Physical Acoustics Corporation

What Physical Acoustics Corporation does

Physical Acoustics Corporation (PAC) designs and manufactures acoustic emission (AE) sensors, preamplifiers, data acquisition systems, software, and turnkey structural health monitoring (SHM) solutions for nondestructive testing (NDT) applications. Founded in 1968 and headquartered in Princeton Junction, New Jersey, the company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of MISTRAS Group, Inc. (NYSE: MG). PAC's core technology "listens" to high-frequency acoustic signals emitted by materials under stress to detect, characterize, and locate defects such as cracks, corrosion, leaks, partial discharge, and metal-to-metal impact events. Its product portfolio spans more than 45 SKUs organized around the AE workflow: sensors (PK-Series, R-Series, Micro, Nano, S9225 miniature, ISR intrinsically safe, and underwater R30I-UC rated to 300 m), portable systems (Pocket AE, Pocket AE-Power, Pocket CORPAC, USB AE Node), multi-channel acquisition chassis (Express-8, Sensor Highway III supporting 200+ channels, Micro-II, Industrial Express, PCI-2), preamplifiers (including the 1222HF radiation-hardened to 2 Mrad for nuclear environments), and software (AEwin, AEwin64, and NOESIS with pattern recognition and neural networks). Turnkey systems address specific verticals: DaisAE wireless SHM for bridges, pipelines, and tank bottoms; AMS for HRSG tube leak detection; POWERPAC for power transformer testing; SteamPAC and VPAC II for valve leak quantification; LPMS for nuclear reactor cooling; and the Triple 5 System for boiler monitoring.

The company serves operators of critical energy, industrial, and public infrastructure, with primary verticals in aerospace (FAA-validated composite panel testing, Drexel University research partnership), power generation (HRSG, transformers, valves), nuclear (loose parts monitoring, radiation-hardened sensors), and electronics manufacturing (CISCO pad cratering detection). Certifications including ATEX, IECEx, IP65/IP66, and ASNT/ASTM standards leadership position PAC in hazardous and safety-critical environments.

PAC generates revenue through three streams: one-time hardware sales of AE systems and instruments, one-time software licenses for AEwin/AEwin64 and NOESIS, and consumable/accessory sales (couplants, cables, magnetic hold downs, waveguides). Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly disclosed. Distribution is hybrid: direct enterprise sales via phone and email ([email protected]) for custom and large-channel-count systems, supplemented by a BigCommerce e-commerce storefront for portable and accessory products. Marketing centers on the corporate website (technical documentation, application briefs, video demonstrations), social channels (Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube), the MISTRAS newsletter, and earned media in trade publications such as World Pipelines and Composites World. Key strategic relationships include co-development with the FAA and Drexel University on aerospace AE, and an EPRI-sponsored collaboration that produced the POWERPAC transformer testing system.

Name

Physical Acoustics Corporation

Legal name

Physical Acoustics Corporation

Website

https://physicalacoustics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Physical Acoustics Corporation, a MISTRAS Group subsidiary founded in 1968, designs and manufactures acoustic emission sensors, data acquisition systems, and turnkey structural health monitoring solutions for nondestructive testing in aerospace, power generation, nuclear, and industrial infrastructure.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nondestructive Testing and Structural Health Monitoring Equipment

NAICS

Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance (8112)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Measuring & Controlling Devices, Nec (3829)

akta.pro primary industry

NDT/NDE Inspection Equipment (Ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, thermography) (IMAGAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

NDT/Inspection & Testing Services (Aviation) (IMABALAJ), Leak Detection, Emissions & LDAR Testing (OGI, methane, fugitive emissions) (EUAEAHAL), Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) & Advanced Inspection (Phased Array, TOFD, Guided Wave) (EUAEAKAF), Structural & Civil Inspection (Steel, Concrete, Foundations) (EUAEAHAI)

Keywords

• Acoustic emission sensors
• Nondestructive testing equipment
• Structural health monitoring
• AE data acquisition systems
• Leak detection instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Princeton Junction

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Acoustic Emission Hardware Systems: Sale of AE sensors, preamplifiers, acquisition units, and complete turnkey systems for nondestructive testing applications
2. Software Licenses: Data acquisition software (AEwin, AEwin64), advanced analysis software (NOESIS), and structural health monitoring software
3. Accessories and Consumables: Cables, couplants, magnetic hold downs, waveguides, and calibration equipment

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Physical Acoustics Corporation designs and manufactures acoustic emission (AE) sensors, preamplifiers, data acquisition units, analysis software, and turnkey structural health monitoring systems used for nondestructive testing (NDT) and continuous asset monitoring. The company provides complete AE solutions — from portable handheld instruments to large-scale multi-channel monitoring platforms with up to 200+ channels — used to detect and locate cracks, corrosion, leaks, and structural defects in critical infrastructure, aerospace components, power generation equipment, and industrial assets.

Product overview

Physical Acoustics Corporation, a MISTRAS Group company since 1968, is a world leader in Acoustic Emission (AE) equipment and non-destructive testing (NDT) products. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio organized around its core AE technology: sensors (PK-Series, R-Series, Micro, Nano, S9225 miniature, ISR intrinsically safe, and underwater sensors), portable systems (Pocket AE, Pocket AE-Power, Pocket CORPAC, USB AE Node), acquisition units and chassis (Express-8, Sensor Highway III, PCI-2, Micro-II, Industrial Express), preamplifiers (PreAmp One, IL-LP, IL40D, IL40S-HT, 1222HF radiation-hardened), and software (AEwin64, AEwin, NOESIS with pattern recognition). Their turnkey monitoring systems include DaisAE (wireless SHM), SMS, AMS for HRSG, Triple 5 System, POWERPAC, and SteamPAC. Specialized instruments include VPAC II for valve leak detection and FieldCal calibrators. Accessories include couplants, cables, magnetic hold downs, and waveguides. The products serve critical infrastructure monitoring across aerospace, energy, nuclear, and industrial sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MISTRAS Data Solutions: Data solutions division offering AE equipment, systems, and software for asset protection and nondestructive testing applications.

Products and services

• PK-Series Sensors Integral, low noise, low power preamplifier sensors for acoustic emission detection across various frequency ranges, used for NDT and structural monitoring applications.
• Pocket AE High-performance, dual-channel portable Acoustic Emission system in a rugged handheld unit, optimal for field survey use with battery operation.
• Pocket AE-Power Portable power transformer testing system for detecting partial discharge and gassing problems in Gas Insulated Substations (GIS) and power transformers.
• Pocket CORPAC Portable non-intrusive localized corrosion testing system that detects active corrosion without taking industrial structures out of service.
• Express-8 AE System PCI Express-based eight-channel AE board and system with higher channel density, designed for large-structure monitoring and field testing with portability.
• Sensor Highway III (SH-III) Outdoor remote on-line monitoring system supporting up to 32 AE channels per system with synchronization capability for over 200 channels.
• USB AE Node Full-featured, low-cost USB Acoustic Emission system that plugs into PC/laptop with maximum portability and USB power connectivity.
• VPAC II Through-valve loss control instrument for acoustic leak detection in pipeline systems, identifying through-valve gas losses and estimating leak rates.
• PreAmp One Versatile acoustic emission preamplifier supporting single-end or differential sensors with configurable gain, filter settings, and AST capability.
• PCI-2 PCI-based two-channel AE board and system with 18-bit A/D, 40 MSample/second acquisition, and 1kHz to 3 MHz bandwidth for research applications.
• AEwin64 64-bit Windows application for real-time simultaneous processing, display, storage, and replay of AE features and waveforms, compatible with MISTRAS AE Systems.
• AEwin Real-time data acquisition and replay software for simultaneous AE feature and waveform processing with 2D and 3D graphing capabilities.
• NOESIS Advanced acoustic emission data analysis software with pattern recognition algorithms and neural networks for automatic data classification.
• DaisAE Wireless acoustic emission system for cost-effective outdoor structural health monitoring of bridges, pipelines, tank bottoms, and transformers.
• AMS for HRSG Heat Recovery Steam Generator monitoring system for 24/7 tube leak detection with real-time data and leak location capabilities, detecting leaks at least two weeks earlier than traditional methods.
• POWERPAC Transformer testing system for detecting particle discharge, thermal faults, and mechanical issues in power transformers using AE technology.
• SteamPAC
• Triple 5 System
• FieldCal
• Micro-II Compact PCI AE chassis supporting up to 32 AE channels with rugged industrial design and remote notebook control capability.
• Micro-II Express
• Industrial Express
• EasyAE Data acquisition and digital signal processing system for acoustic emission applications.
• Micro-SHM Indoor and outdoor structural health monitoring solution for continuous monitoring of critical infrastructure.
• Structural Monitoring System (SMS)
• 1222HF Charge Preamplifier Nuclear radiation hardened charge preamplifier rated up to 2 Mrad gamma TID for AE leak and crack detection in radiation environments.
• Loose Parts Monitoring System (LPMS) Nuclear power plant monitoring system that listens for metal-to-metal impact in reactor cooling systems to prevent hazardous water escape.
• AE2A/AE5A Amplifier

Quantifiable outcome

• Detects tube leaks at least two weeks earlier than traditional methods in HRSG applications
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature12 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• FAA (Federal Aviation Administration)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhysical Acoustics Corp. partnered with the FAA on acoustic emission testing for curved honeycomb panels, validating AE technology for aerospace structural applications.
• Drexel UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Drexel University on acoustic emission testing for curved honeycomb panels, combining academic research with industry expertise.
• EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPOWERPAC transformer testing system was developed under an EPRI-sponsored collaboration, applying AE technology to power transformer monitoring.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• MISTRAS Group, Inc. PAC's publicly traded parent and a broad asset-integrity/NDT platform with global field services. Directly comparable as the parent that bundles AE hardware with inspection services and competes across the same vertical end markets.
• Evident (formerly Olympus Scientific Solutions): Major NDT equipment manufacturer offering phased-array UT, eddy current, radiography, and visual inspection. Competes with PAC on alternative modalities across the same industrial inspection customers.
• Baker Hughes (Krautkramer branded NDT): Baker Hughes' NDT division (including the Krautkramer UT portfolio) provides ultrasonic and other inspection solutions for energy, aerospace, and industrial customers, competing with PAC in the same inspection RFPs.
• Hottinger Brüel & Kjær (HBK): Global leader in sound and vibration measurement, acoustic instrumentation, and structural test. Overlaps with PAC in acoustic sensors, preamps, and data acquisition for industrial and aerospace testing.
• Kistler Group: Manufacturer of piezoelectric sensors, charge amplifiers, and dynamic measurement systems. Comparable to PAC in preamplifier and sensor technology serving industrial and aerospace test customers.
• Fluke Corporation: Industrial test and measurement brand covering electrical, temperature, and vibration diagnostics. Overlaps with PAC at the lower-cost portable field-test end of the market.

Direct peers

• Sonotec GmbH: German-headquartered specialist in acoustic emission sensors, ultrasonic testing, and non-invasive leak detection. Directly competes with PAC in AE sensor and monitoring hardware, including leak-detection use cases.
• Vallen Systeme GmbH: Specialist AE software and acquisition system vendor (VS-800 series) serving safety-critical industrial and aerospace structural monitoring applications. Closest head-to-head competitor to PAC's SH-III and Express-8 product lines.

Emerging players

• Sonatest Ltd: UK-based NDT equipment maker focused on ultrasonic flaw detectors and phased array. Competes in adjacent inspection modalities to AE, often shortlisted alongside PAC in industrial inspection programs.

Others

• National Instruments (now NI): Provider of modular data acquisition and test instrumentation whose boards and software are sometimes used in AE test rigs. Adjacent/competing on the acquisition and software layer rather than on AE-specific sensors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/mistrasgroup
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MISTRASndt/videos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mistras-group-inc

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Physical Acoustics Corporation