Automotive Industry
We work on a variety of projects related to the automotive industry. From vibration and acoustics issues on the drive train of our local electric car manufacturer, Tesla, to diagnosing stress concentrations relating to radiator failure on a high performance aftermarket product using time and frequency domain measurements of acceleration and strain.
Through our years of experience we have developed some specialized vibration testing techniques that we use in locating many hard to find frequency dependent disturbance transmission paths. This testing is an essential part of the debugging process. These techniques involve source characterization, identification and characterization structures responsible for resonant amplification, disturbance transmission path identification, and the frequency dependent response of critical structures and surfaces that radiate disturbance energy as sound. This testing becomes part of our larger understanding of the whole system and its interrelated dynamic couplings. We characterize the problem, analyze the data, report to the engineering team to explain what is happening and why, present various engineering solutions, and/or next steps.
We often use accelerometers to measure response to operating conditions, or to forces applied though our electromagnetic shakers and force hammers. From these tests we identify force transmission paths, and response-per-force characteristics. These frequency response functions (FRFs) are helpful in solving vibration related fatigue issues, acoustic transmission issues, and resonance issues. (see also Diagnostic Testing, Vibration Testing, and Modal and Resonance Testing)
