SOURCE
Complete Source Characterization - Fast, Live, and Quality-Assured
SOURCE is a dedicated software application for Source Characterization and component Transfer Path Analysis (TPA) — covering both structure-borne and airborne sources. It gives Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH) engineers a guided, quality-controlled workflow to characterize active sources, study transfer paths, and generate loads (forces) ready for direct use in CAE and hybrid assembly simulations. Built on the patented X–DoF algorithm and fully live analysis, SOURCE takes you from raw data to accurate, reusable source descriptions fast — with quality indicators throughout and the ability to iterate immediately as conditions or settings change.
Explore SOURCE
SOURCE implements a complete source characterization and TPA Framework in one application, covering all available characterization and TPA methods — from operational data and FRF loading through force estimation, quality validation, and contribution analysis. SOURCE also creates and handles Virtual Points (VPs), enabling VP-based source characterization and TPA as part of the same workflow. Quality indicators guide the engineer at every step, from data loading through force estimation to final TPA prediction, making the process traceable and results reproducible. The Fluent custom analysis framework lets teams build and share tailored post-processing workflows directly on top of TPA results — standardizing how insights are generated and communicated across the organization. Results integrate directly into CAE and hybrid simulation environments, enabling accurate NVH predictions from the earliest phase of product development.
Why Source Characterization Needs SOURCE
When developing vehicles or machinery, engineers need to understand a component’s characteristic excitation, independent of the structure it’s mounted to. This is the power of Blocked Force Component TPA modelling and at the core of SOURCE.
SOURCE is necessary to:
- Benchmark & rank active components: Accurately evaluate active components on test benches or in the vehicle/system assembly with stationary, transient, tonal, or broadband excitation profiles.
- Obtain high-fidelity load models for hybrid CAE simulation: Measure one load model that perfectly matches the node locations of CAE models and simulate thousands of design variants for the component integration or experience predicted responses in simulators.
- Frontload component development: Tailor problem-specific target setting and evaluation processes for early-stage collaboration between OEMs and suppliers.
Besides blocked force analysis, SOURCE is your one-stop TPA powerhouse application for processing, analysis and reporting according to the process that works for your organization.
The New Analyze Experience
SOURCE 2025 R1 introduces a redesigned Analyze environment that fundamentally improves how engineers create, configure, and explore TPA analyses. Built on extensive user research and real project feedback, Analyze has been rethought to reduce complexity while maintaining full control over advanced workflows.
The environment is now structured around four focused cards that can be opened or closed as needed, allowing users to concentrate on specific tasks without losing context. This flexible layout makes it easier to manage complex projects, iterate on analyses, and move efficiently from operational data to validated source characterization results.
Fluent TPA for fully customizable processing
While the templated analyses of SOURCE already offer complete TPA workflows with most advanced features available, the experienced NVH engineer can go a leap further with Fluent TPA. With this “low-code environment” for NVH, any TPA method can be easily expressed and customized to the preference of the user. Choose from essential mathematical operations, such as FFT and time-domain conversion, linear algebra such as matrix inversion, multiplication and transpose, frequency filtering and crossover, transmissibility and similarity calculations. Build your own pipeline to provide a tailored experience, ready for batch processing and bulk reporting.
Powerful Channel Management, integrated Virtual Points and Complex Power
Managing large collections of measurement channels is often one of the biggest bottlenecks in TPA projects. SOURCE addresses this with a completely redesigned Channel Manager. Key capabilities include:
- Creation of master channels via intuitive drag-and-drop
- Hierarchical grouping of channels to reflect assembly topology
- Clear separation and management of channels from multiple test assemblies
- Integrated creation and management of Virtual Points
Virtual Points are now fully integrated into the Channel Manager, simplifying setup and improving consistency across analyses. This tight integration makes advanced applications such as Complex Power Analysis significantly easier and less error-prone, ensuring that force and response channels are correctly aligned at physically meaningful interfaces.
Order Processing for Operational Data
SOURCE also offers built-in Order Processing, enabling engineers to analyze rotating machinery directly within the same environment used for TPA.
Available capabilities include:
- Order Cuts for extracting individual orders
- Order Blocks for generating full order spectra
- Flexible configuration of order resolution, order range and windowing
- Support for constant-time and constant-RPM tracking
Order calculations are performed and updated automatically when data is plotted or used in analyses, ensuring seamless integration with the rest of the workflow.
What Engineers Say
When Expertise Meets Application
Inspirational insights
Curious how SOURCE makes a difference in real engineering projects? Explore how advanced Blocked Force TPA, order-based analysis, and Fluent workflows help teams tackle complex NVH challenges with confidence.
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SOURCE: Characterize once. Reuse everywhere.
SOURCE sets a new standard for source characterization and Blocked Force TPA. Ready to go further? Discover how our services support your NVH programs, explore real-world applications, or dive into the full feature set in the SOURCE Product Guide.