Evaluation of invariant structural and acoustic loads estimation methods to be used in vehicle platform development independent to the boundary conditions of load generation.

Platform based vehicle development is standardized at Deere. The challenges of frontloading the integration effects of individual components within different platforms using predictive methods is key to shorten the development cycle. Components are generally characterized on test benches and can not directly be used to evaluate system performance. Invariant characterization is needed which is possible through techniques such as blocked loads estimation. To evaluate the applicability of such methods, the test stand based, and vehicle in-situ operational loads needs to be compared. The confident use of these methods for structural and acoustic loads enables the use of combination of test and simulation models of common components and system modules in a variety of products, enhancing early NVH response predictions. In this work, we compare a powertrain characterization in a vehicle and a test stand to assess the invariance of the operating mount structural loads as well as operating acoustic loads. The objective of this work was to enable the confident use of test stand measurements in predictive models of various vehicle platforms which might utilize that specific powertrain. The following milestones will be discussed: 1. Compute the acoustic and structural invariant loads produced by the powertrain at the powertrain interfaces in a vehicle application. 2. Compute the acoustic and structural invariant loads produced by the same powertrain at its interfaces on a test stand. 3. Compare the computed loads to verify their invariant nature and discuss discrepancies. 4. Apply the invariant loads to a vehicle model using FRF-based sub-structuring techniques for predictive analysis.