META Tutorials

NVH: FRF ASSEMBLY

Table of Contents

1. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 1
1.1. Prerequisites ..................................................................................................................... 1
1.2. Problem Description.......................................................................................................... 1
1.3. Data Files.......................................................................................................................... 1
2. Assembly of FE and Test results .......................................................................................... 2
2.1. Read Models’ Geometry ................................................................................................... 2
2.2. Create Components and Define Results........................................................................... 3
2.3. Connect Components ....................................................................................................... 5
2.4. Create Loadcase and Set Response Dofs ........................................................................ 6
2.5. Calculate Z Translational Acceleration for Rigid Connections .......................................... 7
2.6. Plot Connection Forces and Create Equivalent Loads ..................................................... 8
2.7. Transfer Path Analysis ...................................................................................................... 9
2.8. Calculate Z Translational Acceleration for Bush Connections ........................................ 10
2.9. Optimize Bush Properties ............................................................................................... 11
2.10. Response Connection Sensitivities ............................................................................... 12
3. Assembly of FE to FΕ Model ............................................................................................... 14
3.1. Load Components .......................................................................................................... 14
3.2. Connect Components ..................................................................................................... 16
3.3. Set Loads and Responses .............................................................................................. 16
3.4. Plot Pressure Participations and Contributions ............................................................... 18
 NVH: FRF Assembly

1. Introduction

Using the FRF Assembly tool, the modal frequency responses are calculated for an assembled model provided that there are
results available for each of the components that are assembled. Moreover, the connection properties (which are defined inside
META), can be optimized using a genetic optimization algorithm which is embedded within the FRF Assembly tool. In this
tutorial some of the basic tools used for NVH analyses have been presented. Not all capabilities were demonstrated. The user
may also refer to META User’s Guide for the functionality of META and detailed description of functions and procedures.

1.1. Prerequisites

It is recommended for users who have never used META before to read the Introduction Tutorial. For old META users it would
be helpful referring to META Release Notes.

1.2. Problem Description

The purpose of this tutorial is to create an assembly of two

components in META and calculate frequency response in
two cases:

- using Rigid Connections

- using Bush Connections

Then to optimize bush properties.

1.3. Data Files

The files required for this tutorial are:

/tutorials/META_tutorials/NVH/FE_FRONT_SUBFRAME.nas
/tutorials/META_tutorials/NVH/FE_FRONT_SUBFRAME.op2
/tutorials/META_tutorials/NVH/FRF_TEST_PLOTEL_MODEL.nas
/tutorials/META_tutorials/NVH/FRF_TEST_PLOTEL_MODEL.unv
/tutorials/META_tutorials/NVH/NVH_CAR_FE.nas
/tutorials/META_tutorials/NVH/PT_SOL103.nas

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2. Assembly of FE and Test results

2.1. Read Models’ Geometry

1. Switch to the Geometry tab of the Read Results tab and press
the … button to open the File Manager.
st
For this tutorial select the 1 Model geometry:

../NVH/FE_FRONT_SUBFRAME.nas

and press Open to read in the geometry of the model.

1

st
2. The 1 model is read and it should appear as it is shown in the
2 image on the left.

Invoke again the File Manager, from the Read Results >
Geometry tab.
nd
Select the 2 Model geometry:

../NVH/FRF_TEST_PLOTEL_MODEL.nas

file and press Open to read in the model.

3. The META Question window appears. Select the option Loading

as a new model in active window and press OK.

nd st
4. The 2 model is positioned over the 1 and it should appear as it
is shown in the image on the left.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.2. Create Components and Define Results

1. Open Models List and double click with the Left

Mouse button on Model 0 checkbox to set only this
active.

TIP: This is equivalent to selecting Activate Only

option from the context menu of the model.

2. Open the FRF Assembly tool from Calculate > FRF

Assembly.
st
Create a New Modal Response Component for the 1
Model, by selecting the namesake option from the
New button menu.
2

3. The Modal Response window is invoked.

Specify the Modal Results File.

Press the … button to select it through the File
3 Manager.
st
For the 1 component select:

../NVH/FE_FRONT_SUBFRAME.op2

file and press the x or Esc button, to close the Modal

Response window.

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1. Open Models List and double click with the Left

Mouse button on Model 1 checkbox to set only this
active.

2. Switch back to FRF Assembly tool and create a Unv

st
58 FRF component for the 2 Model, by selecting the
namesake option from the New button menu.
2

3. The Edit Unv FRF window is invoked.

Specify the UNV FRF File.

Press the folder button to select it through the File
Manager.
nd
For the 2 component select:
3 ../NVH/FRF_TEST_PLOTEL_MODEL.unv

file and press the x or Esc button, to close the Edit

Unv FRF window.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.3. Connect Components

1. Select the 4 nodes (with ids 1000001-4), where the

two components are going to be connected, by
pressing the iNode button.

Press Middle Mouse button to exit iNode function.

1
1

2. Select both components and select Connect > Identified Nodes.

2 3. Four new connections are created, in the Connection

list, defined as Rigid, by default.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.4. Create Loadcase and Set Response Dofs

1. Select Modal_Component1 and press New, to create

a new loadcase.

2. Then, edit Node and dof values to node id 2006206

and 3 (z-axis) accordingly.

3. Select Unv_Component2 and type node id 359064 in

the Enter Node Ids field. Press Enter to add the node
in the list.

4. A new Response Dof is created, where response will

be measured.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.5. Calculate Z Translational Acceleration for Rigid Connections

1. Select Acceleration z in the 2D Plot tab and press

1 Calculate.

2. A 2d plot curve of the Z Translational Acceleration

magnitude is created.

Change Y plot axis to logarithmic by clicking with the

Right mouse button on the Y axis and selecting
Range Type > Log.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.6. Plot Connection Forces and Create Equivalent Loads

1. Select the loadcase and press the CompLoads>Plot

Connection Forces button.

The connection Forces are plotted in a 2d window for each

node and degree of freedom of every connection (in that
case 4 connections*3 dofs*2 points per connector= 24
curves plus one representing the force applied on the node
of the selected loadcase 2006206.

2. Use the middle mouse button to identify points on

curves.

3. Select the Modal_Component1 from the components list

and press CompLoads>Create Equivalent Component
Loads button.

All forces applied on the FE component for each dof of the

connection points plus the load on point 2006206 are added
as loads in the Modal Response tool (available under
Calculate menu)

Loads can be exported in NASTRAN format through the

Save button

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.7. Transfer Path Analysis

Transfer path analysis (TPA) may be performed with the FRF assembly tool. The aim is to determine the path that follows the
effect of an excitation through the connections between the parts of an assembly.

1. Switch to the TPA tab of the FRF Assembly, choose a

1 response variable and press TPA button.

The transfer paths are calculated and presented in a DNA plot.

2. Double click on the fringebar to open options and set a max value of 80.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.8. Calculate Z Translational Acceleration for Bush Connections

1. Switch to the Connections tab and select all

connections.Switch to Bush tab, to change their type
from Rigid to Bush.

2
2. Set Stiffness value for the three components of the
2
Bush, xx, yy and zz equal to 1000 Kg/msec .

Press Modify > Values of selected Connections to

update connections.

3. Go to Settings > 2D Plot – Group and Curve Options

and select New window for Output Window for
Responses.
3

4. Finally, switch to 2D Plot and press Calculate again.

4

A new 2d plot curve of the Z Translational Acceleration

magnitude is created.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2.9. Optimize Bush Properties

1
1

st nd
1. Set a dependency between the 1 and 2 connection
st
by typing the name of the 1 connection
nd
(Connection1) in the Opt.Depends field of the 2 .
2 2. Update optimization parameters from Modify >
Optimization params of selected Connections.

3. Make sure that the Active window is the one created

in the previous paragraph and the in settings
configure the output window for responses to be the
active one.
3

4
4. Back in the Connections, press Optimize.

5. A new 2d plot curve of the Z Translational

Acceleration magnitude is created in the same plot.

4
4

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st
6. Select 1 connection and notice that, its Stiffness
values, are updated with the ones coming from the
st
optimization. These values are the same for the 1
nd
and 2 connection, as these are dependent, while
rd th
differ for the 3 and 4 .

TIP: Toggle each of the xx, yy, zz buttons in order to

enable or disable optimization for this parameter.

2.10. Response Connection Sensitivities

Sensitivity is another way to investigate the influence of each of the connection properties to the response.

1. Turn to the Settings tab and enable Calculate Response

– Connection Sensitivities checkbox.

1
1

2. Set a New Window for output

3. Press Calculate.

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The new plot presents the sensitivity of the response values

to the connections and their dofs.

Practically it shows, which connections optimization will

result into larger reduction of the response values in the
frequency of interest.

Remarks
Set the range type to logarithmic to get the same image.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

3. Assembly of FE to FΕ Model

3.1. Load Components

With contribution analysis a comprehensive overview of the contribution of each mode, panel etc to the response is carried out.

1. Press the CTRL+N keys to start a new session

2. Read geometries only from

../NVH_CAR_FE.nas as Model 0
and
../PT_SOL103.nas as Model 1

3. Activate only Model 0 and create a New Modal

Response Component.

4. Load the respective .op2 file.

1. Switch to the Acoustic Coupling tab and press on the

Read button to load the .pch file.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

2. Activate only Model 1 and create a new component for

the powertrain model.

3. Load the respective .op2 file.

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3.2. Connect Components

The powertrain and body are connected through 3 named nodes

1. Invoke the Advanced Filter from Identify > iFilter

1
1

2. Set the filter to add | Nodes | name | ENGMNTRH,ENGMNTLH,RRR | Keep All and press on the OK button

Remarks:
Press the ? key in the fourth field to select the nodes from a list

The respective nodes are identified

3. Select both components and press on

the Connect > Identified Nodes

1. Switch to the Connections tab to validate

the creation of the three connections.

3.3. Set Loads and Responses

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2. Select Component 2 and create a new

load on node 400600

3. Select Component 1 and create two

response nodes, 32342 and 32381

4
4. Plot the Pressure frequency response.

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 NVH: FRF Assembly

3.4. Plot Pressure Participations and Contributions

1. Delete one of the two response nodes.

2. Switch to Participations tab, enable the

1 Contribution Analysis box
1 2 Select any of the Participation Factors calculation and
press on Calculate.

Remarks
For panel participation factors, the panels need to be defined for component 1. Select component one from the top list and
press on Edit. The panels can be defined as described in Modal Response tutorial.

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