Inverse Sub‐Structuring Method for Multi‐Coordinate Coupled Product Transport System

A new high‐accuracy transfer function is selected, and an inverse sub‐structuring method is developed for the analysis of the dynamic characteristics of a three‐sub‐structure coupled product transport system. The closed‐form analytical solution to inverse sub‐structuring analysis of multi‐coordinate coupled multi‐ sub‐structure product transport system is derived. The proposed method is validated by a lumped mass spring damper model; the predicted frequency response functions (FRFs) of sub‐structures and the coupling stiffness, in addition to the most concerned system‐level FRF, are compared with the direct computations, showing exact agreement. Then, FRF tests of a physical prototype of the multi‐coordinate coupled product transport system with three sub‐structures are performed to further check the accuracy of the suggested method. The method developed offers an approach to predict the unknown sub‐structure‐level FRFs and coupling stiffness purely from system‐level FRFs. The suggested method may help obtain the main controlling factors and contributions from the various structure‐borne paths for the product transport system, which may certainly facilitate the cushioning packaging design. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.