Electric vehicles could represent up to 70 per cent of all cars by 2050. To ensure the acceptance of their vibrational and acoustical characteristics, profound NVH (noise, vibration, and harshness) analysis is the key to minimise vehicle excitations caused by specific e-drive transmission designs.

During a recent live session, hosted on November 22, KISSsoft AG (a Gleason Company) & FunctionBay GmbH presented a common and continuous solution to design, analyse and optimise the NVH behaviour of a gearbox used in an e-drive system.

The workflow starts with a base transmission layout within the KISSsoft software environment. It is followed by a strength & stress analysis taking all relevant system deflections into account. Macro & micro geometry sizing are executed through a dedicated loaded tooth contact analysis (LTCA). The dynamic behaviour of the complete system (modal analysis & forced response) will be calculated. Finally, the load files and all relevant geometrical information are transferred from KISSsoft to the MBD – software RecurDyn from FunctionBay.

Within RecurDyn, the NVH simulation model is automatically generated based on the data supplied by KISSsoft. It includes flexible housings, pre calculated loads and all components representing the internal mass distribution of the system. The necessary simulations are also run automatically. An acoustic post – analysis can be performed by evaluating the calculated effective radiation power (ERP), the sound pressure levels (SPL) or by inspecting the related Campbell diagrams and more. If an optimisation loop is required the described workflow can be shortened by adjusting the gear design in KISSsoft and just updating the new calculated load files in RecurDyn.

Gleason is a global leader in gear technology. Gleason’s ‘Total Gear Solutions’ range from gear and transmission design software to the development and production of gear manufacturing machines and related accessories, gear metrology equipment and automation systems. Gleason products are used by customers in the automotive, commercial vehicle, aerospace, agricultural, mining, energy, construction, power tool, marine and many other industrial equipment markets. Gleason has manufacturing facilities in the US, Brazil, Germany, Switzerland, India, China and Japan, and operates sales and service offices in North and South America, Europe and Asia Pacific.