Technomad Makes Loudspeakers with Heat from the Sun

Sustainable process improves quality while significantly reducing costs and carbon footprint

BOSTON, March 12, 2012 – Technomad redefines sustainable AV with a new cleantech partnership that brings solar technology to its already-green plastic loudspeaker manufacturing process.  The move slices production costs up to 30 percent while reducing the company’s carbon footprint — and introduces a revolutionary process to the professional audio and AV space.

Technomad has long been associated with sustainable manufacturing, producing durable, weatherproof MilSpec loudspeakers using recycled plastic.  As a result, Technomad loudspeakers are often specified into AV projects with LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) requirements.

Technomad recently teamed up with LightManufacturing LLC, which developed a unique-patent-pending method of molding plastic with solar heat.  The company’s unique Solar Rotational Molding (SRM™) systems eliminate greenhouse gasses associated with traditional rotational molding while reducing manufacturing costs — an unusual combination in a world that equates ‘green’ with unaffordable.

LightManufacturing now molds most of Technomad’s popular Vienna and Vernal loudspeakers at its California facility, with larger models to follow.

“Technomad is the first company in the professional audio industry to take advantage of solar thermal energy,” said Rodger von Kries, vice president of Technomad.  “We’ve always worked on the cutting edge of green manufacturing, being the first company to use 100 percent recycled plastic to make loudspeaker cabinets.  The LightManufacturing partnership brings new advantages by reducing our costs while benefitting the environment.”

LightManufacturing’s SRM process uses heliostats – computer-controlled mirrors – to concentrate heat from the sun onto a mold and melt the plastic inside.  The sun’s thermal energy is used directly, avoiding the costs of making electricity with photovoltaic panels.  The process delivers higher quality parts at a lower cost than traditional rotational molding, with typical savings of 10 to 30 percent.  The nearly silent SRM systems use no natural gas or external AC power, and the hardware costs less than traditional rotational molding systems.

“This partnership shows that the solar molding process can deliver high-quality, reduced-cost parts for manufacturers right out of the gate,” said Mark Severy, a consultant at LightManufacturing.  “Technomad came to us with a 15 year history of making world-class products.  We met their requirements for outstanding quality, lower cost — and zero carbon emissions.”

ABOUT LIGHT MANUFACTURING

LightManufacturing LLC’s unique process re-invents rotational molding and other plastic molding processes through the use of heliostats and solar thermal energy.  The company works with equipment builders, plastic molders, large-scale end-users of plastic components, governments and NGOs to create sustainable and economically-competitive manufacturing solutions. Please call 415-796-6475 or e-mail newclient@lightmanufacturingsystems.com for more information. Website:
LightManufacturing LLC

ABOUT TECHNOMAD

Technomad LLC, founded in 1995, designs and manufactures loudspeaker systems for the professional audio and security/military technology industries.  The company invented the first reliable full-range weatherproof loudspeaker and now offers nine models ranging in power from 60-watt loudspeakers to 1250-watt subwoofers  — most available in Turnkey PA System packages featuring amplifiers, mixers and other signal processing equipment in pre-wired racks.  The company also manufactures a variety of audio infrastructure and communications equipment including playback and recording systems, weatherproof power amplifiers and turnkey remote audio systems.  Contact Technomad at 617-275-8898 or visit http://www.technomad.com for more information.

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