Characterization of Automotive Seat NVH Performance

Global automotive market is noticing an increase in competition from every corner of automobile world since decades and automotive OEMs are on the front line with this competition. Thus, the need of time for OEMs is to develop and maintain the brand image within the market until the launch of new models. Disparate factors within a car distinctly interlinks the customer perception towards a brand image. However, NVH as a factor equally affects the customer decision while choosing a particular brand as it is easily perceivable by any layman customer. NVH fraternity focuses on vibration induced within tactile locations, (i.e. seat, steering wheel, gear knob and floor) in a car. Among all these, Steering wheel and Seat plays a prominent role as it interdigitate directly towards customer comfort. In this detailed study we have focused on Seat as aggregate providing comfort to customer. This paper deals with the evaluation of a newly designed Seat headrest on seat modal analysis and Ventilation provided in Seat and its noise impression at idle condition.

However, the stipulation for comfort between customers and automobile OEMs instigating countless innovation within a vehicle components and sub-components. The ventilated seat is a paradigm of such an innovation within automobile world. This paper also deals with the study of inside vehicle cabin NVH performance with and without ventilated seat in operating condition. The whole study revolves around the radiated noise through ventilated seat under distinct probable operating conditions by customer throughout a driving cycle. These conditions encompasses idle, idle + AC with different permutations and combinations of HVAC blower speeds along with ventilated seat blower speeds. The effect on radiated noise of ventilated seat with and without human occupancy has also been studied and covered within this research. Moreover, the radiated noise with simultaneous operation of ventilated seats has also been incorporated within this paper. The whole study has been cascaded to component level to evaluate the effect of various subcomponents on ventilated seat NVH performance. These subcomponents consists of ducts, blowers, its positioning and its operating rpm. The whole research directs at target setting and accomplishing the same during project kick off. This in turn reduces development time and cost throughout the project duration of full vehicle NVH refinement.