Altair > Case Studies > Predicting & Eliminating Squeak & Rattle Noise at FIAT with IoT

Predicting & Eliminating Squeak & Rattle Noise at FIAT with IoT

Technology Category

Analytics & Modeling - Digital Twin / Simulation
Cybersecurity & Privacy - Identity & Authentication Management

Applicable Industries

Automotive
Buildings

Applicable Functions

Product Research & Development
Quality Assurance

Use Cases

Manufacturing Process Simulation
Virtual Training

Services

Testing & Certification
Training

About The Customer

FIAT is one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers with operations around the globe and a history dating back to 1899. Based in Italy, FIAT has invested in the South American market for many years, building engineering and manufacturing facilities in several countries on the continent. FIAT’s Belo Horizonte facility in Brazil houses an experienced engineering team responsible for the development of region-specific vehicles. This responsibility includes the study of noise, vibration, and harshness (NVH) in the vehicles and the effect this has on the ride quality of the FIAT range.

The Challenge

FIAT, one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers, faced a significant challenge in accurately simulating and eliminating squeak and rattle noise in their passenger cars. These noises, which occur when two parts of an assembly are in relative motion due to a specific excitation load, were often interpreted by customers as a lack of quality in the product. Previously, FIAT had only been able to study the potential for these noises by testing physical components produced using near-final designs. If any noise issues were discovered, the team could only apply quick fixes, which were often time-consuming and costly. FIAT’s NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) Department wanted to explore the potential of studying squeak and rattle during the virtual design stage, using a simulation-based methodology that could be implemented inside a tool around which they could build a new design process.

The Solution

FIAT partnered with Altair ProductDesign to perform a pilot project to investigate squeak and rattle. The project focused on studying issues on the FIAT UNO, a vehicle made exclusively for the South American market. Altair ProductDesign worked with FIAT’s NVH group to implement Altair’s Squeak and Rattle Director (SNRD), a comprehensive set of software automations that rapidly identify and analyze design alternatives to eliminate the root causes of squeak and rattle in assemblies. The solution provided a semi-automated approach to determine relative component displacements in the time domain that could lead to undesired noise. A four-day workshop and training sessions were held onsite at FIAT’s Belo Horizonte site by Altair Domain Expert, Ismail Benhayoun. This dedicated session facilitated a fast ramp-up of the NVH team’s knowledge of the SNRD and helped Altair to identify FIAT’s specific design process that the solution could be tailored to.

Operational Impact

FIAT’s NVH team is now routinely using the SNRD in its simulation loops with a focus on improving the performance for each system and studying the interfaces between them. The solution allows the team to identify the risk areas for squeak and rattle, and understand the effect of various deviations that could result from the manufactured parts through sensitivity studies. SNRD delivers valuable input for designers by enabling them to find better attachments and boundary conditions for their parts, as well as driving the choice of materials. FIAT’s NVH experts are now able to quickly and accurately study the potential for squeak and rattle phenomena to occur in their vehicles earlier in the development process. Once identified, these issues can be addressed and removed from the final design before physical hardware is produced, leading to significant cost and time savings.

Quantitative Benefit