Q2 2010 - Automotive Industries

innovation
Virtual sound By: Ron Charles
Sound and vibration levels in vehicles can now be tested
long before the vehicle comes off the CAD program and
onto the road.
NVH Vehicle Simulator technology makes it possible to conduct
virtual vehicle prototyping for sound and vibration characteristics. At
the start of a vehicle program, it is used to understand sound character
preferences of consumers and to set overall vehicle sound quality
targets. During the entire development cycle, design alternatives,
changes and trade-offs can be simulated to demonstrate the impact
on the sound characteristics of the vehicle. Instead of looking at two
numbers or a graph showing the difference, the engineers
and managers can actually drive a vehicle with the
different design alternatives and evaluate them in
a realistic virtual environment.
David Bogema, senior application
engineer, Brüel & Kjær
North America Inc.
One of the first North American car-manufacturers
to use Brüel & Kjær’s PULSE NVH Simulator is
the Ford Motor Company. “Ford uses the PULSE NVH
Vehicle Simulator to eliminate mistakes up front, reduce the need
for prototyping, shorten the time to market, and produce a product
that not only delivers high-end interior quietness, but also provides
vehicle sounds that are more engaging for the customer,” says
Mark Clapper, technical leader for NVH at Ford.
The NVH Vehicle Simulator is available in three basic
configurations – there is the desktop NVH Simulator used in R&D
offices, which helps design the sounds of the vehicle. Another
version is the full-vehicle NVH Simulator, which combines sound,
vibration and visual scenery in a stationary vehicle body. The third
version is the On-Road Vehicle NVH Simulator, which incorporates
the NVH simulator into an actual drivable vehicle. The sound of the
vehicle driven can be changed by modifying various frequencies,
the harmonic balance of various vehicle components and the
balance of various parts of the vehicle sound such as engine, road
and wind noise.
Nissan is currently using the On-Road Simulator for
developing and evaluating the acoustic environment
and acoustic comfort of new vehicles. “With the
On-road Simulator as a core development tool,
Japan, the US and Europe are already sharing
road noise models for global benchmarking
and target setting. By sharing and comparing
data, we can change the global development
process and get more accurate results
with fewer prototypes,” says David Quinn,
manager of NVH Development, Nissan UK.
The vehicles created in the NVH simulator
can be very simple, accurate models of the
sound at the driver’s position; or they can be
very detailed, created from sound and vibration
data of the specific sources of vehicle sound such
as tires, engine, wind, etc. The data used to create these
vehicle models in the NVH Simulator can come from real vehicles,
component tests or CAE results.
Jaguar Land Rover uses the NVH Simulator in their vehicle
development process, incorporating both CAE and measured
data in their virtual vehicles. “Our CAE colleagues really like the
30 to read full version of AI stories go to www.ai-online.com
The Brüel & Kjær
Desktop NVH
Simulator.