Uses for IAC Automotive Acoustic & NVH Test Chambers
IAC Acoustics test chambers and enclosures are typically designed and used for:
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Automotive Test Chambers / NVH
Controlled Acoustic Environment • Repeatable Test Accuracy • Proven Build Quality • Single Source Responsibility
IAC Acoustics designs and manufactures test chambers and structures that provide specific controlled acoustical environments in which to perform accurate and repeatable testing for NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) research and automotive production line quality control.
IAC Acoustics has been at the forefront of providing acoustic testing facilities to the automotive market. With over 70 years of experience, IAC Acoustics has lead the way through innovation and were the first company to introduce a metal-clad anechoic wedge for use in NVH testing facilities.
Acoustic Test Enclosures for Buzz, Squeak, and Rattle (BSR) Testing
BSR testing is used in the automotive industry primarily, to describe tests that measure and evaluate unwanted transient noises from a vehicle. This includes sounds that may be perceived as annoying and unwanted. BSR testing usually includes both a perceptive assessment, and an objective measurement. The topic of sound quality is very important in this area of acoustics. Rather than focusing on a sound pressure measurement, sound quality metrics are used such as loudness, tonality, roughness, and others. BSR testing may be performed either in the field or in a test lab. It may also be measured using the entire vehicle, sub-assembly, or individual component levels. IAC Acoustics enclosures are designed to support repeatable, low noise floor requirements for BSR testing.
Quiet Shaker Testing
A quiet shaker is a tool that is typically used to excite (vibrate) a component or assembly of components to identify potential BSR events. The shaker is designed to have a very low noise level. When the shaker is in operation, the low background noise allows the assessment of only the BSR events of the device under test. This avoids signal to noise issues due to the test equipment. Usually, an assessment of the sound is recorded by the operator based on perception, as well as an objective measurement using sound quality metrics. It is critical to design the shaker and supporting fixtures to be very light and stiff, so that structural resonances do not interfere with the device under test. Several important parameters for a quiet shaker are the maximum mass it can excite, max. acceleration, and max. displacement. The maximum allowable noise is also specified, usually in both sound pressure level (dBA) and loudness (sones).
Acoustical Cabinet for AC Wheel Dyno
This high-performance, close fitting acoustic cabinet was custom designed for an OEM provider of testing and data acquisition systems for a major chassis and driveline R&D facility. The design incorporated easily removable sections for access and interchangeable axle interfaces to allow vehicle type flexibility.
In cases where constraints place the wheel dynamometer inside the chamber, these IAC Acoustics enclosures control the dyno sound to provide optimization of the powertrain and driveline component testing.
Relevant Test Standards
IAC Acoustics designs and manufactures acoustic testing facilities to meet a large range of requirements.
Some frequently used standards that summarize the acoustic performance requirements of the test facilities are summarized here, along with links to relevant product information.
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Case Studies
Toyota Boshoku - Moduline NVH Test Enclosure
When Toyota manufacturing plants in Indiana and Illinois faced recent noise control concerns in their testing process, they looked to IAC Acoustics, whom they had successfully worked with in other factories across the country in the past, to provide a solution.
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Acoustic Test Enclosure at Fisher Dynamics
Fisher Dynamics, an automotive seat manufacturer, needed to perform acoustic measurements with a low noise electrodynamic shaker by MB Dynamics. The measurement space performance requirements were very strict to capture small buzz, squeak, and rattle (BSR) noises from tested products under specific vibration excitation profiles.
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