Optimization of Trim Clips Design for Performance Improvement

As customers are inching towards adoption of electric vehicles as an alternative to internal combustion engines, automotive OEM's will have to embrace this change and equip with new product development process. When it comes to Electric Vehicle (EV) in comparison with Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), NVH plays a major differentiator for vehicle refinement. Squeak and rattles will account for 25% of overall in-cabin noise source in an electric vehicle, most of which is observed from interior trims. Trim is mounted using small plastic clips which act as mounts and play a significant role in part retention and part integrity during normal operation and in case of any transient events. The engineering specifications for selecting a clip is force and it is mostly driven by ease of assembly, serviceability, and durability. A single DOF system with a specimen mass is developed and stiffness and damping are calculated for different options based on transmissibility. In this work, an attempt is made to evaluate different designs and material combinations of clips to optimize for best performance. OEM's must develop the product without compromise on quality & refinement. Selection of best-in-class parts is a critical step to meet the refinement targets at vehicle. Durability also plays a key role in design optimization. In second part of the study, durability of the clips is analyzed to determine the best possible combination which will address the S&R issues.