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The new Brazilian automotive regulation, INOVAR, states aggressive energy efficiency targets until 2016 to vehicles sold in Brazil. Many engineering solutions shall be done and implemented by Automakers to adequate current and new vehicles to INOVAR requirements. The Body Structure represents about 40% of vehicle mass and it is fundamental portion of energy efficiency study. The biggest body structure engineers challenge is provide mass reduction changes without jeopardize legal requirements and structural vehicle performance such as: Safety, Reparability, Torsional and Bending Stiffness, Durability, etc. Either Automakers or Suppliers manufacturing have an important task supporting Product Engineers on new parts development with different materials, shapes and joining. The contribution of Body Structure mass reduction for Internal Combustion Engines vehicles is not enough to achieve targets because new Program establishes smaller Energy Consumption for lighter vehicles.

The purpose of this paper is present a successfully application of Design For Assembly (DFA) and Design for Manufacturing (DFM) on Pickup-Box reinforcement. Those powerful quality tools are widely used during automotive design development and it might be a competitive design solution. As an introduction, a complete DFA and DFM revision is provided in order to allow methodology comprehension. Currently automakers technologies are shown as well. An introduction about product development process is presented in order to contextualize the DFA/DFM application in a real design situation. A rich and detailed revision about Pickup versions and body structure concept are covered as well. The study of case about DFA/DFM application on Mid-size Pickup-box Inner asm reinforcement generated 36-42% of mass reduction and 58-66% of cost reduction.

This paper aims present information regarding Automotive Body in White (BIW) development fundamentals, providing a link between physics fundamentals and real automotive development. An introduction about product development process will be shown in order to allow the reader comprehension about timeline decision process. A properly revision regarding applied loads, body in white materials, safety and virtual/physical validation will be covered. Structural fundamental knowledge has a key role of Design Engineer background mindset to achieve challenges vehicle targets about cost, mass and performance. The paper information provides a clear technical reader understanding how product engineers use structural fundamental theories to design BIW in real design development application. A study of case regarding Front-end tie-bar was used. A real vehicle load application was simulated by CAE analysis.