Application Engineering of Automotive Flexible Bellow for Exhaust System Using Six Sigma Tools: A Case Study Approach

Exhaust System durability has been one of the challenges to deal with as we move up from traditional muffler mounted system to more complex SCR (Selective Catalytic Reduction) exhaust systems and EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) exhaust systems. One of the prime reason is the cost and any damage would affect the environmental pollution and would cost a lot of money for the new system. Towards this one of the NVH principles to increase the durability has been about application of flex bellows. However not enough design guidelines are commercially available for usage by the Designers to applicate the same. This paper attempts at detail study of the flex bellows, leverage of experimental methods, virtual CAE methods and use of six sigma tools to arrive at a scientific approach of optimizing and applicating flex bellow in exhaust systems. A case study of commercial vehicle is used to implement the approach/methodology.