SEA Model Development Considerations for Cost-Driven or Developing Market Vehicles

In South America and other developing markets the NVH development of a vehicle is often limited by the cost of the sound package components. In an era where cost reduction is crucial not only in developing markets, but also in developed markets where any cost or weight savings is a large competitive advantage, lessons learned from considerations for NVH analysis for vehicle design in developing markets can be applied to vehicle NVH design everywhere. A Statistical Energy Analysis (SEA) model was used to target and identify the dominant paths in need of sound package modifications to decrease the over sound pressure levels and also to identify paths in which sound package (and cost) could be reduced or deleted with no discernable degradation to the overall interior levels. This model will be used to support or challenge ongoing proposed sound package modifications to the vehicle and serve as a baseline template for design phase work for other vehicles of a similar body style.