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NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) engineering sits at the intersection of acoustics, structural dynamics, signal processing, and human perception. From powertrain excitation and wind noise to interior sound quality and modal behavior, NVH engineers rely on a specialized software toolkit to diagnose issues and guide design decisions.
Below are exactly 10 essential software tools widely used across automotive, aerospace, and industrial NVH engineering.
Primary focus: NVH testing, modal analysis, and system dynamics
Simcenter Testlab is one of the most widely used platforms for professional NVH measurement and analysis. It supports multi-channel data acquisition, experimental modal analysis, operational deflection shapes, order tracking, and sound quality evaluation. It is a cornerstone tool for powertrain NVH, body-in-white testing, and vehicle-level diagnostics.
Industry use:
Vehicle NVH testing, modal testing, powertrain and driveline analysis
Primary focus: Sound quality and psychoacoustics
HEAD acoustics provides a comprehensive ecosystem of NVH tools.
Together, these tools are essential for linking objective measurements with human perception—especially in interior noise and sound quality work.
Industry use:
Interior sound quality, wind noise, subjective-objective correlation
Primary focus: Signal processing and custom analysis
MATLAB is the backbone of custom NVH analysis. Engineers use it for FFT analysis, filtering, order analysis, modal parameter extraction, scripting of test workflows, and advanced data visualization. Its flexibility makes it ideal for developing proprietary NVH metrics and post-processing pipelines.
Industry use:
Custom NVH analysis, algorithm development, test automation
Primary focus: CAE-based NVH simulation
Simcenter 3D is widely used for predicting NVH performance before hardware exists. It supports structural dynamics, acoustic FEM/BEM, vibroacoustic coupling, and transfer path analysis. This tool is critical for early-stage design of powertrains, body structures, and interior acoustics.
Industry use:
Virtual NVH, structure-borne noise prediction, design optimization
Primary focus: Structural dynamics and vibration
Abaqus is commonly used for high-fidelity structural modeling and vibration analysis. NVH engineers rely on it to understand resonance behavior, damping treatments, and structural responses that lead to radiated noise or harshness.
Industry use:
Structural vibration analysis, durability-NVH interaction, modal behavior
Primary focus: Vibroacoustic and multiphysics simulation
COMSOL excels at coupled simulations involving structures, acoustics, fluids, and electromagnetics. It is particularly useful for wind noise studies, cavity-structure coupling, and complex boundary conditions where traditional single-domain solvers fall short.
Industry use:
Wind noise modeling, vibroacoustics, acoustic-structure interaction
Primary focus: Measurement and NVH analysis
Brüel & Kjær’s software platforms are deeply integrated with their hardware systems. They support sound and vibration measurement, order tracking, modal testing, and transfer path analysis, making them a staple in automotive and industrial NVH labs.
Industry use:
Powertrain NVH, pass-by noise, test-bench analysis
Primary focus: Powertrain and driveline NVH
AVL Excite specializes in simulating and analyzing powertrain-induced vibration and noise. It is widely used for engine, transmission, and e-motor NVH—especially in hybrid and electric vehicles where tonal noise and high-frequency effects are critical.
Industry use:
Engine and drivetrain NVH, e-motor noise, torsional vibration
Primary focus: Computational aeroacoustics and vibroacoustics
ACTRAN is used for high-end acoustic simulations involving airflow, turbulence, and structural coupling. NVH engineers apply it to wind noise, cooling fan noise, and external aerodynamic sound sources.
Industry use:
Wind noise, fan noise, aeroacoustic simulation
Primary focus: Data management and reporting
DIAdem is widely used to manage, analyze, and report large NVH datasets. Engineers use it to standardize post-processing workflows, compare test campaigns, and generate consistent reports for stakeholders.
Industry use:
NVH data management, reporting, test result comparison
Modern NVH engineering demands fluency across testing, simulation, signal processing, and psychoacoustics. These 10 essential software tools form the foundation of professional NVH workflows—enabling engineers to diagnose noise sources, predict vibration behavior, and refine sound quality across increasingly complex systems.