Sound and Vibration Rental FAQ

The Modal Shop has a warehouse full of quality, calibrated equipment to serve as solutions to your challenges. Our Rental Program formed the foundation of our business. After 30+ years serving the sound and vibration community, our range of test equipment continues to grow each year. As part of the PCB Group of companies, we bring you access to market leading, precision instrumentation. From an extensive selection of accelerometers available across a wide frequency range to modal and vibration shakers to sound level meters, we are here to help simplify your testing needs.

We’ve worked with customers around the globe to develop a process that is both quick and efficient. With your requested date of arrival in hand, we will determine the appropriate type of shipment. Your rental will not technically begin until you have the equipment in hand – we want you to have as much time for testing as possible. When you’re ready to return your rental, our team is here to assist you with paperwork and commercial invoicing. Once the equipment is received at our warehouse, your rental will be at an end. Simple, straightforward, designed to make your testing as easy as possible.

We understand test. We know the complexity of the work you are doing. As a group of engineers, we have had the same experiences. Our application engineering team provides the expertise to help you solve the challenges ahead. This knowledge, coupled with an extensive range of available equipment, will ensure that you have the right instrumentation for your test… every time. Sensor rentals come with an accredited calibration – all rentals come with the accessories you’ll need for a successful test.

Click here to download a copy of the Sound and Vibration Rental Selection Guide. You can also browse through our site for the most up-to-date information on all available equipment. If there is something specific you are interested in renting, but don’t see on our site, please contact our team. We are often able to help with special requests!

For requests outside of the USA or Canada, please contact us.

Data sheets and links to many products can be found on our website or via our sister companies’ sites (www.pcb.com and www.larsondavis.com). If there are items you’re interested in that aren’t listed or you would like datasheets to be faxed or mailed to you, please contact us at +1 513.351.9919 or email rentalteam@modalshop.com.

You can contact your direct field sales person or representative, or feel free to speak to an Application Engineer at The Modal Shop – 800.860.4867, +1 513.351.9919 or e-mail rentalteam@modalshop.com.

Contact us at The Modal Shop, 10310 Aerohub Boulevard, Cincinnati OH 45215. Phone +1 513-351-9919. General sales requests can be made through rentalteam@modalshop.com. International rentals may be placed with the appropriate international distributor. Within the European Union, you are welcome to contact our office at PCB Europe: rental@pcb-europe.de OR by phone at +49 2433 444 440 88.

Please check here for international contacts of local direct sales employees, direct representatives, and international distributors.

Upon four contiguous months of rental, 40% of paid rental fees apply toward buyout of the rented product, up to 80% of the purchase cost at fair market value. Additionally, rental and demo units that are fully inspected and warranted may be available at discounted rates.

Many specialty use or older products have been omitted from the current price list. Depending on potential market, new items will be considered at any time. Please contact a Modal Shop Application Engineer with any special requests – +1 513.351.9919 or e-mail rentalteam@modalshop.com.

For each rental order placed, a Rental Agreement (see sample) is faxed along with the Terms and Conditions of our rental program. Please review the Rental Agreement carefully, as it details the shipping, billing and product information as understood by The Modal Shop (i.e., it indicates our order acceptance and confirmation). A signed fax return sheet is required for the rental to ship. This indicates agreement with details listed on the Rental Agreement and to our Terms and Conditions.

Certain items may be reserved for testing, even months in advance. Typically these include large data acquisition or excitation systems, meters or analyzers used for consulting projects, large quantities of transducers, or specialty transducers.

Rentals begin one day after the equipment has been shipped, and end the day they are received at The Modal Shop.

Depending on the product, certain long-term discounts may apply if the rental period is fixed from the rental start date.

You don’t need to contact The Modal Shop to extend your rental, unless the rental had a fixed return date or a Modal Shop representative has contacted you and requested a return. Invoices will be automatically sent each rental period for PO orders; credit card orders will be billed accordingly.

If you do not have credit with us but do have active approved credit with PCB or any PCB Group company, please indicate this when placing a rental order. If you do not have approved credit with The Modal Shop, request a New Customer Credit Application from any Application Engineer at The Modal Shop. This one-page form can be completed in a minimal amount of time and can be approved within hours. You can download this form here and return via fax. You can respond with your own form provided it has your company details, tax ID number, bank reference with contact details, and three trade references with address and contact details.

Puchase Orders with Net 30 terms are accepted from any company with an open account and approved credit from The Modal Shop. Visa, MasterCard and American Express card orders are also accepted for rental from anyone with approved credit as well. Please note that all American Express orders are billed through PCB Piezotronics, Inc.

Depending on the product mix and amount of testing required, one to two days is typically requested to assure on-time delivery. Orders for small quantities of in-stock product can be tested and shipped same-day in urgent situations. Large rentals and systems may take longer for testing.

Shipping costs are not included in rental fees. Select any standard UPS, FedEx or equivalent options for delivery, and charges are added to the invoice or credit card bill accordingly. Urgent shipments can be made via a same-day shipper such as Delta Dash for a nominal handling charge added to the shipment fee.

Your responsibility for the rental equipment begins when we ship and ends when we receive the equipment back at The Modal Shop. Typically, business insurance will cover the product while you are responsible for it for loss or damage. You should check with your insurance provider to check your individual coverage.

Rental returns can be shipped in original containers to The Modal Shop, 10310 Aerohub Boulevard, Cincinnati OH 45215 USA. Products are tracked by serial/ID numbers, and shipments can be marked "Attn: Rental Return." Please visit our International Rental Returns page more information on shipment preparation, customs clearance and commercial invoices.

The Modal Shop has internal calibration intervals set for most test products at 1 year. ANSI/ISO/IEC 17025:2000 makes clear that it is the responsibility of the end-user organization (in this case, the renter) to determine the appropriate calibration interval under the requirements of its own quality system. Per this, calibration certificates of rented equipment have "calibrated on" dates, but blank "calibration due" dates. Rentals ship with a customer specific expected return date in mind – if equipment is expected out for 5 months, the last calibration date will be within the past 7 months. Calibration to additional standards (e.g. Z540 or specific FAA requirements) are possible, there may be an additional charge.

Rental products are functionally checked prior to each shipment and upon every rental return.