S.

Jovanovic et alii, 9th YSESM, Trieste, Italy, July 7-9, 2010; ISBN 978-88-95940-30-4

Preliminary vibration testing and analysis for

Zastava automobiles, Dept. of Automotive Development; Kragujevac, Serbia

ABSTRACT. The general trend for the mounting location of powertrain electronics reflects a migration from the
traditional passenger and engine compartments to on the engine and transmission. Because of high level for
accurate and secure working of electronic control units (ECU), producers established appropriate criteria which
must be satisfied during different testing procedures. One criteria is allowed vibration level. In this paper,
measurement technique and analysis of vibration level of ECU for passenger car equipped with an up to date
diesel engine, is shown. Existing universal measurement equipment is used. For analysis and signal processing,
according to methodology and criteria by ECU producer, appropriate software is developed. Also, in this paper,
some testing results are given. It is shown, that in prototype design, this way for getting preliminary results of
ECU vibration levels is very reliable, fast and not too much expansive.
KEYWORDS. ECU; Vibration; Testing; Measurement; Analysis.

INTRODUCTION

or the first generation of automotive Engine Control Modules (ECM) in the late 1970s, the passenger
compartment was the logical mounting location. Containing relatively limited functionality and input/output
(I/O), these electronic control units (ECU) were typically located either in or below the dashboard. As powertrain
control system complexity and control module functional content grew, it became more difficult to find acceptable
locations within the passenger compartment. Additionally, the routing of the ECU wire harness from the passenger
compartment through the bulkhead to the engine compartment became increasingly problematic. With its bulky
connector(s), large number of wires, higher current levels, and overall length, the ECU wire harness created vehicle level
assembly issues and increased the potential for electromagnetic and radio frequency interference (EMI/RFI) related
problems. Consequently, by the late 1980s, the mounting location for engine and powertrain ECUs began to move from
the relatively benign and protected passenger compartment to the much harsher underhood environment of the engine
compartment.

VIBRATION REQUIREMENTS

hile the transition from the passenger to the engine compartment did not significantly change the level of ECU
vibration exposure, the move to on-engine substantially increases this requirement. For on-engine and ontransmission locations, the lower frequency energy level (less than 500 Hz) is dominated by the periodic
motion of the engine and powertrain components. Consequently, the input energy follows engine RPM and its harmonics,
generally exhibiting sinusoidal behavior. Additionally, during periods of extended driving at constant RPM (e.g. highway
travel), the input energy will effectively dwell at a fixed frequency. Higher frequency energy vibration (up to 2 kHz) is

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dominated by the response behavior of the powertrain and its structural elements (transmission housings, valve covers,
etc.) and generally exhibits random behavior.
Typical vibration test requirements for on-engine and on transmission ECU mounting locations have a lower frequency
sinusoidal sweep component with acceleration levels of 30 Gs and a higher frequency random component with
acceleration levels of 10 Grms. Specific test level and duration should be evaluated and verified on a case by case basis
with actual on-engine measurements.
Given the severity of these requirements, the mechanical design of the ECU and its mounting hardware or features
(brackets, bosses, etc.) must provide sufficient integrity to avoid vibration failures. As a general rule, the vibration resonant
response frequencies of the various mechanical systems should be above the low frequency component (above 500 Hz)
and not coincident with one another. For example, Fig. 1 shows an ECU and its mounting bracket oscillating model. The
desired separation of the resonant frequencies for the mounting bracket, ECU enclosure, and internal structure are shown
in Fig. 2. Ideally, these resonant frequencies should be well above 500 Hz and separated by one octave.
Component Structure

Internal Structure

ECU Enclosure

Mounting Structure

Log Acceleration (PSD)

Figure 1: ECU and mounting bracket oscillating model

Log Frequency [Hz]

Figure 2: Resonant frequencies of ECU and mounting bracket

MANUFACTURER VIBRATION CRITERIA

E
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CU manufacturers are always defining adequate criteria which must be satisfied during ECU vibration testing.
These criteria are depending on the ECU type and sort. Testing procedures are done by ECU manufacturer, on
special road conditions and using well defined measuring equipment and methodology.

S. Jovanovic et alii, 9th YSESM, Trieste, Italy, July 7-9, 2010; ISBN 978-88-95940-30-4

To obtain permission for assembling one up to date diesel engine in passenger car, ECU manufacturer defined special
criteria and methodology for vibration testing. Three axis acceleration sensors are mounted to:
central processing unit inside the ECU,
ECU enclosure (housing),
ECU bracket, and
car-chassis.
Acceleration sensors mounted on the ECU enclosure are shown in Fig. 3.
Test is done in the specific road conditions, on the washboard track at manufacturers testing polygon, driving with
constant speed at 30 km/h and 40 km/h, in the 2nd gear ratio. Sampling frequency is 4096Hz, with resolution of 2Hz, and
valuable results are up to 2kHz. Measuring results are processed and analized using power spectral density which must
satisfy required criteria.

Figure 3: Vibration measurement by pieso transducers (Ver.1)

The most critical testing results, Z-direction accelerations with speed of 40km/h, are shown in Fig. 4. Ordinate is power
spectral density [(m/s2)2/Hz], and abscissa is frequency [Hz]. Criteria is clearly drown bold broken stright line.
At the frequency of 100Hz, all measured points are outside of criteria. The whole range from about 50Hz to 200Hz is
critical.
Finally, this solution for ECU bracket and mounting structure (Ver.1) is without approval for serial production. The
vibration amplitudes on the ECU exceed the validated levels and therfore are not permissible for a release of the ECU.
The too high elasticity of the ECU bracket is the main cause of the vibration levels. Consequently it must be hardened or
another point of fixation must be defined in order to flatten the frequencies amplitudes around 100Hz.

Figure 4: Vibration measuring by three-axis pieso sensors (Ver.1)

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METHODOLOGY FOR PRELIMINARY VIBRATION TESTING

ibration measurements and testing on the ECU done on the polygon at ECU manufacturer, are expensive and
take some time for realization. To save a money and shorten time for launching new vehicle design in serial
production, own methodology for preliminary ECU vibration testing is developed. One axis inductive
acceleration sensors, HBM type B12/500, are used. It is shown in Fig.5 how these sensors are mounted in the Z and X
direction. This ECU bracket is called Version 1. One axis acceleration sensors are mounted to:
ECU enclosure (housing),
ECU bracket, and
car-chassis.
First test and analysies are done for pulse excitation in all three axis by rubber hammer. In this way eigen frequency values
are obtained and eventualy significant change in system response can be detected as well as critical frequency range.
Polygon testing is done on the flat asphalt track with parallel wooden boards (dimension 1x0.1x0.04m, free space is 0.9m),
driving with constant speed at 30, 40 and 50 km/h, in the 2nd gear ratio. This type for polygon testing is chosen after large
number of tests with different tracks, because results are comparable with official. Data acquisition is done by measuring
device HBM Spider8, and sampling frequency is 9600Hz. Measuring results are processed and analized using specialy
developed software application based on Matlab from MathWorkd, which includes calculation of power spectral density
of acceleration signals and vibration criteria required by ECU manufacturer.

Figure 5: Vibration measurement by one-axis inductive sensors (Ver.1)

RESULTS FOR PRELIMINARY VIBRATION TESTING

rocessed results of preliminary vibration testing for Z and X direction accelerations on the ECU enclosure (housing), driving at
constant speed of 40km/h, in the 2nd gear ratio, are shown in Fig.6. This construction of ECU bracket (Version 1), means rigid
and hard connection between car chassis and ECU bracket on the front right wheelbox. This results are quite comparable with
official measurements and results, see Fig.4, and reasonable preliminary testing is validated.

Figure 6: Results of vibration measurement by one-axis inductive sensors (Ver.1)

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S. Jovanovic et alii, 9th YSESM, Trieste, Italy, July 7-9, 2010; ISBN 978-88-95940-30-4

So, the results are showing that it is necessary to change the construction of ECU bracket or connecting point with car
chassis. After that, preliminary testing procedure should be repeated.
The another construction and solution for ECU bracket, Version 2, is shown in Fig. 7. Metal spikes are maden on the car
chassis, and ECU bracket is mounted with rubber rings. The third connecting point between ECU bracket and car chassis
(below the bracket) remains rigid.
Processed measurement results for Z and X direction accelerations on the ECU enclosure, driving with constant speed of
40 km/h, in the 2nd gear ratio, shown in Fig. 8, pointed out improvements only regarding to the level of allowed
vibrations, comparing with Version 1, but critical frequency range remains the same.

Figure 7: ECU bracket, Ver. 2.

Figure 8: Results of preliminary vibration measurement (Ver.2)

To move down resonant frequency, below 50Hz, and to reduce much more vibration level, new reconstruction of ECU
bracket was done. Small rubber bracket with metal ring is mounted on the third connecting point between ECU bracket
and car chassis, Version 3, see Fig. 9. Processed results for vibration measurements with this solution, for Z and X
direction accelerations on the ECU enclosure, driving with constant speed of 40 km/h, in the 2nd gear ratio are shown in
Fig.10. Improvements with this solution are clear, distinguishable and acceptable for vibration level in the whole
frequency spectrum.

Figure 9: ECU bracket, Ver. 3.

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Figure 10: Results of preliminary vibration measurement (Ver.3)

CONCLUSION

ethodology, measurement technique and analysis of measurement results for acceleration signals, to identify
ECU vibration level is shown in this paper. This methodology is based and verified with official testing by
ECU manufacturer, but it is adjusted with existing measurement equipment and testing polygon.
Appropriate software for measurement results processing is developed. By this, it is possible to reliably validate different
constructions.
Because enough good software for ECU vibration level calculation in the construction design phase is inaccessible, this
way to obtain preliminary results of ECU vibration level is reliable, rapid and acceptable regarding to total costs.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

he authors wish to thank Ministry for Science and Technological Development, Serbia, for supporting Project
TR6301.B and the following individuals for their assistance and contributions: Andrija Savcic, Miodrag Grubisa
and Zoran Markovic.

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