PennBarry Facility


Training, Research, and Testing All from One Location

Showroom and Training Center

Located in Plano, TX, PennBarry has an impressive laboratory, testing, and showroom space alongside their Sales and Marketing offices. A large training room is home to a range of product displays, from smaller sized Domex/Fumex units to large Breezeway fans that utilize wall space from floor to ceiling. Coupled with an overhead projector, audio system, and a fully functional laboratory for live demonstrations, it makes for an educational, eye-opening experience during PennBarry University training sessions.

Research and Development

The PennBarry Research and Development Lab is capable of performing tests ranging from the research and development of products to certified airflow and sound test for catalog data. Located adjacent to the lab is a 5,000 sq.ft., fully functional model shop, which allows engineering to immediately prototype product components and designs.

Testing & Equipment Summary
  • Two (2) reverberant acoustic chambers capable of full octave band data collection
  • Custom data acquisition software
  • 65,000 cfm airflow tunnel
  • 5,000 cfm airflow tunnel
  • Salt spray and corrosion chamber
  • Vibration and modal analysis both static and dynamic
  • Stress and strain gauging
  • Overspeed chamber for rotational failure analysis
  • Cycle fatigue
  • Full range electrical monitoring and consumption analysis
Model Shop Equipment & Capabilities
  • CNC Laser Table
  • CNC Lathe
  • CNC Mill
  • CNC Brake Press
  • Roll Former
  • Shear
  • Drill Press
  • Keysetting Broach
  • Sand Blast
  • TIG, MIG, and Arc Welding
  • Miter

Airflow Test Tunnel

At the core of the PennBarry Research and Development Laboratory is the airflow test tunnel, placed between two semi-reverberant sound rooms. Each of the two 42,000 cubic ft sound rooms has a bank of 16 silencers and is capable of acoustic testing on fan inlet and outlet. The two rooms make up the AMCA Figure 12 and Figure 15 semi-reverberant chambers required for AMCA Sound certification. Located between the two sound rooms is the Large Airflow Tunnel. The sound room / airflow tunnel orientation was designed to minimize test setup time by allowing for multiple airflow and sound tests to be performed with a single setup. For lower airflow fans, the lab also has a 5,000 cfm portable airflow tunnel.

The 65,000 cfm Large Airflow Tunnel was designed by PennBarry engineering and manufactured by our Lebanon, IN factory. The tunnel is approximately 13 ft tall, 13 feet wide, and 50 ft long. It was an impressive sight to see the four tunnel sections arrive on two flatbed trailers, be hoisted onto the dock with a crane, and be maneuvered through the lab’s 14 ft dock doors by sheer manpower.

Testing Procedures and Standards

Testing on PennBarry products is performed using test chambers designed per set standards/types as listed below.

  • Air Performance Testing - AMCA Standard 210
  • Sound Testing - AMCA Standard 300
  • Static and Dynamic Stress / Strain Testing
  • Vibration Testing and Modal Analysis
  • Cycle Endurance Testing
  • Safety Testing