Combining Accelerated Laboratory Durability with Squeak and Rattle Evaluation

The laboratory test method described in this paper combines a standard squeak and rattle evaluation technique with accelerated durability cycling. The paper discusses the test setup and control method, the choice of measurement location, and the technique enabling an equivalent customer usage life of durability cycling to be compressed into weeks rather than months or years. In addition, the industry has already developed temperature and humidity profiles for instrument panel testing and the paper suggests how these can be added to the durability cycling and squeak and rattle evaluation to produce a more complete test.