Simcenter Testing Solutions End of Line Quality Testing: Simcenter Anovis

Simcenter Anovis is a system primarily used for end-of-line testing of rotating machinery. It automatically spots and identifies component and assembly anomalies using innovative Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) metrics.

End-of-line testing is a process integrated into the production phase, used to test if full vehicle or assemblies function as intended. Items being tested are subjected to a set of predetermined evaluations to make pass/fail decisions. The video below shows the end-of-line testing of an engine.


Direct YouTube link: https://youtu.be/5Rk025RuIUQ

Simcenter Anovis (Acoustic Noise and Vibration Signal Analyzer) automatically identifies faults during the production of internal combustion engines, transmission systems and electric motors.

This article covers the following:

1. Simcenter Anovis System Overview
2. Simcenter Anovis Hardware
3. Simcenter Anovis Software
4. Chameleon
5. Sensors
6. Applications
7. Reference material

1. Simcenter Anovis System Overview

The Simcenter Anovis system (Figure 1) consists of a series of hardware and software components:

• Anovis hardware (sometimes referred to as Signal Recording Device or SRD)
• Anovis software
• signal processing software (Anovis Signal Processing)
• visualization and configuration software (Anovis Signal Analyzer)
• Sensors (Microphone, accelerometer and laser vibrometer)
• Several interface modules for test bench interaction

Figure 1: Simcenter Anovis System Structure

The Anovis hardware (Figure 2) records a variety of sensors over large bandwidths, including vibration with either accelerometers or laser vibrometers, sound, rotational speed, temperature and torque.
 

Figure 2: Simcenter Anovis hardware: compact DIN rail mountable (top) version and 19-inch rack-mountable unit (bottom)
 

It supports ICP sensors by supplying power to each channel. The channel count is scalable, and it is available in a 19-inch rack-mountable unit or as a compact DIN rail mountable version. The hardware can be seamlessly integrated with Simcenter Anovis software.
 

Direct YouTube link: https://youtu.be/zkqU4S3m6Gw


Simcenter Anovis software contains many objective sound and vibration metrics that help detect certain faults.

Anovis Signal Processing provides the signal-processing functions. It normally requires no user interaction except sensor calibration or testing of self-installed setups.
 

Figure 3: Simcenter Anovis Signal Analyzer Software

The Simcenter Anovis Analyzer establishes the user interface to the Anovis system. Visualization and analysis of the data are made with Anovis Analyzer. It is also used for the creation of test setups.

Simcenter Anovis Analyzer and Signal Processing are used in every application and are the standard elements of the Anovis system. More about these software applications in the knowledge article: Introduction to Simcenter Anovis Software.

4. Chameleon

End-of-line testing with NVH metrics is different from the classical NVH testing used in product development, as once the system is set up in the production line, there is hardly ever any interaction with the hardware and the software.

During the deployment, NVH-based metrics that detect the possible defects are set up as features in the Simcenter Anovis software. It checks every item in the test bench according to these metrics and makes pass/fail decisions. If there is a suspicious item, it is sorted out to be sent to the inspection area.

But what about unknown defects?

Suppose that the engine producer makes a modification on this engine by changing a component. He or she also builds a new fault. How can this be detected with Simcenter Anovis?

Simcenter Anovis provides a powerful tool called Chameleon, which can detect this certain kind of previously unknown fault. The main advantage is that it uses non-labelled data from the current production for adaptation.
 

Figure 4: Like a chameleon, the Simcenter Anovis software adapts automatically to find new faults

• Microphone: when defect leads to little vibration but a lot of noise, such as belt drives

• Probe-tipped Anovis accelerometer: if feedback of mass is non-critical, e.g. engines or transmissions

• Laser vibrometer: when a microphone or a probe tip cannot be installed due to space limitations and feedback of the mass is critical, such as engines with many aggregates or cables

• Accelerometers: fixed to the test bench to monitor its most critical components, being bearings and shafts

• Cam Shaft: surface defects, chatter marks
• Valve train: rattling, too big clearance, defective HVA, wrong mounted cam follower / cam leaver, defective cam follower
• Membrane pump, high pressure pump: missing tappet, drive issues, bearing faults
• Oil pump: tooth defects, faulty pressure control, oil pipe blocked
• Turbo charger: damages, geometry faults
• Timing drive: chain noises (howling rattling), chain tensioner defective, wrong mounted chain guide, chain wheel damage, not aligned chain wheels
• Tooth gear drives: tooth damage, surface defects, wrong tooth flank geometry, wrong clearance
• Balancer shaft: not synchronized, drive noises
• Vacuum pump: surface defects, chatter marks
• Piston, crank shaft: relaxation oscillation, conn rod clearance, particles

Figure 5: Engines in a line for quality inspection