Using NVH System Prediction for Early Design and Virtual Prototyping

Expert-created libraries save time, reduce bottlenecks in test and simulation applications

Published: Wednesday, January 5, 2022 - 12:02

Siemens Digital Industries Software introduces System NVH Prediction, a new Simcenter software application. It can bring the benefits of a comprehensive digital-twin approach to accurately and easily predict the interior and exterior noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance of a vehicle before a physical prototype is available. The application works for any type of vehicle: hybrid, fully electric, or internal combustion engine (ICE).

The Simcenter application helps engineers front load full-vehicle NVH analysis and detect potential component NVH performance issues earlier by using measured and simulated component models to build a virtual prototype assembly. Simcenter is part of Xcelerator, Siemens’ integrated portfolio of software, services, and application development platform.

In today’s automotive manufacturing market, NVH engineers need a new level of tools to carry out the in-depth analysis required to optimize performance. Electrification means the powertrains of today (and tomorrow) are much quieter than ICE units, so they won’t mask noise sources such as tires or auxiliaries such as HVAC systems and wipers. Meanwhile, the need for greater numbers of variants means that building physical prototypes for every variant within a reasonable time frame and budget is impossible.

Simcenter uses a systems-engineering approach to enable the rapid creation of multiple vehicle variants. System-level component models based on test and/or simulation data are created by NVH experts and published to a library. These take advantage of the latest technology, such as component-based transfer path analysis, which allows engineers to characterize the NVH sources independently from the final receiver, to ensure that they are validated, scalable, and reliable.

These validated components can then be rapidly assembled by non-NVH experts to represent a new variant, and performance assessment can begin, reducing setup times to a matter of minutes. This systems-based approach allows rapid reuse of available data and expertise by a much wider community of users within an organization. By enabling non-experts to conduct performance prediction studies, it facilitates NVH performance assessments at all stages of vehicle development.

“Test and simulation teams need to work closely to ensure quality in the face of a shortened development cycle and reduced budgets for multiple physical prototypes,” says Patrick Corbeels, product manager at Siemens Digital Industries Software. “Our new NVH prediction tools democratize access to this technology by allowing expert-created libraries to be used efficiently by anyone who needs them, saving time and reducing bottlenecks in the test and simulation process.”

About The Author

Siemens PLM Software

Siemens PLM Software, a business unit of the Siemens Industry Automation Division, is a global provider of product life-cycle management (PLM) software. PLM is the platform for turning more ideas into successful products because only PLM can provide the application depth and breadth needed to digitally author, validate, and manage the detailed product and process data necessary to support continuous innovation. Headquartered in Plano, Texas, Siemens PLM has 51,000 customers worldwide.