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Although computer models for vehicle and sub-system performance simulations have been developed and used extensively in the past several decades, there is currently a need to enhance the overall availability of these types of tools. Increasing demands on vehicle performance targets have intensified the need to obtain rapid feedback on the effects of vehicle modifications throughout the entire development cycle. At the same time, evolution of the PC and development of Web-based applications have contributed to the availability, accessibility, and user-friendliness of sophisticated computer analysis. Web engineering is an ideal approach in supporting globalization and is a cost-effective design-analysis integration business strategy. There is little doubt that this new approach will have positive impacts on product cost, quality, and development cycle time. This paper will show how Microsoft Excel and the Web can be powerful and effective tools in the development process.

The effectiveness of computer simulation modeling for product development support is evidenced by its wide-spread usage. For example, finite element analysis (FEA), has been found indispensable for reducing product development cycle time and cost as well as enhancing product quality. Along with other pertinent information, accurately defined loads are necessary for conducting effective FEA for product design optimizations. FEA results using rough estimated loads often do not provide a good basis for design improvement. A better approach is to define loads through system simulation modeling. The development of such a model involves the synthesis of a wide range of product design knowledge along with a systematic process for model correlation. As the technology becomes matured, there is a strong drive to make the process more efficient by integrating the different types of simulation techniques. Two examples are given in this paper.