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A seating booth with grey Autex acoustic panels

Autex Acoustics develops Groove and Print tools for customising acoustic panels

Dezeen promotion: acoustic textile manufacturer Autex Acoustics has developed two creative tools that allow users to customise acoustic panels.

The New Zealand-based brand wanted to give users more choice when it comes to acoustic panel design.

Autex Acoustic's Groove customisation tool is designed to cut precise patterns on acoustic panels. The tool allows designers to choose from five different cuts, creating patterns with "depth and perspective".

"Whether it be moulding a panel to fit an irregular surface, or creating a standalone object, Groove allows designers to reject the constraints of flat panel treatment without compromising on performance," said the brand.

Autex Acoustics
Top image: the tool can be used to cut different designs to suit the user. Above: Groove lets users choose from five different designs

The Groove customisation tool can also be used to turn acoustic panels into 3D shapes. Thanks to the way it cuts, panels can fold "like origami," according to the brand. This allows users to adapt their acoustic panels to suit their needs.

To provide designers with further customisation options, Autex Acoustics has also developed its Print customisation tool, which allows users to print various patterns onto acoustic panels.

This includes printing marble and timber patterns without affecting the product's acoustic performance. 

"Our UV-cured vegetable ink has 170 per cent flexibility, so it won't crack or distort when folded or curved, and is dry to the touch as soon as it's printed, ensuring crisp colours and lines," explained the brand.

Autex Acoustics
The Print customisation tool can be used to print high-end finishes, such as timber and marble, onto acoustic products

The brand aims to make acoustic panels both attractive and practical.

"Acoustics are often sacrificed for the sake of beauty, as finishes such as timber, polished concrete and marble are more desirable — even if the result is a space that is noisy and uncomfortable," the brand said.

Both the Groove and Print customisation tools are designed to solve some of these common audio design problems.

Find out more about the company's range of products by visiting Autex Acoustic's website.


Partnership content

This article was written by Dezeen for Autex Acoustics as part of a partnership. Find out more about Dezeen partnership content here.