Acoustic panel employing rounded particles in septum layer and system and method for making same

A system for adding a septum layer to a plurality of cells of a core of an acoustic panel for attenuating sound, the septum layer including a plurality of rounded particles, the system comprising:

• a positioning mechanism configured to be inserted into and positioned at a particular depth in each cell;
• a metering mechanism configured to introduce a metered amount of the rounded particles into each cell above the positioning mechanism;
• a gating mechanism configured to control the introduction of the rounded particles from the metering mechanism into each cell;
• and
• a vibratory base configured to vibrate the rounded particles in each cell in order to pack the rounded particles more tightly in each cell,
• wherein once the rounded particles are packed in each cell, the rounded particles are fixed to adhere to each other and to the cells at the particular depth, and the positioning mechanism is removed.

A method for adding a septum layer to a plurality of cells of a core of an acoustic panel for attenuating sound, the septum layer including a plurality of rounded particles, the method comprising:

• establishing a particular depth in each cell for the septum layer;
• positioning a metered amount of the rounded particles for introduction into each cell at the particular depth;
• controlling the introduction of the rounded particles into each cell;
• vibrating the rounded particles in each cell in order to pack the rounded particles more tightly in each cell;
• and
• fixing the rounded particles to adhere to each other and to the cells at the particular depth.