Search Results

The challenges concerning noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) performance in the vehicle cabin have been significantly changed by the powertrain shift from a conventional drive unit with an internal-combustion engine (ICE) to electric drive units (eAxles). However, there is few research regarding the impact of electrification on NVH considering the influence of the context such as multi-stimuli and traffic rules during a real-life driving. In this study, the authors conducted test drives using EVs and ICEVs on public roads in Europe and conducted a statistical analysis of the difference in driver impression of NVH performance based on interviews during actual driving. The impression data were categorized into clusters corresponding to related phenomena or features based on driver comments. Furthermore, the vehicles data (vehicle speed, acceleration, GPS information, etc.) were recorded to associate the driver impressions with the vehicle’s conditions when the comments were made.

In order to efficiently enhance engine sound quality under acceleration, the authors have developed an evaluation method for primary judgment of the sound quality of engine combustion noise at the stage of advanced engine development before the prototype vehicle is built. This method is an application of an existing method for evaluating the sound quality of engine combustion noise in vehicle interiors to the evaluation of noise and vibration at an engine acoustic test bench. In this method, it is necessary to consider the air-borne and the structure-borne components separately. The analysis procedure for the air-borne component is as follows. First, the sound pressure at a point 1 m away from the engine and the in-cylinder pressure of each cylinder are measured simultaneously in a semi-anechoic engine dynamometer test chamber. Next, the signal correlated with engine combustion is extracted from the measured sound pressure using the time domain combustion noise separation method.

This report will introduce a new engine sound design concept and propose a design process. In sound design for automotive development of popular vehicles, it is common to seek to enhance the state of the existing marketed vehicle in order to meet further demands from customers. For standout models such as sports vehicles and flagship vehicles, sound design commonly reflects the sound ideals of the manufacturer’s branding or engineers. Each case has common point that the sound direction is determined by itself clearly. However, in this way, it is difficult to create abstract concept sound. Because it is no direction for the sound. Therefore, this paper examines ways to achieve a new sound that satisfies a sound concept based on an unprecedented abstract concept “wood”. The reason why sound concept is “wood”, it is the difficult to make as a new engine sound and good study to reveal usefulness of new sound design process.

To increase the efficiency of measures targeting combustion noise in complete vehicle development, the authors developed a new sound quality evaluation method by combining two known methods: the time domain combustion noise separation method (T-CNSM) and a psychoacoustic metric, fluctuation intensity. The T-CNSM was applied to the vehicle interior noise, allowing for precise extraction of the combustion contribution in the time domain. Furthermore, the T-CNSM has enabled a sound quality check of combustion noise using a headphone-playback system. The procedure of this method is as follows. Firstly, simultaneous measurement of vehicle interior noise and in-cylinder pressure of each cylinder is carried out under acceleration. Afterward, the application of digital signal processing using Fourier transform and multiple regression analysis to the measured data extracts the contribution of combustion noise from the vehicle interior noise in the time domain.

A technique was created to separate the contributions of combustion noise and mechanical noise to engine noise in the time domain in order to achieve efficient measures for enhancing the sound quality of combustion noise. There is an existing technique based on 1/3 octave band analysis that is known as a method for separating the contributions to engine radiation noise, but this technique cannot provide time-domain data. Therefore, the author has proposed a technique that separates engine radiation noise into combustion noise and mechanical noise in the time domain by finding the combustion noise for each cylinder and calculating its structural response function by considering its real and imaginary components. Results of analysis of actual engine radiation noise with this technique confirmed that combustion noise, which is characterized by strong pulsation, and irregular mechanical noise can be separated in the time domain with good precision.

A low fuel consumption 1.8L 4-Cylinder gasoline engine was developed as the new generation i-Series power plant. The engine utilizes variable valve timing and lift, which produces low fuel consumption by delayed intake valve closing, while still achieving high power. In addition, this light weight and compact engine's high power was increased by using a variable length intake manifold and modified engine technologies. Using a two-bed catalytic converter installed immediately adjacent to the cylinder head and other new technologies, this engine achieved LEV II ULEV certification. Engine noise has been reduced through a reduction in the level of crank rattling by increasing the rigidity of the crank support in the lower block.