Experts present state-of-the-art technology in acoustics

Autoneum, formerly Rieter Automotive Systems, hosted the first Automotive Acoustics Conference in Zürich, Switzerland, in July in co-operation with ATZlive. In more than 20 presentations, international experts presented the latest developments for improving vehicle noise and comfort.

The main topic discussed during the two days of the conference was the optimisation of interior noise and the noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) behaviour of materials, components and systems.

In response to the latest developments in the automotive industry, the conference was also dedicated to the special acoustic requirements of electric and hybrid power-trains.

“The high number of top-class presentations and the more than 180 participants from major vehicle manufacturers and suppliers based in Europe, the USA and Asia prove that acoustics is of great importance in vehicle development,” said the scientific director of the conference, Dr Maurizio Mantovani of Autoneum. “The growing demands made by the end customers and stricter legislation are now playing an important role in the optimisation of acoustics.”

Under the patronage of Prof Paolo Ermanni of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), the international Acoustics Conference 2011, which evolved from the Rieter Automotive Conference and the ATZlive Acoustics Conference, offered a wide range of expert know-how.

Autoneum presented its technical expertise as an automotive supplier in various presentations. In an exhibition accompanying the conference, the company showed various product solutions that meet the demands of end customers and the legislative bodies.

The thermo-acoustic engine encapsulation improves fuel economy by keeping the engine bay warm to allow more efficient cold starting. This leads to savings of up to 5 g of CO2/km per vehicle. At the same time, the engine encapsulation considerably reduces engine noise.

With the new Hybrid Acoustics product range, Autoneum presented a promising innovation offering weight reduction of up to 50% compared with a conventional solution for engine bay rear bulkhead insulation.

The company has also developed new generations of heat shields and carpet systems to allow weight optimisation while achieving a high acoustic and thermal management performance. Weight reduction is the most crucial factor for lowering the CO2 emissions of vehicle fleets, says Autoneum.


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