Material Optimization of a Folded Horn Design
(2025) MMKM05 20251Innovation
- Abstract
- In this thesis, initiated by Axis Communications, the material choice of a folded horn loudspeaker was investigated. The main goal of the project was to determine if it was possible to reduce the costs and environmental impact of the product by means of optimizing the material, while maintaining or improving its performance. The three main parameters which were analyzed were the acoustic performance, thermal and vibrational aspects. This was done analytically using simulations together with real measurements.
Throughout the project, the Double Diamond methodology coupled with the product development approach presented by Ulrich and Eppinger were utilized as framework to efficiently structure the working process. In accordance with the... (More) - In this thesis, initiated by Axis Communications, the material choice of a folded horn loudspeaker was investigated. The main goal of the project was to determine if it was possible to reduce the costs and environmental impact of the product by means of optimizing the material, while maintaining or improving its performance. The three main parameters which were analyzed were the acoustic performance, thermal and vibrational aspects. This was done analytically using simulations together with real measurements.
Throughout the project, the Double Diamond methodology coupled with the product development approach presented by Ulrich and Eppinger were utilized as framework to efficiently structure the working process. In accordance with the aforementioned, the horn loudspeaker was researched thoroughly by means of its theoretical background together with performing competitive benchmarking to identify and set up product needs and specifications. From this, several various materials were identified as suitable alternatives to investigate further. Using a scoring method, a final polymer material, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), was chosen as the most suitable for the application.
Once the material had been selected, the product was analyzed further using simulation software such as Ansys and SolidWorks Plastics together with successive prototyping to evaluate how it performs in the various fields compared to the nominal design as well as to optimize the design for the new plastic material. From the testing and simulations, it could be determined that the material choice had no significant impact on the acoustic performance. The major differences were more so observed for the thermal and vibrational aspects.
The thesis resulted in a final concept with a material and design proposal for the loudspeaker. It was shown that this new design possesses the potential of reducing the total manufacturing costs and increasing its sustainability, which were the main two objectives of the project. Finally, the new design was tested and evaluated to make sure that the performance was maintained, both analytically and subjectively. (Less) - Popular Abstract (Swedish)
- Vi människor har ej nyttjat de naturresurser som vår planet har försett oss med på ett ansvarsfullt sätt. Just nu producerar och konsumerar vi i en takt som vår planet inte klarar av. För att bryta detta mönster krävs en omställning. För produktutvecklare innebär detta ett ansvar att utveckla hållbara produkter. En utmaning som kan lösas genom att designa produkter i miljövänliga material som kan återbrukas, återvinnas samt är resurssnåla och varaktiga.
I detta arbete undersöktes materialvalet av en högtalare, närmare bestämt en nätvärksdriven hornhögtalare. Syftet med detta projekt var att utforska hur materialvalet av hornkomponenterna av en högtalare påverkar dess prestanda, samtidigt som klimatavtrycket och de totala kostnaderna för... (More) - Vi människor har ej nyttjat de naturresurser som vår planet har försett oss med på ett ansvarsfullt sätt. Just nu producerar och konsumerar vi i en takt som vår planet inte klarar av. För att bryta detta mönster krävs en omställning. För produktutvecklare innebär detta ett ansvar att utveckla hållbara produkter. En utmaning som kan lösas genom att designa produkter i miljövänliga material som kan återbrukas, återvinnas samt är resurssnåla och varaktiga.
I detta arbete undersöktes materialvalet av en högtalare, närmare bestämt en nätvärksdriven hornhögtalare. Syftet med detta projekt var att utforska hur materialvalet av hornkomponenterna av en högtalare påverkar dess prestanda, samtidigt som klimatavtrycket och de totala kostnaderna för produkten skulle minskas. Är detta möjligt? Absolut! Enligt vår analys visade det sig att materialvalet av hornhögtalare inte påverkar dess akustiska prestanda särskilt mycket, så länge materialet i fråga är någorlunda styvt.
Vilket eller vilka material är bäst att använda sig av för applikationen? Enligt våra slutsatser visade sig att ett koncept där de berörda komponenterna består av ett och samma material, närmare bestämt en plast, i allmänhet vore ett bra komplement till den ursprungliga designen där komponenterna består av aluminium och plast (ABS). Det finns god möjlighet att tillverka plaster till en låg kostnad samtidigt som man även kan använda sig av plaster med återvunnet innehåll eller som är tillverkade från biobaserat material i grunden. Mer specifikt så påvisar vår undersökning att det bäst lämpade materialet för denna veckade hornhögtalare är polymeren polybutylentereftalat (PBT). Detta då denna plast har utmärkta egenskaper för utomhusbruk, är relativt billig och finns tillgänglig med mycket återvunnet innehåll.
Däremot kommer det på bekostnad av andra aspekter. Under arbetets gång kunde det observeras att ett byte av material även medför komplikationer just för den undersökta högtalarens applikation. I detta fall ska produkten kunna hantera utomhusmiljön den placeras i, där solljus bidrar med en extra belastning i form av UV-strålning och värme. Genom att byta till ett plastmaterial kunde vi påvisa att värmeavledningsförmågan inte kan bibehållas med den nuvarande designen. Som tidigare nämnt, påverkas ej den akustiska prestandan avsevärt av materialbytet. Däremot, får högtalaren en annan ljudbild. Ljudet från högtalaren med plastkomponenter uppfattas som behagligare att lyssna på men med aningen mindre klarhet. Detta då högfrekventa ljud absorberas mer i plasten än i metallen.
Arbetet presenterar underlag för framtida utveckling av hornhögtalare, där vi bevisar att det går att designa hornhögtalare med komponenter i hållbara och kostnadseffektiva material utan att behöva kompromissa med prestandan. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9196823
- author
- Aronsson, Cenny LU and Kuljis, Gustav
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Materialoptimering av en veckad hornhögtalare
- course
- MMKM05 20251
- year
- 2025
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Horn Loudspeakers, Audio, Material Selection, Finite Element Analysis (FEA), Product Development
- language
- English
- id
- 9196823
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-11 09:33:33
- date last changed
- 2025-06-11 09:33:33
@misc{9196823, abstract = {{In this thesis, initiated by Axis Communications, the material choice of a folded horn loudspeaker was investigated. The main goal of the project was to determine if it was possible to reduce the costs and environmental impact of the product by means of optimizing the material, while maintaining or improving its performance. The three main parameters which were analyzed were the acoustic performance, thermal and vibrational aspects. This was done analytically using simulations together with real measurements. Throughout the project, the Double Diamond methodology coupled with the product development approach presented by Ulrich and Eppinger were utilized as framework to efficiently structure the working process. In accordance with the aforementioned, the horn loudspeaker was researched thoroughly by means of its theoretical background together with performing competitive benchmarking to identify and set up product needs and specifications. From this, several various materials were identified as suitable alternatives to investigate further. Using a scoring method, a final polymer material, polybutylene terephthalate (PBT), was chosen as the most suitable for the application. Once the material had been selected, the product was analyzed further using simulation software such as Ansys and SolidWorks Plastics together with successive prototyping to evaluate how it performs in the various fields compared to the nominal design as well as to optimize the design for the new plastic material. From the testing and simulations, it could be determined that the material choice had no significant impact on the acoustic performance. The major differences were more so observed for the thermal and vibrational aspects. The thesis resulted in a final concept with a material and design proposal for the loudspeaker. It was shown that this new design possesses the potential of reducing the total manufacturing costs and increasing its sustainability, which were the main two objectives of the project. Finally, the new design was tested and evaluated to make sure that the performance was maintained, both analytically and subjectively.}}, author = {{Aronsson, Cenny and Kuljis, Gustav}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, title = {{Material Optimization of a Folded Horn Design}}, year = {{2025}}, }