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The application of computers to design analysis has improved product knowledge. This paper discusses two applications of computer-aided design analysis that improves the productivity of engineers and analysts. The first application discussed is that of structural boundary elements. In the last few decades domain discretization techniques such as the finite element method have been used extensively for design analysis. Surface discretization techniques such as the boundary element method offer significant advantages over the finite element method in terms of modelling effort required and relative accuracy achieved for a given mesh density. The second application is the solution of inverse thermal problems. This technique aids in the determination of temperature distribution of a component, given some experimentally obtained temperature data.

A digital signal processing method is employed to generate mobility functions and acoustic transfer functions. The acoustic transfer function is defined as the sound pressure level per unit force at the cab mount. Peaks in the driving point mobility function) measured at the cab mount locations, correlate with peaks in the acoustic transfer function. These functions were evaluated in the frequency range 50–1000 Hz where truck interior noise is strongly influenced by structural vibration. Reducing the mobility leads to a reduction in the acoustic transfer function. A method for evaluating bracket structural changes was determined and some general design guidelines established for the reduction of truck interior noise.