Body-mounted Component Characterization
Determine the material properties and behaviors of body mounted vehicle components.
Determining the material properties and mechanical behaviors of body-mounted vehicle components is essential for ensuring durability, safety, and perceived quality. Interior systems such as instrument panels, dashboards, electrical assemblies, and seats, along with exterior mirrors, hitches, and roof-mounted accessories, experience complex static and dynamic loads. OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, and independent test laboratories conduct these evaluations to characterize stiffness, damping, fatigue, and environmental sensitivity, supporting robust designs that meet global regulatory, performance, and customer-expectation requirements.
Test Methods
Industry methods for characterizing body-mounted components are defined by SAE, ISO, and OEM-specific practices that prescribe how forces, moments, displacements, and material responses are applied and measured. Components and assemblies are subjected to multi-axis static, dynamic, and durability loading to replicate road-induced vibration, occupant interaction, aerodynamic forces, and accessory mass effects. Test techniques include multi-degree-of-freedom excitation to evaluate coupled responses, elastomer and joint testing to quantify stiffness and damping behavior, and servo-hydraulic materials testing to measure strength, fatigue life, and viscoelastic properties. Modular fixturing and configurable actuation enable testing of full assemblies or subcomponents under realistic boundary conditions. These laboratory methods allow engineers to reproduce complex real-world load cases with high repeatability and precisely measure material behavior and structural performance.
Test Results
Body-mounted component characterization results are used to quantify stiffness, damping, strength, and fatigue behavior under realistic loading. Manufacturers and suppliers apply this data to refine designs, validate CAE models, and resolve noise, vibration, and durability issues. Test laboratories and research institutions use the results to benchmark materials, support certification programs, and advance understanding of component-level vehicle integration.
MTS Product Solutions
MTS offers a comprehensive portfolio for body-mounted component characterization, combining multi-axis simulation, materials testing, and modular automotive hardware. These solutions support precise replication of complex load environments, accurate material property measurement, and efficient configuration for diverse interior and exterior components. Integrated control, hydraulics, and fixturing enable high-fidelity, repeatable testing across development, validation, and certification programs.
Test Methods
Industry methods for characterizing body-mounted components are defined by SAE, ISO, and OEM-specific practices that prescribe how forces, moments, displacements, and material responses are applied and measured. Components and assemblies are subjected to multi-axis static, dynamic, and durability loading to replicate road-induced vibration, occupant interaction, aerodynamic forces, and accessory mass effects. Test techniques include multi-degree-of-freedom excitation to evaluate coupled responses, elastomer and joint testing to quantify stiffness and damping behavior, and servo-hydraulic materials testing to measure strength, fatigue life, and viscoelastic properties. Modular fixturing and configurable actuation enable testing of full assemblies or subcomponents under realistic boundary conditions. These laboratory methods allow engineers to reproduce complex real-world load cases with high repeatability and precisely measure material behavior and structural performance.
Test Results
Body-mounted component characterization results are used to quantify stiffness, damping, strength, and fatigue behavior under realistic loading. Manufacturers and suppliers apply this data to refine designs, validate CAE models, and resolve noise, vibration, and durability issues. Test laboratories and research institutions use the results to benchmark materials, support certification programs, and advance understanding of component-level vehicle integration.
MTS Product Solutions
MTS offers a comprehensive portfolio for body-mounted component characterization, combining multi-axis simulation, materials testing, and modular automotive hardware. These solutions support precise replication of complex load environments, accurate material property measurement, and efficient configuration for diverse interior and exterior components. Integrated control, hydraulics, and fixturing enable high-fidelity, repeatable testing across development, validation, and certification programs.
- FlexTest® Controllers deliver high-speed, multi-channel servo-hydraulic control for component characterization. Their advanced real-time algorithms support complex multi-axis loading, precise force and displacement regulation, and synchronized data acquisition for accurate evaluation of material and structural behavior.
- Multi-Axial Simulation Table (MAST) Systems apply coordinated multi-degree-of-freedom excitation to body-mounted components and assemblies. They reproduce combined vibration and inertial loads, enabling realistic evaluation of stiffness, damping, durability, and functional performance under simulated vehicle operating conditions.
- Elastomer Test Systems characterize the nonlinear stiffness, damping, and fatigue behavior of rubber and polymer components used in body-mounted applications. They support axial, torsional, and combined loading to quantify material properties critical to vibration isolation and durability.
- Landmark® Servohydraulic Test Systems provide precise control for static and dynamic materials testing. They are used to measure strength, fatigue life, and viscoelastic response of plastics, metals, and composites found in interior and exterior body-mounted components.
- Modular Components for Automotive Test Applications enable flexible configuration of actuators, fixtures, and sensors for component characterization. Their scalable architecture supports efficient adaptation to diverse body-mounted assemblies while maintaining accurate load application and measurement fidelity.
- Series 295 Hydraulic Service Manifolds deliver stable, low-noise hydraulic flow to multi-channel test systems. Their integrated safety and pressure-control features support consistent actuator performance during sensitive component characterization and durability evaluations.
- SilentFlo™ 515 & 525 Hydraulic Power Units provide clean, quiet hydraulic power for precision component testing. Their low acoustic output and efficient pressure regulation support high-quality data acquisition during material and multi-axis characterization of body-mounted vehicle components.
