After 10 years of doing business as its own long-term, strategic partner, Brüel & Kjær Sound & Vibration Measurement A/S acquired Sound Answers Inc., based in Canton, MI. According to the Danish company, Sound Answers will be consolidated as a solution and engineering services provider and all its staff will now be part of the Brüel & Kjær engineering services team.Sound Answers is an Engineering Services Company specialized in Noise and Vibration (NV). Dr. Gabriella Cerrato and DJ Pickering, co-founders of Sound Answers, worked together in the late ‘90’s for the test software and consulting division of Structural Dynamics Research Corporation (SDRC), later acquired by MTS Systems Corporation. In the fall of 2005, when MTS discontinued their noise and vibration division, Cerrato and Pickering started Sound Answers, gradually expanding the company with another 11 engineers with experience in all areas of product noise and vibration.
Sound Answers offers unique consulting expertise in sound and vibration quality and target development, in cascading NV targets from system to component levels, in root-causing NV issues and in developing cost-effective processes to streamline the Noise and Vibration aspects of product development. The company owns over $2M in Brüel & Kjær software and hardware including microphone arrays and a vehicle simulator lab.
Sound Answers’ headquarters is at the state-of-the-art MSC Application Research Center (ARC) in Canton, Michigan. The ARC is a $17 million NVH test facility that includes a 4WD NVH chassis dynamometer; Sound Transmission Loss (STL) suite; sound quality and jury listening room; semi-anechoic chamber with bedplate; training room for up to 40 students
The Sound Answers/Brüel&Kjær partnership started in November 2006 when Sound Answers selected Brüel&Kjær as its hardware and software strategic partner. Sound Answers wanted to partner with a software/hardware manufacturer in the sound and vibration domain through which they could offer their services while enabling the partner to provide total solutions to customers. Brüel& Kjær was chosen for its test focus, reputation, best-in-class products, sales network, its strength in all its relevant markets and, most importantly, the management vision to provide a complete solution by leveraging consulting for pull-through product sales.
The two companies have a well-established relationship as well as a long track record of joint projects. As Brüel & Kjær evolves into a solution provider, this latest development brings on board new insights and domain knowledge, extending its capability to provide troubleshooting and product development services unmatched within the sound and vibration industry.“Being part of such an established, respected and global organization will allow us to expand our capabilities and reach,” says Sound Answers President Gabriella Cerrato. “A world of new opportunity lies ahead with access to far greater resources, technologies, new customers and new markets.”
Sound Answers, with its highly talented workforce, world-class expertise and specialist approach becomes the core of Brüel & Kjær Engineering Services, not only strengthening the company’s in-house capabilities but also injecting fresh perspectives, innovation and new ideas into its solutions.
Brüel & Kjær’s Alan Humphrey, Vice President, Global Sales & Services says, “This is an exciting time for Brüel & Kjær. We’ve always recognized the high added value that our relationship with Sound Answers has brought to our business in the US. Now we have the opportunity to make that impact globally. We look forward to working with our new colleagues.”
www.soundanswers.net | www.bksv.com
