About Us

Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations provides advanced professional engineering services in the fields of physical acoustics, mechanical vibrations, and noise and vibration control. These related fields include acoustical engineering, noise control engineering, vibration measurements, mechanical vibration control engineering, architectural acoustics engineering, community noise engineering, transportation noise, expert witness, forensic engineering, quiet product research and development, MRI & CT medical imaging site vibration testing measurement, analysis and control, HVAC noise and vibration control engineering, commercial building noise and vibration control engineering, industrial plants and commercial facility noise and vibration control engineering, and other related areas.

Our firm combines advanced technical expertise, knowledge and experience with state of the art measurement and analysis capabilities to provide industry leading acoustical and vibration engineering services. Our engineers are highly qualified and experienced graduate level mechanical engineers and all work is performed by these engineers. Both principals, William (Bill) R. Thornton and William (Will) D. Thornton have obtained their advanced graduate engineering education from Purdue University with concentrations in acoustics, vibrations, and noise. Both engineers performed their graduate studies at Purdue’s prestigious Herrick Laboratories. This highly acclaimed laboratory is world renown and widely recognized for its program in physical acoustics, mechanical vibrations, and noise. The alumni of Herrick Labs read like a who’s who in the field of acoustics, vibrations, and noise control.

Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations is a Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB).

William (Bill) R. Thornton, Ph.D., P.E. combines an extensive business and management background (including an MBA) with over 45 years of advanced engineering experience into a pragmatic engineering approach that guides his scientific problem solving methodology to achieve focused, efficient and cost-effective solutions. Bills’ unique approach, developed and fine-tuned over his extensive career, allows him to leverage his knowledge, talents and experience to reduce the overall project cost.

William (Will) D. Thornton M.S.M.E. also combines decades of engineering experience and knowledge with the most advanced, state of-the art scientific and technical tools and capabilities to deliver industry leading solutions. Will integrates leading edge science and engineering with practical experience and knowledge.

Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations has an extensive inventory of modern instruments and test equipment. This talented team own & maintain their own equipment for a high level of quality control and the utmost in performance. No rentals! Instruments are state-of-the-art and top-of-the-line which are used to tackle both difficult and mundane problems. When these advanced instruments are coupled with their high level of expertise, their diagnostic field measurements and testing lead to practical and sometimes unique solutions. They solve problems efficiently by minimizing the total project cost and time, and effectively by achieving the correct goal with the appropriate solution. They produce highly competitive results in the least amount of time and for the lowest cost in most cases. Most importantly, they produce the correct solution!

All work is performed TAV engineers, no junior engineers, technicians or “acoustical consultants”. An acoustical engineer can be a technician but a technician cannot be an acoustical engineer. TAV is a professional engineering firm; when you retain their talented engineering services, you get an elite team of highly-qualified and proficient acoustical and vibration engineers instead of unqualified acoustical consultants. (Note that the commonly used title “acoustical consultant” does not require any specific education, training or credentials whereas the title engineer does). Always keep in mind that a Professional Engineer (PE) can be consulting engineer but a consultant cannot be a consulting engineer. Why settle for second best? Contact us.

TAV engineers also teach a range of engineering courses including the highly successful AVNC applied acoustics, noise & vibration control short course series. We find that teaching allows us to continually evolve with the fields of acoustics, vibrations and noise and vibration control and to stay at the forefront of our field.

This niche field of acoustical engineering is rife with many inter-related titles that are often used by our clients to describe what we do. Commonly used titles include acoustical engineer, architectural acoustics engineer, noise control engineer, acoustical consultant, community noise engineer, sound and vibration engineer, sound control engineer, vibration control engineer HVAC noise and vibration control engineer, MRI test and measurement engineer, sound quality engineer, acoustics and noise expert witness, and acoustical forensic engineer.

Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations, Consulting Engineers in Acoustics Vibrations and Noise Control, works throughout North America. The professional practice of Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations provides consulting acoustical engineering adn vibration engineering services throughout North America. Many of our most regular clients are located in the large geographical area surrounding Pittsburgh PA. These include the cities of Cleveland OH, Erie PA, Altoona PA, State College PA, Wheeling WV, Akron OH, Columbus OH, Dayton OH, Parkersburg WV, Charleston WV, Buffalo NY, Rochester NY, Beckley WV, Cumberland MD, Winchester VA, Washington DC, Philadelphia PA, Allentown PA, Harrisburg PA, Hazelton PA, Weirton WV, Clarksburg WV, Greenburg PA, Uniontown PA, Johnstown PA, Youngstown OH, Lima OH, Toledo OH, Wilkes-Barre PA, Williamsport PA, Hagerstown MD, Somerset PA, Lancaster PA, Huntington WV, Mansfield OH, Bellville PA, Jamestown NY, Bradford PA, Olean NY, Bedford PA, Dubois PA, Corning NY, Frederick MD, Martinsburg WV, Moundsville WV, Canton OH, Norfolk VA, Richmond VA, Gettysburg PA, and Bridgeport OH. The consulting engineering practice of Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations provides services int he related fields of acoustical engineering, noise control engineering, vibration control engineering, architectural acoustics engineering, building noise and vibration control, community noise engineering, environmental impact consulting, industrial & commercial facility noise & vibration control, MRI and CT site vibration measurements and control, HVAC and mechanical system noise & vibration control, comprehensive sound and vibration measurement and testing, expert witness and forensic engineering, quiet product research and development. Thornton Acoustics & Vibrations offers these consulting engineering services to clients throughout North America. We have completed more than 1500 acoustics, vibrations, and noise control projects over the last four decades. We provide consulting acoustical engineering and vibration engineering services to cities throughout North America that include Portland ME, Sidney NS, Boston MA, Montpelier VT, Quebec City QC, Toronto ON, Providence RI, Albany NY, New York NY, New York City NY including the five boroughs of Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island, Long Island NY,, Philadelphia PA, Washington DC, Michigan City IN, Columbus OH, Charleston WV, Richmond VA, Montgomery AL, Raleigh NC, Norfolk VA, Columbia SC, Atlanta GA, Birmingham AL, Detroit MI, Milwaukee WI, Chicago IL, Nashville TN, Memphis TN, Kansas City MO, Saint Louis MO, Jacksonville FL, Miami FL, Orlando FL, Little Rock AK, Chattanooga TN, Jackson MS, New Orleans LA, Des Moines IW, Houston TX, San Antonio TX, Dallas TX, Fort Worth TX, Oklahoma City OK, Tulsa OK, Salt Lake City UT, Ogden UT, Boise ID, Las Vegas NV, Reno NV, Portland OR, Seattle WA, Calgary AB, Prince Rupert BC, Montreal CN, Waterbury CT, Watertown NY, Rochester NY, Mississauga ON, Newark NJ, Manhattan NY, Allentown PA, Bethlehem PA, Easton PA, South Bend IN, Cartersville GA, Snellville GA, Augusta GA, Hopewell VA, Painted Post NY, Cookeville TN, Lancaster PA, Atlantic City NJ, Dover DE, Petersburg VA, Charlottesville VA, Danville PA, Lynchburg VA, South Boston VA, Greensboro NC, Salisbury NC, Concord NC, Charlotte NC, Beckley WV, Asheville NC, China Grove NC, Greenville NC, Lexington NC, Knoxville TN, Roswell GA, Evansville IN, Madisonville KY, Winston Salem NC, Jasper AL. Corinth MS, Maumelle AR, Lake Charles LA, Beaumont TX, Lulling LA, Mobile AL, Baytown TX, Waco TX, Wichita Falls TX, Davenport IA, Peoria IL, Gaylord MI, Traverse City MI, Waukesha WI, Montpelier IA, Suitland MD, Everett WA, Tacoma WA, Edmonton CN, Vancouver CN, Crystal River FL, Elmira NY, Corning NY, Binghamton NY, Utica NY, Harford CT, Brooklyn NY, Long Island NY, West Hampton NY, Hermitage TN, Greensboro NC, Solon OH, Axis AL, El Dorado AR, Rochester NY, Burns Harbor IN, Lewisburg TN, Kingsport TN, Galax VA, Perth Amboy NJ, Cincinnati OH, White Bluff TN, Charleston SC, Regina SK, Gainesville FL, Sunbury PA, Clarks Summit PA, Massillon OH, Noblesville IN, Coshocton OH, Shaker Heights OH, Newport News VA, Monroe NY, Somers Point NJ, Deer Park NY, Woodbury NJ, Logan WV, Salisbury MD, Greene NY, St. Paul MN, Madison WI, Ludlow VT, Neenah WI, Berkeley NC, LaGrange GA, Hendersonville NC, Worthington OH, Norman OK, Moundsville WV, Robinson IL, San Angelo TX, Lewisburg TN, Benwood WV, Jersey City NY, Maineville OH, Bridgeport AL, Burlington VT, Concord NH, Trenton NJ, Baltimore MD, Buffalo NY, Syracuse NY, Durham NC, Fayetteville NC, Savannah GA, Coral Springs FL, Fort Lauderdale FL, Tampa FL, Tallahassee FL, Baton Rouge LA, Columbus GA, Huntsville AL, Athens GA, Lexington KY, Louisville KY, Dayton OH, Akron OH, Indianapolis IN, Fort Wayne IN, Ann Arbor MI, , Gary IN, Rockford IL, Cedar Rapids IA, Livonia MI, Flint MI, Grand Rapids MI, Green Bay WI, Winnipeg CN, Bismarck ND, Sioux Falls SD, Omaha NE, Topeka KS, Wichita KS, Cheyenne WY, Fort Collins CO, Denver CO, Colorado Springs CO, Santa Fe NM, Amarillo TX, Lubbock TX, Abilene TX, Springfield MO, Shreveport LA, Port Arthur TX, Orange TX, Austin TX, Corpus Christi TX, Brownsville TX, Albuquerque NM, Tucson AZ, Phoenix AZ, San Diego CA, Flagstaff AZ, Provo UT, Billings MT, Boise ID, Ogden UT, Helena MT, Spokane WA, Olympia WA, Eugene OR, Lake Tahoe NV, Carson City NV, Sacramento CA, San Francisco CA, San Jose CA, Bakersfield CA, Los Angeles CA, San Diego CA, Beaverton OR, Pocatello ID, Casper WY, Great Falls MT, Pueblo CO, Midland TX, Odessa TX, Fort Smith AR, Saint Joseph MO, Lincoln NE, Minneapolis MN, Fargo ND, Thunder Bay CN, Appleton WI, Dubuque IA, Tuscaloosa AL, Greenville SC, Johnson TN, Saginaw MI, Ottawa CN, Schenectady NY, Stamford CT, and other smaller cities and towns throughout North America. Look for us in any and all of these cities and towns in North America where we provide noise & vibration control and acoustical engineering services.