Table saw noise control

This article presents a case study on the radiation, transmission and reduction of noise from a table saw typically used in the construction industry. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) initiated this project through a multi-university student project program. In the construction industry, little attention has been given to control of noise from equipment and power tools. In order to address these issues, the work presented here is focused on reducing noise radiation from a table saw used in the construction industry from an engineering control point of view. The testing methodologies and results presented in this article address both the airborne and structure-borne noise contributors of the table saw. Sound power and sound intensity measurements were used to identify and rank all possible noise sources from the table saw. The use of these testing techniques in conjunction with experimental modal analysis, operational deflection shape analysis, and finite element analysis, provided data from which several acoustic treatments were chosen and investigated. Materials such as free layer paints, blade stabilizers and open-cell foam were used as possible solutions to the table saw's noise emission problem. Several treatments were recommended for either production or aftermarket modifications.