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An application of variation simulation for predicting vehicle interior driveline vibration is presented. The model, based on a “Monte Carlo”-style approach, predicts the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) response of the vehicle driveline based on distributions of imbalance and runout derived from manufacturing production variation (the forcing function) and the vehicle's sensitivity to the forcing function. The model is used to illustrate the change in vehicle interior vibration that results when changes are made to production variation for runout and imbalance of driveline components, and how those same changes result in different responses based on vehicle sensitivity.

Alternative powertrains, in particular electric and plug-in hybrids, create a wide range of unique and challenging NVH (noise, vibration & harshness) issues in today's automotive industry. Among the emerging engineering challenges from these powertrains, their acoustic performances become more complicated, partially due to reduced ambient masking noise level and light weight structure. In addition, the move away from conventional displacement engines to electrical drive units (EDU) has created a new array of NVH concerns and dynamics, which are relatively unknown as compared to the aforementioned traditional setups. In this paper, an NVH optimization study will be presented, focusing on four distinct factors in electric drive unit gear mesh source generation and radiation: EDU housing and bearing dynamics, gear geometry, EDU shafting torsional dynamics, and EDU housing structure. The study involves intensive FEA modeling/analyses jointly with physical validation tests.

This paper discusses approaches to properly design aluminum axles for optimized NVH characteristics. By effectively using well established and validated FEA and other CAE tools, key factors that are particularly associated with aluminum axles are analyzed and discussed. These key factors include carrier geometry optimization, bearing optimization, gear design and development, and driveline system dynamics design and integration. Examples are provided to illustrate the level of contribution from each main factor as well as their design space and limitations. Results show that an aluminum axle can be properly engineered to achieve robust NVH performances in terms of operating temperature and axle loads.