AUTOSIM - Development of Best Practices and Identification of Breakthrough Technologies in Automotive Engineering Simulation
Overview
Background & policy context:
The automotive industry, more than ever, has to cope with the following obligations:
- To push innovative technologies;
- To reduce development times;
- To reduce costs.
These obligations must attend to and provide improvements in the following:
- Safety (e.g. pedestrian protection and occupant safety);
- Environmental Protection (e.g. reducing CO2 emission);
- Handling and Comfort (e.g. vehicle dynamics, vibration comfort, and acoustic properties).
Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) tools play a key role in creating an improved design by simulating and analysing new vehicle concepts intended to fulfil these requirements. They enable optimum use to be made of information in the various design phases, from the conceptual design phase to the detailed series-development phase.
Although the design and validation process differs from company to company, the importance of early functional coverage is universal. In the early development phase, there is an emphasis on fast evaluation of different concepts. Quickly and accurately understanding relative trends is most important. In this design phase there are frequently no CAD models available. By the detailed series-development phase, CAE models used for prognosis must be highly accurate because, in this phase, relative results are no longer sufficient. Results must be absolute.
Therefore, in 2005 NAFEMS proposed and initiated a project with the aim of reviewing the current use of CAE and studying ways to improve its use. This was the start of the AUTOSIM project.
Objectives:
The aim of AUTOSIM was to focus on three topics. These were as follows:
- Integrating Simulation into the Development Process
- Materials Characterisation
- Improving Confidence in the Use of Simulation
The overall goal was to identify Best Practice (BP) and Breakthrough Technology (BT). Because designers may have different interpretations of these terms, the consortium suggested the following definitions:
- Best Practice (BP): How we currently make the best use of available technologies and procedures to tackle engineering problems.
- Breakthrough Technology (BT): Novel or revolutionary technologies and procedures needed to solve engineering problems successfully in our vision of the future.
Methodology:
AUTOSIM established an international team of leading experts representing much of the European automotive industry. They developed a preliminary set of Best Practice Guidelines, standard analytical procedures and research strategies. They then consulted with the wider automotive industry to gain feedback on the preliminary documents and establish credibility of the final documents. During the AUTOSIM project a series of workshops were held in which speakers were invited to present on BPs and BTs in the three AUTOSIM discussion areas of Integration, Materials and Confidence. Final authoritative versions of these Best Practice Guidelines, standard analytical procedures and research strategies were delivered and widely disseminated.
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