Product category:
Materials and components
News Release from: MSC Engineered Materials and Solutions Group | Subject: Quiet Steel
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 27 September 2002
Composite steel keeps cars quieter
The dash panel and oil pan of the 2003 Lincoln Navigator are now formed from Quiet Steel, a constrained layer composite material supplied by MSC Engineered Materials and Solutions Group.
The dash panel and oil pan of the 2003 Lincoln Navigator are now formed from Quiet Steel, a constrained layer composite material supplied by MSC Engineered Materials and Solutions Group The dash panel made an especially dramatic introduction at the recent auto show in New York City, where the Navigator TV commercial theme was played through twin panels, one made from Quiet Steel, the other from conventional CRS (cold-rolled steel) to demo the sound level and sound quality differences
A number of suppliers were asked to contribute to the media rollout of the vehicle at the New York Auto Show.
MSC personnel devised a dramatic demo to allow visitors to "hear" the difference Quiet Steel afforded the Lincoln Navigator.
Thus, they designed and built a sound display, with CD player, amp and twin dash panels, through which the Navigator TV commercial theme was played.
According to Lincoln and their promotions personnel, the Quiet Steel sound display was an impressive success in demonstrating the perceptible differences in sound quality.
This sound display is further being used by Lincoln for its dealer training tour, where sales consultants are being shown "under the skin" components of the vehicle.
Lastly, as a part of a consumer-level hands-on test-driving tour, the display has been included for use in select cities, where consumers will experience the vehicle's features, prior to test-driving the Navigator.
Quiet Steel is an engineered material which MSC currently markets as a superior sound-damping and vibration-reducing substrate to its worldwide automotive customer base.
The material comprises two metallic layers constrained over an engineered viscoelastic core.
By micro-shear deformation of the core, vibration and sound are dissipated and interior cabin acoustics improve dramatically.
Originally, a CRS dash panel and dash doubler were considered as the optimum solution for NVH reduction in this vehicle's interior.
After assessing the performance of Quiet Steel in the dash panel, Lincoln engineers decided the addition of Quiet Steel to the system was critical for the achievement of their aggressive NVH targets.
Quiet Steel is now the base building block for the Navigator's overall dash package.
Cabin noise in the Navigator has been reduced to 42dB at idle.
Another key indicator for the cabin sound quality is the Speech Articulation Index, which measures the driver's ability to hear speech from a rear seat passenger without turning the head.
The Navigator scored over 90% at 3000rev/min in first gear on this scale.
Both NVH improvements are due in large part to the implementation of a Quiet Steel dash panel in the interior NVH reduction package.
Likewise, the use of Quiet Steel in the oil pan is a contributing factor to the overall NVH reduction on the engine.
After extensive surveys of its customers, Lincoln observed a strong demand for smoother-running, quieter engines and enhanced sound quality in the cabin.
"NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) is one of the major customer issues", observed V-8 Engine Chief Engineer John Koszewnik, in a recent press conference.
"Our studies showed unwanted noise from the engine is one of the top complaints received from customers.
Since the performance of an engine and customers' satisfaction with the powertrain are such a large part of their overall satisfaction with the total vehicle, making improvements there is critical".
The dash panel material is produced at MSC's Walbridge, OH facility, while the oil pan material is run in the Elk Grove Village, IL facility.
Ford stamps and subassembles the Navigator dash panel at its Maumee, OH stamping facility.
The Navigator is built at the Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, MI.
Quiet Steel from MSC Engineered Materials and Solutions Group is also onboard other Ford vehicles, including the Ford Expedition, Ford Explorer and the Lincoln Aviator for 2003.
The 2003 Navigator will arrive in Lincoln-Mercury showrooms, this summer.
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