Search Results

In the current competitive automobile market, with growing knowledge and concern for occupant and vulnerable road user safety, design & engineering of passenger cars in stipulated time is a challenge. As front styling is a crucial factor, early involvement of Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) through front loading helps reduce the product development time considerably with a pedestrian friendly engineered design. The present paper explains how initial inputs are given to styling & engineering teams during early stages of product development where availability of Computer Aided Design (CAD) data is minimal. Critical load paths were identified and shape of the front end was modified accordingly. Various locations of hinge mechanism were evaluated to reduce the severity of injury in the head impact zone. Sufficient gaps between the exterior surfaces and interior hard points were worked upon to reduce the impact values.

Crush box in an automotive passenger car has become an integral part of structural design performing various functions like optimizing energy absorption in high speed impacts, replaceable part during low speed impacts etc. Design of crush box for high speed impacts is very important as it is the first major energy absorbing component in the load path and its deformation significantly affects the overall vehicle crash behavior. The present paper explains development of a hydro-formed crush box in the front end of a sports utility vehicle. Hydro-formed components have residual plastic strains and non - uniform thickness variation throughout their length which is difficult to measure from a physical test coupon. It is critical to add hydro-forming effects onto crash FE models as it significantly affects the deformation under high speed impact. But detailed forming simulations need mature design and material data which is not available during early phases of product development.