How a Tier 2 tackles NVH

Saint-Gobain invested in anechoic testing so small components can make a big NVH difference.

Saint-Gobain is a company that understands how vital NVH R&D is for perceived quality. Unwelcome noise is a major challenge in premium cars, but it is the minor components that matter. For Saint-Gobain that means particularly its bearings and tolerance rings. The French company, founded in the 17th century, has become so determined these components can assist with reducing vehicle NVH that it has built its own semi-anechoic chamber, hardly a routine investment for a Tier 2 supplier.

Until recently, Saint-Gobain used facilities at European universities and a specialist test site in Germany for NVH development, but its own chamber in the U.K. will help the company to better understand OEMs' systems and improve performance. The ISO 3745- and 3744-compliant facility in Bristol was established with support from Southampton University's Institute of Sound and Vibration Research (ISVR Consulting) and by Brüel & Kjaer, with headquarters near Copenhagen, Denmark.