Inventronics-Mitsubishi Marvel Unveiled
(Chemlsford MA 4/1/92)
Paul Sanderson and Ito Moratofu, project managers respectively for
Inventronics and Mitsubishi Electric, shared the ribbon-cutting at
Inventronic's Chelmsford, Ma. facility, as these two hi-tech pioneers
unveiled their latest joint venture, the Digital-Ortho-Graphic Scan for
pianos. Blending computer-aided-tomography and sonography technologies, the
DOG-Scan is a remarkable diagnostic tool which promises to revolutionize
piano manufacture, and Inventronics is making it available, at this prototype
stage, to Guild members on a drive-in basis.
Pianos received at the drive-in bay are strapped into a large
carbon-fiber cradle which is then conveyed through the DOG-Scan. An
acoustical driver couple to the soundboard floods the entire piano with a
sweep of the spectrum from 22.5Hz to 8.8Khz, and in a series of tests, lasers
beams read the distribution of that acoustical energy. Once this information
is converted to 3-D computer graphics, any loose fasteners, faulty glue
joints, and other acoustical sinks which drain and dissipate energy show up
quickly. The finishing touch is a quick blast from the sonogram at 50KHz
which loosens all kinds of dirt, grit, and corrosion, which can be picked up
by the coin-operated car-vac in the parking lot.
Paul Sanderson is well into his next project: telephone-linked voicing,
to be on-line in April, '92. "The conversion of our current Accu-Tuner to a
digital sampler was the easy first step. A technician at the piano can
transmit its sound over telephone lines to Chris Robinson at his shop with
the spectrum analyzer. Chris in turn will advise the technician on the best
technique for the note in question, and can lead the technician step-by-step
through the entire procedure. Using a full-size phone-bank, Chris says he can
handle up to eight remote consultations simultaneously without confusion.
This service is available on a 24-hour Hotline number, but Chris hopes you
will book in advance for business hours."
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC