Contact us for a design suggestion for your specific use case! We are happy to help.

How does HSA3 absorb sound?

It works by combining a mass-spring system and laminar friction. The microperforations lead to sound absorption when the air space before and behind HSA3 interact. Due to the lateral microperforations, the sound absorption is more broadband than with usual MPA, despite having 70-90% less perforations.

How does HSA3 absorb vibrations?

First, due to its structure and the built-in springs, HSA3 is very stiff. Secondly, there is a version of HSA3 in which the springs act as a periodically arranged resonator. This turns HSA3 into a vibro-acoustic metamaterial (aka “VAMM”)

Why is HSA3 so much more affordable than other microperforated absorbers?

The secret lies in its production method. Unlike other microperforated absorbers, HSA3 does not require any fine tools, lasers or specialized machinery

Why is HSA3 more affordable than classical absorber constructions, employing rockwool or foam?

Classical absorber constructions, employing rockwool or foam, usually work with multiple layers of material: (1) a mounting structure to which the rockwool or foam is attached, (2) rockwool or foam for sound absorption, (3) a membrane to prevent fiber migration or abrasion and (4) perforated sheet metal for protection purposes. HSA3 does not need any of that. It is stiff enough to be installed without a mounting structure and only needs an air gap / cavity behind it. And sometimes, this cavity is not even required. Contact us for a design suggestion for your specific use case! We are happy to help.

How does HSA3 support energy efficiency?

Rock wool or foam insulate heat and take a lot of space, HSA3 does not. Here are two examples of how HSA3 can conserve energy: (1) By applying HSA3 in wall or ceiling tiles, these can be turned into heating or cooling surfaces. (2) Applying HSA3 in ducts and other HVAC appliances can save energy by reducing the cross-section of sound absorbers.