Case Study: American BOA reduces exhaust joint development time with MSC Software

Finite Element Analysis Helps Reduce Time to Develop Exhaust Expansion Joints From 5 Weeks to 2-3 Weeks

American BOA, a specialist in thinwall flexible metal components for automotive and industrial applications, needed to cut the time required to develop exhaust expansion joints while improving NVH performance, durability, and resonance control. Previously, the company relied on engineering formulas and physical prototypes, which could take about five weeks to complete. MSC Software’s SimXpert and MSC Nastran were used to support the design process.

MSC Software implemented a simulation-based workflow in which SimXpert was used for parametric concept modeling and MSC Nastran handled detailed nonlinear finite element analysis of the bellows. This let American BOA optimize stiffness, loading, fatigue life, and resonant frequencies before prototyping, reducing development time by 50% to about two to three weeks and substantially lowering prototyping and 6DOF validation costs.

American BOA

Srinivas Gade

Product Development Engineer