Noise source location techniques: Simple to advanced applications

There are several noise source location techniques available to engineers working on Noise, Vibration and Harshness (NVH) problems. Choosing the right technique depends on the application, as well as the information required. This article reviews techniques for noise source location and quantification applications, including the relatively new beamforming method. An innovative beamformer microphone array is also presented and compared to traditional array designs and performances. Modern noise source location techniques are extremely valuable tools in mechanical engineering industries. It is important to understand the acoustic behavior of structures in the automotive and aerospace industries, as noise investigations are crucial for regulations and research and development. Furthermore, it is important to be able to locate and quantify noise sources with reliable, fast and accurate techniques. Due to the excellent performance of modern computers and advances in acoustics sciences, many new tools are available that can be used by any NVH engineer. This article presents a review of the following noise source location techniques: Sound pressure mapping. Sound intensity and selective intensity. Near-field acoustic holography. Non-stationary acoustic holography. Beamforming (phased array technique). Inverse Boundary Element Methods (IBEM).