BATZ needed to control the noise level of one of its pedal assemblies, an assembly that includes the clutch, brake and accelerator pedals. The pedal assembly is designed and manufactured at the BATZ facility, where noise testing is a recent addition. Until now the testing department had been performing many types of load application tests, climate tests as well as other types of measurements, but now, with the inclusion of HBK equipment, BATZ has begun to conduct noise tests at its own facilities.
These tests consist of manually operating the pedals of a pedal assembly and checking if the noise generated meets customer requirements. When operating the pedal, noise is generated at different conditions , and this is where HBK equipment comes into play. As BATZ have very little experience in noise testing, the ease-of-use of HBK equipment and the availability of application specialists to assist in the testing process and interpretation of the results, is highly valued.
BATZ is using the LAN XI Acquisition Hardware and BK Connect Data Processing platform together with HBK Microphone Type 4961-H-041 and Uniaxial Accelerometer Type 4534-B for sound and vibration testing. For the acoustical test the microphone is installed on a test bench where the pedal assembly is operated within a soundproofed hood. The pedal is manually operated from outside, the emitted noise measured and then processed with tools like overall value vs time, 1/3 octave spectrum and some psychoacoustic metrics depending on the required test specifications. The vibrational testing is mainly Frequency Response Function (FRF) measurements using Impact Hammer Type 8206-003 and uniaxial accelerometer Type 4534-B. All processing tools are available in the BK Connect data processing software.
BATZ has experienced that the demand for noise measurements is increasing and will continue to grow. By having their own resources to make these measurements and avoiding having to subcontract these types of services not only leads to a cost reduction, but also to better control over the entire process – from the design and manufacture of an assembly to the delivery to the end customer. However, even though noise has always been a factor, it has often been analysed with the subjectivity of the human ear. Now, with the inclusion of HBK equipment, objective data can be collected for comparison with customer requirements.