Abstract
Time- and cost efficient development processes in the automotive industry are often based on the application of modern IT-supported engineering tools. Computer aided three-dimensional design and calculation methods are widespread and well introduced in component development and digital mock-up processes. The early stage in automotive door design is characterized by variant changes, alternating definitions, requirements and iterative actions, which are influenced by legislation boundaries and ergonomic tasks as well as interior, exterior and styling requirements, crash and safety standards, customer demands and specific functionalities. An important factor for a successful development states an optimized interaction between the styling process and technical engineering operations based on efficient computer aided methods and strategies.
The present publication treats the creation of integrated 3D-CAD design methods for initial automotive door development processes. A basis for the application of enhanced design methods is the parametric generation of body components and assembled configurations. An integrated virtual door model includes several independent modules, which are combined in a framework. All modules entirely utilize the capabilities of the applied CAD platform. Within these modules, different calculation and geometry creation procedures are combined to enable multidisciplinary optimization processes during the entire concept phase. The modules of the virtual door model can be divided into two areas, the technology concept development and the geometry creation process. The technology concept treats the definition of technological and functional characteristics under consideration of technical specifications, kinematic viewpoints and production related aspects. The development of a geometry concept includes the generation of a parametric associative 3D-CAD model. During conceptual development, the geometry model has to fulfill the requirements of both, a high flexibility in view of modification and optimization cycles as well as a high degree of geometrical details, enabling efficient creation and evaluation processes. A smart combination of the technological and the geometrical development states the basis for an efficient conceptual door development. Combining the requirements of styling, design and simulation, the presented methods and strategies support an improvement of data quality as well as a reduction of cost and time effort in engineering based automotive development processes.
Keywords: door development, frontloading, parametric design, kinematic simulation, design methods