DOUBLE ARRAY seriesUser’s Manual
SOUND REINFORCEMENT ACOUSTIC RESEARCHCONTROLLED RADIATION
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Here below is a brief description of the design steps and the contributions of
the various parties involved in the project:
• After the first meetings, it was decided to “release” the customers, because
they already extensively outlined the problem in terms of relationships both
with the neighbourhood and with the inspectors (USL agencies) checking
on noise emissions. Moreover they all eagerly, already accepted to host and
install a zero series of the new product;
• Of course the R&D Department extensively joined the Engineering
Department throughout the entire design project and its contribution
turned out very conclusive in the selection of the raw materials and above
all in the implementation of controlled-radiation, double-array sound
reinforcement system (an absolute innovation at that time, as the actual
state-of-art in the reference field only accounted for single arrays!);
• On the contrary, the contribution of the suppliers continued over a longer
period of time and led to the following conclusions.
For indoor loudspeakers (by CIARE S.r.l.): standard components out of the
actual catalogue would have been used.
For tweeter horns (by B&C SPEAKERS S.p.A.): bespoke parts and components
would have been designed for the new product by means of a special
dedicated injection and stamping line.
For protection grids (by NUOVA LAMM): new custom-made grids would
have been designed in accordance with CAD drawings of the new product.
For the packaging (by TITAN): the project management approved an
inhouse make due to the expensive price offered by the supplier.
• A very crucial task was performed by the carpenters in terms of scraps
management and selection of the original raw material: marine plywood
(a renown, very light and waterproof material largely used in the navy field)
was selected and it was decided that the size of the speaker central element
(see below) was to be exactly the same as one half of the original raw panel
size (so to avoid any complicated and costly nesting of the wood shapes!);
• The staff from the Electronics Department was immediately asked by the
project team to develop a dedicated electronic controller for the new-born
speaker.
As a matter of fact, it became progressively clear since the very first work
hours that it would have been impossible to accurately reproduce the entire
music range (from 30 to 18,000 Hz) for every possible volume level.
The plan was to design a totally new active crossover that eventually turned
out to be our DP 60-120;
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◊l’apporto degli operatori della falegnameria fu decisivo per quanto
riguarda la gestione degli sfridi e per la scelta del materiale grezzo di partenza:
si decise di utilizzare del multistrato marino (noto per le sue doti di leggerezza e
impermeabilità, viene spesso impiegato nelle imbarcazioni) e si stabilì, inoltre,
che la dimensione dell’elemento centrale del diffusore (vedi dopo) sarebbe
stata pari esattamente alla metà del pannello iniziale di materiale grezzo
(evitando così un elaborato e costoso processo di nesting delle sagome di
legno!);
◊lo staff proveniente dalla Divisione Elettronica venne subito chiamato in
causa dai membri del team di progetto perché si sentiva l’esigenza di realizzare
un controller elettronico dedicato al diffusore nascente.
Infatti, fin dalle prime ore di lavoro sul progetto, si era andata delineando
l’impossibilità di riprodurre fedelmente tutta la gamma musicale (da 30 a 18000
Hz) per ogni possibile livello di volume.
Si sarebbe progettato ex novo un crossover attivo: il futuro DP 60/120;
Fig. 4 Il processore DP 60/120
• The production technicians, instructed by the Engineering Department,
decided that a dedicated line would be installed at the premises in Reggio
Emilia where the new product would be assembled.
It was decided that no additional production machineries would be
required, except for electric parts and fabrication tools as for instance
drills, screwdrivers, etc… The same production technicians agreed with
the carpenters on the correct position of holes on the speaker in order to
rapidly achieve an ergonomic placement of electric cables;
• Finally, the sales manager from the Sales Area extensively
cooperated with the Design Engineers to provide the lowest
possible fabrication costs and to outline an attractive speaker look.
In the framework of this collaboration, it was decided that the
speaker was to be equipped with some strobe lights in the corner
elements without active music components (this was the only
suggestion accepted by the project staff among several ones made
by the marketing experts!).
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◊i tecnologi di produzione, su suggerimento della Divisione Progettazione,
decisero che l’impianto di Reggio Emilia avrebbe ospitato una linea dedicata
per l’assemblaggio del nuovo prodotto.
Si decise, inoltre, che non sarebbe stato necessario un aumento dei macchinari
di produzione, se non in termini di minuteria elettrica ed utensileria di
fabbricazione come trapani, avvitatori, etc… Gli stessi tecnologi di produzione si
accordarono con gli operatori della falegnameria per un corretto
posizionamento dei fori del diffusore al fine di ottenere un rapido ed ergonomico
posizionamento dei cavi elettrici;
◊infine, i sales manager dell’Area Commerciale si prodigarono con gli
ingegneri della Progettazione per contenere il più possibile i costi della
fabbricazione e per tracciare le linee estetiche del diffusore: proprio grazie a
questa partecipazione si decise che il diffusore sarebbe stato provvisto, negli
elementi angolari sprovvisti di componenti musicalmente attivi, di alcune luci
stroboscopiche (fu l’unica proposta che venne approvata dallo staff di progetto,
fra le tantissime formulate dagli esperti di marketing!).
Fig. 5 Schizzo del diffusore nascente
At the end of the design process (that lasted approximately 6 months and
therefore 6 months well ahead of the expected deadline!) the following
specifications had been outlined:
To great satisfaction of the Corporate Management, the first prototype
was ready one month only after defining of the technical specifications
and it proved quite positive although the following modifications were
decided:
1 Using shorter PVC tubing for playing bass chords;
2 Changing the corners of the tetrahedral elements;
3 Redefining the cutting frequencies of the passive crossover.
After saving the modifications in the product folder, the required
production tooling was implemented, the final details were defined and
the part list was laid out including all outsourced parts.
The first zero series was released after production tooling (8 months after
project start-up!) and was installed in a famous club in the district
of Modena. The zero-series obtained immediate customers’ favour.
However, it was decided to hold-on with final production as the Corporate
Management first wanted to apply and obtain both Quality Certification
and Patent (finally awarded only 15 months after application) in order
to prevent copies or reverse engineering problems (which nevertheless
occurred after the large scale success of the Double Array speakers!).
Figure 4. DP 60/120 processor
Figure 5. Sketch of the new speaker
Project team Decisions made Specs/Processes
Engineering Dept.
Management of the
project team
System design
R & D Raw material
and array system
/
Production Dept. Dedicated series Series tooling
Electronics Dedicated controller Totally new design
Carpentry
Chassis - 125x125 cm
No tooling
Grids supplier
Dedicated grids
Design from CAD
drawings
Components supplier
Catalogue components
/
Enclosure supplier
Too expensive packaging
“Make” decision
Marketing
Product look and lights Lights addition
Customers
Availability of the
zero-series
/
