Inspection of the PfB’s sound test benches by the Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)
The PfB team is continuously expanding its experience in building acoustics by carrying out numerous sound insulation measurements on a wide variety of building elements. The knowledge gained in this way is used to constantly optimise the test benches and test procedures at PfB. Accuracy and reproducibility, as well as the speed with which test orders are processed, continue to be a particular focus of the measurements.
While at the same time ensuring quality and increasing the quantity for speed in test processing, the test benches can now be adapted to the different specimen sizes in an even shorter time and the measurements can be carried out in accordance with the respective standards with the specified accuracy.
During the optimisation process, it was important to ensure that the PfB test benches continue to meet all standard specifications and requirements. To confirm this, the Physikalisch Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) was commissioned to carry out comparative measurements and assess the building acoustics test benches on site at the PfB.
In the first stage, the reference specimens in the test stands were tested by the PfB itself and the measurement data obtained was sent to the PTB for validation. This measurement data was compared with the PTB measurement data from various round robin tests. The results agreed with the interlaboratory tests within the specified tolerance range.
In the next step, PTB carried out the verifying measurements of the reference specimens on site in the PfB test rigs. The PTB test results also agreed with the PfB results.
The comparative measurements carried out with the reference specimens in the PfB test benches and the verifying measurements by the PTB confirmed that the test benches are still suitable for measurements in accordance with the relevant standards without any restrictions.
The confirmation of fulfilment of the normative specifications and requirements for building acoustics test benches is now available to the PfB in the form of test reports on the comparative measurements and assessment by the PTB. This is external confirmation that the optimisation measures carried out on PfB’s test benches have been successfully implemented.
These improvements benefit not least PfB’s customers, who can continue to rely on the usual rule- and standard-compliant test execution and can now also expect accelerated test processing.
