When Science Meets Innovation
When strategizing product development, differentiation is not so easy with many brands’ products being built in the same dozen or so factories, mostly based on the same technology platform providers. Just sending sourcing guys to Asia and bringing back the usual stuff won’t cut it.
Material options are a great way to differentiate, from essential components in product design that warrants superior features and specifications, all the way to enhancing the actual perceived design of the product - the part that users actually interact with first - so many times causing the decisive impression with the right enclosure materials.
Probably the best options in materials for audio product design are something no one has ever seen yet. And if it exists, probably its inventor is not even aware of its characteristics' benefits and potential uses in audio applications. Even if does exist, it's been sitting on a catalog of raw materials, probably because no factory knows how to deal with handling it, molding it, perfecting it - and much less understands the tooling needs to make actual parts out of it.
Sometimes, a new material with the right properties is exactly what is needed to make a new successful product, but that's not where your development team is focused. Your modeling and simulation expert knows the demands on your intended design would require exceptional properties that the design team is not aware if they are even achievable. And when engineering is working on solving a problem using a nail, they tend to hammer it...
That's when the experience of industry veterans with a broad knowledge of the physics and chemistry involved in finding the ideal level of conductivity, resistance, density, malleability, elasticity or stiffness become uniquely valuable. Sure, you already hired a team of young material and mechanical engineers. But even the best material science engineers will struggle to find a viable way to apply a new formula into the production process without seriously derailing your whole project - sometimes even compromising your choice of vendors and manufacturing partners.
Audio Materials Science is your expert team that will look at your project from a unique - not a problem - perspective. Understanding material properties, manufacturing processes, acoustics, and actual product design and development. Because our search for materials started with decades of accumulated knowledge and experience working with brands and sourcing partners in all steps of the process.
Audio Materials Science is part of Menlo Scientific, a specialist audio consultancy firm, offering product development, design and technical support, since 1983. More than an audio engineering company, we are the strategic partners for a number of over-achieving companies in today’s ultra-competitive marketplace.
Let Us Help You Realize Your Next Project!
Your product idea could be great if you talk to someone who understands material properties, manufacturing processes, and actual product design and development. Because our search for solutions started decades ago. Audio Materials Science is here! We have introduced high performance materials into the global consumer audio electronics supply chain, including benchmarking, introduction to Brands and OEM/ODM factories.
Kapton, Nomex & Kevlar
Menlo Scientific functioned as the speaker industry liaison for DuPont to introduce new materials, resolve compatibly issues, and support the growth of high performance speaker manufacturing to Asia. Mike Klasco wrote the DuPont Kapton cookbook for the speaker industry (1990).
DuPont Kaladex & DuPontTeijin Teonex
Menlo Scientific introduced DuPont Kaladex PEN film to the speaker industry (1992), and promoted DuPontTeijin Teonex applications on tweeters, headphone drivers, and compression drivers.
Ferrofluidics/Ferrotec
Menlo has worked with Ferrofluidics/Ferrotec since 1992. Magnetic fluids are used in millions of speakers each year and Menlo promoted articles, scientific papers and presentations.
Victrex APIV – PEEK
Menlo guided market entry of PEEK into the audio market, promoted AEE laminating for PEEK-TPE-PEEK market development and continues to date to explore and promote graphene applications in PEEK composites with key industry partners.
Teijin Aramid Endumax
Since 2013, Menlo Scientific was the strategic partner for Teijin Aramid, promoting Endumax applications in the speaker industry. Endumax is a thin, ultra-strong film made from a special type of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), with applications on speaker cones. Mike Klasco is co-inventor with Teijin's team with a patent granted for Endumax in speaker applications.
Asahi Kasei Roboden
Since 2016 we worked with the Roboden division of Asahi Kasei (Japan) to promote this unique elastic flexible cable, a non-tangling solution with low microphonics (no body noise). This high durability elastic electrical wire with superior signal transmission performance is an ideal solution for sport-fitness hearables, musical instrument cables and integration of mic suspension/cables.
GraphAudio Graphene
Since 2017, we work with GraphAudio, the exclusive audio licensee of Lawrence National Berkeley labs graphene IP, promoting applications for microphones, MEMs microphones and earphone development.
Covestro polycarbonates
In 2019, Covestro (previously Bayer Material Science), worked with Menlo Scientific and Klippel to benchmark injection molded audio enclosures (headphones, smart speakers, soundbars).
Audio Materials Science representing
Teijn Endumax
Light high strength woven & crossply thermoformable materials for headphone headbands and earcups
Sappi Symbio
Injection moldable cellulose polypropylene composite for superior acoustics in earphones, headphones and speaker cabinets
SOTA Applications
Coatings for higher IPXX ratings, surface tension enhancement, and corrosion protection. Advanced coatings for water resistance.
BASF Luquafleece
Super Absorbent anti-microbial materials for wicking moisture and heat in headphone ear cushions and headbands.
CarbonAir
Research and Development in Acoustic Materials, Noise Control, Audio and Air Suspension
Covestro (previously Bayer Material Science)
Maezio Continuous Fiber-Reinforced Thermoplastic (CFRTP) Advanced Composites. A lightweight super strong alternative to plastics, wood and metal for speaker enclosures.
INEOS Stylight
Stylight thermoplastic carbon fiber composite for speaker enclosures, horns, even speaker cones. Product optimization for audio consumer electronics.
Eastman Chemical
Treva bio-plastic with 20-40% bio-cellulose content, and Tritan copolyester for consumer electronics audio applications (enclosures)
Oxeon TeXtreme
Thin ply carbon diaphragm technology for headphone diaphragms, tweeters and compression drivers.
Audio Materials Science is an affiliate of Menlo Scientific LTD.
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