Electrified powertrains to accelerate vehicle development

“The ANVH 250 enables manufacturers to measure and optimise the NVH characteristics of suspension systems during the vehicle design process, helping to produce a cost effective suspension design that delivers high levels of cabin refinement,” explained Edward Haynes, Chief Engineer - Electric Actuators, at AB Dynamics.

“The ability to assess the suspension at the early design stage over such a large frequency range helps avoid expensive NVH fixes at later stages of a vehicle program. This reduces overall vehicle cost and accelerates product time-to-market.”

The ANVH 250 measures NVH transmission from wheel hubs, through suspension components, to the suspension mounting points. It accurately measures the transmission of vibration, up to 250Hz, from the suspension springs, dampers, linkages, anti-roll bars, and elastomeric bushes.

The performance is achieved by using an innovative and exceptionally stiff frame design in combination with AB Dynamics' high frequency linear actuators, specifically designed for this application. The direct-acting electric linear actuators deliver motion over a frequency, displacement and load range not achievable with any available hydraulic actuator. They are also inherently safer than hydraulics because there is less stored energy in the system.

With the growing popularity of hybrid and electric vehicles leading to reductions in typical cabin background noise levels, it has never been more important to control or eliminate NVH sources from the vehicle suspension and driveline. With the ANVH 250, AB Dynamics has produced an accurate, cost effective, easy to use and reliable test machine that allows fine-tuning to be done at a much earlier stage in the design process, providing manufacturers with an invaluable head start.

The ANVH 250 builds on AB Dynamics’ vast experience in producing laboratory test equipment for the international automotive market with proven products, such as the SPMM, which utilises accurate motion control with precise measurement systems. With an axle installed, two sets of three actuators apply precise motion to each hub at frequencies from 0-250Hz and displacements from +/-0.01 to +/-50mm, while tri-axial load cells measure the forces transmitted to each vehicle attachment point.

The ANVH 250 can apply a range of sinusoidal, random input and road load data displacements, to the axle system. Displacements can be applied to the wheel hubs in pairs or individually in the vertical (Z), longitudinal (X) or lateral (Y) directions. The paired displacements at the hubs can be in phase or in anti-phase.

A graphical user interface allows the operator to easily navigate between different parts of the system to control the machine and configure the test procedure. All data relating to the axles tested and the tests performed, as well as system configuration and instrumentation settings, are stored in an easy to use and search relational database system. Key axle data is entered via the interface screen. The ANVH 250 is supplied with ANVH Grapher. This is a screen-plotting programme that enables results to be viewed as soon as a test is completed so the user can check the test has run successfully.

The rig is suitable for testing the majority of passenger and light commercial vehicles. As an option, the ANVH rig can be supplied with the Dynamic Arm Wheel Position Measurement System (WPMS) for high accuracy measurement of the wheel hub motion in all six degrees of freedom. The Dynamic Arm WPMS was specifically developed for use on AB Dynamics’ SPMM 5000E Kinematics and Compliance test machine.

“Our new ANVH 250 rig is the perfect complement to our existing test products, ensuring that AB Dynamics continues to offer customers a complete range of leading-edge testing technologies to accelerate the development of next-generation vehicles. Our portfolio covers the entire development process including driving simulators, kinematics and compliance (K&C) and track testing,” concluded Edward.