A Methodology to Assess and Select Automotive Composite Structures in the Early Design Phase

Due its superior material properties, carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) possess a high potential as lightweight material for automotive applications. Body in white (BIW) structures consisting of CFRP entail a high complexity which makes it difficult to estimate their characteristics in the early design phase. Thereby, BIW designer are challenged to generate attributes of CFRP parts and assemblies to compare them to metallic alternatives with available methods in time targeting the best concept. To estimate the attributes cost, weight, stiffness and material utilization of composite parts a fast calculation methodology for each of the main design parameters, topology, material, and manufacturing process was created. Two virtual BIW models identify precise geometrical data and the loads acting on each part caused by load case scenarios. By analytical calculation and advanced layup optimization methods based on the state of the art the minimum achievable stiffness and strength are generated. Shape and boundary complexity factors accomplish a high accordance between measured and estimated manufacturing times used in technical cost models. Subsequently, an advanced selection heuristic selects the parts with attributes fitting best to the designer‘s request followed by an assembly calculation combining the selected parts and adding the assembly effort to the resulting BIW concept and its alternatives. The validation and plausibility of the methodology was proven by finite element simulations and hardware tests.      «

Due its superior material properties, carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) possess a high potential as lightweight material for automotive applications. Body in white (BIW) structures consisting of CFRP entail a high complexity which makes it difficult to estimate their characteristics in the early design phase. Thereby, BIW designer are challenged to generate attributes of CFRP parts and assemblies to compare them to metallic alternatives with available methods in time targeting the best con...     »