Consumer demand for improved quality and reliability has prompted automobile manufacturers worldwide to perform comprehensive buzz, squeak and rattle testing for annoying noises. Components and assemblies such as instrument panels, wing mirrors and vehicle interiors are tested. The OEMs and top-tier suppliers often strive to test as large assemblies as possible, up to 1/2 buck and 1/4 buck vehicle structures.
Depending on the payload under test, a typical system for BSR testing comprises of a V780 shaker with customized fixtures, for example, one for mounting a dashboard. In addition to the shaker system itself, array-based noise source identification and sound engineering technologies are necessary for in-depth detection, validation and improvements of squeak and rattle performance.