PDT Application: Systematic Decision Tool for Seeking Optimum NV Performance

The Noise and Vibration (NV) development for interior quietness as related to air-borne noise of a new automobile typically undergoes several stages where each stage can consist of various prototypes. Along with these development stages, all the performance at various level such as Completely Built-Up (CBU) level to parts level need to be appropriately evaluated in order to satisfy the both demands of NV performance and weight reduction. Additionally, since the development time is limited, the performance progression through the development needs to be tracked and can be easily compared for an efficient development. Performance Design Tool (PDT) is a comprehensive vehicle development management system that allows NV engineers to establish a systematic process to make sound design decisions by creating a platform where the vehicle model performance is easily managed and analyzed. In PDT, the Energy Transmission Loss (ETL), which is a metric established by HONDA for the system performance analysis, has been further developed by collaborating with Hybrid Statistical Energy Analysis (HSEA) model, and it enables engineers to analyze more details of system performance. This paper will illustrate this systematic process by applying it to a vehicle model where new sound pressure level (SPL) targets are to be met. It will show the use of one of the key functions in PDT to automatically allocate the required body performance in order to meet the new SPL targets. This information is translated into ETL levels and by comparing ETLs, a systematic and quick process has been established to find effective systems for countermeasure. The example in this paper concludes that the vehicle model achieves the SPL target by following this systematic process.