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In the current design process, the designer generates the detailed geometry of the component based on experience. Prototypes of this design are built and tested to verify the performance. This design - build - test iterative process is continued until performance targets/criteria are met. Computer Aided Engineering is often used to verify the design. This paper presents a new product development process to substantially reduce the number of design - analysis - build - test iterations. This Upfront Analysis Driven Design process incorporates several state of the art technologies in finite element structural analysis, optimization, and Computer Aided Design. This process ensures a near optimum design in the first design level itself.

The purpose of this study was to analytically predict the dynamic behavior of a powertrain assembly and provide directions for structural design improvements relevant to durability, optimum weight, NVH characteristics, etc. To achieve this objective, a finite element model of the powertrain assembly was constructed and normal mode analysis was performed with the MSC/NASTRAN finite element computer program. Natural frequencies, mode shapes and modal strain energy densities were computed. Results were post-processed with the MOVIE — BYU color graphics package. An accurate, easy to interpret, presentation of the dynamic results was achieved with color-coded strain energy density animations of the first two eigen-solutions.