Bus stops in modern cities are evolving with solar-powered technologies, enabling self-sufficient public address (PA) systems. However, these exposed environments pose a unique challenge: balancing acoustic performance with protection from dust, moisture, vandalism, and UV exposure. A growing solution is the integration of perforated metal speaker grilles in bus stop solar speaker enclosures.
Plastic mesh covers, while affordable, degrade quickly. For example, a city in Southeast Asia deployed plastic grille speaker covers across 80 solar-powered bus shelters. Within 9 months:
37% of covers showed cracks due to UV exposure
23% of the speakers failed after water or dust ingress
Audio intelligibility dropped drastically during rainy seasons
This increased maintenance frequency, replacement costs, and commuter dissatisfaction.
Our solution involved replacing plastic meshes with powder-coated stainless steel perforated panels. The specifications were:
Material: 316L stainless steel with anti-corrosive coating
Hole diameter: 3.5mm; pitch: 5.5mm; open area: 38%
Panel thickness: 1.2mm with rounded deburred edges
Fastening: tamper-resistant bolts with neoprene gaskets
This setup ensures structural durability, weather resistance, and crucially, acoustic transparency. Tests showed less than 2 dB attenuation across voice frequencies (300–3000 Hz).
In 2022, the Urban Transport Authority of a coastal city retrofitted 60 shelters. Prior to retrofitting, each location had at least one monthly failure. After installing custom-engineered perforated speaker panels:
Speaker clarity improved by 18% as measured by speech intelligibility index
Component failure dropped by 82% within 12 months
Maintenance cost savings exceeded $19,000 USD in the first year
Technicians praised the easy installation and modular design, while passengers reported noticeable improvements in announcement clarity during storms.
Acoustic performance of perforated metal is validated by numerous studies. According to the Journal of Acoustics, open area ratios between 35–45% provide an optimal balance of protection and audio fidelity. Springer’s study on micro-perforated panels shows that cavity depth and hole diameter affect the acoustic impedance, crucial for outdoor speaker boxes. Research from ScienceDirect further confirms these design variables impact sound wave reflection and transmission.
Our products comply with:
ASTM D1187: bituminous coatings for corrosion resistance
ISO 9053: sound absorption measurement in panels
Beyond bus stops, these perforated grilles are applicable in:
Stadium PA systems
Outdoor train stations
School and campus intercom systems
Retail plaza solar speakers
More design variants can be found in our urban infrastructure solutions.
City operations manager Mr. Zhao shared: “Before switching to metal grilles, rain would often render our bus stop speakers inaudible. Now, even during typhoons, announcements are crystal clear.”
We can engineer grille patterns and structures based on your regional weather, speaker specs, and environmental exposure. Our team delivers prototypes within 7 days and mass production within 15.
Tel/WhatsApp: +86 180 2733 7739
Email: [email protected]
Website: perforatedmetalpanel.com
Instagram: @jintongperforatedmetal
WhatsApp: Message Us
LinkedIn: Andy Liu
YouTube: Jintong Channel
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