Altair Embeds Brüel & Kjær Sound Simulation in CAE

Royston, United Kingdom, September 17, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Brüel & Kjær noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) simulation software is now available to automotive designers as a module in Altair HyperWorks CAE design software.

David Mason, Vice President, Global Automotive at Altair, said: “Altair is thrilled to be adding Brüel & Kjær’s software to its NVH portfolio.”

Automotive designers using Altair CAE software can now choose a module called Insight+, which enables them to listen to the sound a vehicle would make if it featured their virtual design. This new Insight+ capability from Brüel & Kjær quickly processes CAE models into detailed sound models and allows designers to listen to them.

Because vehicle NVH characteristics affect people, subjective assessments are increasingly important to automotive designers. While data and graphs remain invaluable, virtual prototypes let designers observe and compare new component designs at a system level, which takes into account the entire vehicle and its interaction with the environment.

By enabling people to experience complex NVH data, such as source strengths and transfer functions, in a tactile manner, decisions can be made earlier in the development process with greater confidence.

During the development of vehicles, design teams often have NVH data from measurements on a real vehicle. The goal is to design new components and assess their effect on the vehicle’s NVH – before a physical prototype is made.  With the Insight+ module, CAE designers can ‘play’ the sound of a completely virtual component that has been ‘inserted’ into otherwise real data, recorded on a vehicle.

As David Mason says, “The powerful capability of Insight+ to evaluate NVH testing and simulation data together, especially listening to the result, will enhance our customers’ ability to make critical decisions earlier in the design process.”

NVH testing and CAE design have traditionally been separate domains but are increasingly coming together as more comprehensive simulations are used instead of physical prototyping. Integrating test data and CAE models, as in Insight+, helps unite the separate disciplines.

"We are very excited about our partnership with Altair,” said Alun Crewe, Vice President, Strategic Marketing at Brüel & Kjær. “CAE analysts, NVH evaluation teams and other decision makers, who may not be NVH experts, will be able to evaluate NVH design proposals at virtual prototype stage in the context of driving the final product. This enables improved, value-based decision-making, reduces the number of physical prototypes, ensures ‘right first time’ engineering and reduces time to market.”

Insight+ allows designers to experience NVH data subjectively, in fixed driving conditions. But this is just the entry point to Brüel & Kjær NVH simulation tools, where simulation data can be experienced in a more immersive context.

The next stage of the Brüel & Kjær simulation portfolio is the desktop NVH simulator. Designers and managers alike can drive vehicle models in a realistic, interactive environment using a steering wheel and pedals, letting them evaluate designs in free driving conditions.

For more information, visit bksv.com/nvhsimulator

About Brüel & Kjær

Brüel & Kjær helps solve sound and vibration challenges, and develops advanced technology for measuring and managing sound and vibration. As a specialist in this domain, the company helps customers ensure component quality, enhance product performance and monitor operational compliance.

Over more than 70 years, many of Brüel & Kjær’s research and development people have become recognized global experts, who aid the scientific community and teach at renowned centres. The application of experience and technology promotes quality and efficiency at every stage of a product’s life cycle: design, development, manufacture, deployment and operation. Through mastering sound and vibration, Brüel & Kjær helps to accelerate business growth and improves environmental quality.

Brüel & Kjær is a subsidiary of UK-based Spectris plc (www.spectris.com), which has annual sales of £1.1bn and employs around 7,500 people worldwide across its four business segments.

About Altair

Altair is focused on the development and broad application of simulation technology to synthesize and optimize designs, processes and decisions for improved business performance.  Privately held with more than 2,500 employees, Altair is headquartered in Troy, Michigan, USA and operates more than 45 offices throughout 24 countries.  Today, Altair serves more than 5,000 corporate clients across broad industry segments.  To learn more, please visit www.altair.com.

Media Contacts

Brüel & Kjær Sound & Vibration Measurement A/S

Mette Temple

+45 77412125

[email protected]

Altair Corporate/North America

Jennifer Korail

+1-248-304-1429

[email protected]

Altair Europe, the Middle East and Africa

Evelyn Gebhardt

+49 6421 9684351

[email protected]