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Acoustics, in a broad sense, is an essential product attribute in the automotive industry, therefore, it is relevant to study and compare theoretical and numerical predictions to experimental acoustic measurements, key elements of many acoustic development processes. The numerical methods used in the industry for acoustic predictions are widely used for exhaust system optimization. However, the numerical and theoretical predictions very often differ from experimental results, due to modeling simplifications, temperature variations (which have high influence on speed of sound), manufacturing variations in prototype parts among others. This article aims to demonstrate the relevant steps for acoustics development applied in automotive exhaust systems and present a comparative study between experimental tests and computer simulations results for each process. The exhaust system chosen for this development was intended for a popular car 4-cylinder 1.0-liter engine.

This work conducted an optimization in sheet metal blank's sizes for cold pressing automotive parts, comparing dimensional characteristics of automotive hood outer panels deep drawn with commonly used blank sizes for this process. As a result, it was possible to suggest modifications to smaller blank sizes, accordingly to the improvement accomplished in this work. The experimental study was conducted from observations in part's superficial aspects after its deep drawing process, which was realized in a commonly used tooling for automotive industry, with a blank's width reduction for the suggested case. The results showed a cost reduction opportunity based in this optimization.

The high level of reliability of virtual analysis for suspension system development should not be thinking only for comfort and performance purpose, considering the `growing number of failures due to the touch between components in dynamic condition. The study establishes a simple and optimized methodology, able to predict more accurately the flexible brake hose path subject to the steering motion and associates with the independent suspension course, aiming the best route in order to achieve a low cost and robust design. In turn, the flexible brake hose non-linear model invalidates the multibody study to get the best route. However, with the aid of motion making use of NX9 [1] CAD [2] software was prepared dynamic movement that subjects front independent suspension system that establishes a Cartesian routine that maps 977 points, much higher than 9 points from previous studies, comprising a more accurate path performed by the hose.

In a growing global environment, new products development demands balancing regional requirements and resources in the proposed solutions targeting optimal results. The interaction between Development Centers must pursue, following clearly defined rules, proposals that consider factors from all involved regions. This paper proposes description of important aspects to be considered in Car Suspension Global Product Developments.

Over recent years, demands for fuel-efficient vehicles have increased with the rise of the fuel price and public concerns on environment. Recently, application of lightweight materials is increasing in the automobile industry in order to improve mass reduction and consequently fuel efficiency. On this particular study, with a goal of developing a Lightweight Fixed Steering Column, it was identified an opportunity to replace fixed steering column metallic upper and lower brackets by polymeric material. In order to fulfill NVH, Crash, Durability and Performance requirements, a DFSS methodology has been applied. As a result, It was achieved ∼51% of mass reduction, ∼10% of performance improvement with ∼14% of cost increase.

Development of an Electrical Power Steering (EPS) system for Emergent Markets, with emphasis on improved fuel economy and cost advantages to the customer. The EPS for Emergent Markets provides high steering wheel assistance on parking maneuvers and appropriate assistance on driving conditions similar to conventional EPS systems. The assistance levels decreases while vehicle speed increases providing better steering feel at high speed conditions (highway tracks). It also provides good tuning capability balanced with piece cost. In addition, this EPS enables an aftermarket bolt-on system for non-assisted steering vehicles (i.e., manual steering vehicles).

Vehicular manual transmissions systems often use a vent or breather to allow pressure control inside the main structure. This pressure variation comes along with differences caused by working temperature range. However along with air flow these vents may occasionally allow oil passage noticed by vehicle owner as a transmission leakage event. The more sophisticated the more expensive is the venting device which may contain membranes, labyrinths, baffles and other solutions to avoid leakage. The purpose of this paper is to present a simplified solution to avoid transmission fluid leakage by combining a regular sealing device (fiber concept gasket) and a baffle to avoid oil splash to reach the venting device. The proposed concept took into consideration a quick implementation aspect, low financial impact and less complexity to the overall current system modifying an existing component by adding secondary function instead of creating additional components.

The growing need to avoid failures in vehicle components have become the methods of quality control of manufacturing processes more efficient and accurate, especially in safety components like automotive wheels. The aim of this work is examines the efficiency of aluminum-silicon specifications related to wheel quality for avoiding the poor results obtained in impact and fatigue tests as result of improper settings in the chemical composition and manufacture process. It is evaluated mainly the content of magnesium in aluminum alloys and certified the correct degree of silicon modification in the microstructure on the performance of these wheels. The test results indicate that even with the chemical composition parameters specified by the standard, the technical validation of the product may not be adequate.

Product Design is a process of creating new product by an organization or business entity for its customer. Being part of a stage in a product life cycle, it is very important that the highest level of effort is being put in the stage. The Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodology consists of a collection of tools, needs-gathering, engineering, statistical methods, and best practices that find use in product development. DFSS has the objective of determining the needs of customers and the business, and driving those needs into the product solution so created. In this paper the DFSS methodology is employed to develop the optimal solution to enhance sound transmission loss in a vehicle front of dash pass-through. An integrated approach using acoustic holography and beamforming Noise Source Identification (NSI) techniques is presented as a manner to improve sound insulation during vehicle development.

The automotive competition is growing every day, and automotive products (vehicles and components) are often developed in one country though it's made based on o global architecture, used and applied in other markets, and with the high competition between automakers, engineers can not afford make mistakes during the product development mainly in global architectures. Be the customer or put yourself in the customer's place is the key to good product planning, design, development, and also, marketing, therefore to understand exactly what the customers are complaining about on the current products to consider this lessons learned on the new products the Genchi Genbutsu is key tool to find the root cause of any problem which is the key to a lasting solution and a successful product development. The article describes some successful steps to apply the Genchi Genbutsu during the automotive product development.

Reliability, maintainability/serviceability and security are three qualities of product excellence desired by customers and users of products, however customer expectation for product reliability are continually increasing for almost all product and despite of most of the companies has worked on the philosophy of continuous improvement to meet or exceed the customer's expectations, its difficult to avoid failures or its difficult to ensure zero defect. Once it happens, it generate a customer complaint which is registered by companies. The way that companies used to register the complaints is through their warranty system and also a special database. Most of the companies maintain warranty databases for purposes of financial reporting and warranty expense forecasting. In some cases, there are attempts to extract engineering information from such databases. Another application is to use warranty data to detect potentially serious field reliability problems as early as possible.

The current study shows important results obtained by a new technique of residual stress virtual evaluation in automotive components for improving the development and quality of new products, aiming the structural performance, mass and cost reductions. The approaching those virtual results were adjusted by metallurgic data obtained in metallography, mechanical and chemical analysis. As part of this proposal, an automotive aluminum wheel belong to current production was evaluated in accordance with data acquired in the wheel manufacturing process. It was taking in account the real information of casting process parameters and the metallurgic information obtained in laboratorial tests. In this work, the results show that product residual stresses shall be considerate and evaluated during design phases as improving proposal, new technical concerns and quality improving.

Through computational dynamic simulations is possible to achieve high reliability index in the development of automotive components, thus reducing the time and component cost can generate significant levels of competitiveness and quality. This work suggests the validation of a methodology for simulation, able to predict and quantify the best design of the parking brake cable that although it is flexible, has in its structure composite elements of different mechanical properties. Known difficulty of mathematically predict nonlinear relationships deformation under forces and moments effect was first established, studies based on experimental measurements serve as input parameters for simulating the dynamic behavior of the flexible cable. With the aid of motion making use of NX9 CAD software, it was prepared the dynamic movement that the leaf spring suspension system does.

Nowadays the automotive market is reducing product development time and launching more technological vehicles, always focusing on having even more safety with better customer experience which generates big competitiveness and requires more accurate and faster development, the virtual simulations make it possible to meet this new reality with a high confidence level. This work comprises the validation of a methodology to analyze the design confidence level for flexibles associated with suspension kinematics. To validate the methodology, the scanned physical model was compared with the virtual simulations using the Simcenter 3D Flexible Pipe software. As inputs data for simulation, it is used geometrical, physical, and chemical information. Through the suspension kinematics study was establish possible movement situations to obtain the flexibles deformations attending to all suspension positions.

The purpose of the theme developed in this work is to increase the volume of information related to vehicle evaluation and how human perception can be translated into numbers, thus facilitating the process of definitions, refinement and analysis of its performance. Based on the discipline of psychophysics, where it is possible to study the relationship between stimulus and sensation and the use of post processing tool known as PSD (Power Spectral Density), post process the acceleration data of inputs perceived by the occupants of the vehicle, when driving in routes considered ergodic. By this, in a summarized way, get to human subjective perception of comfort. This material shows in a conceptual way a sequence of studies that were conducted to make it possible, to generate a performance classification of the subjective vehicle attribute of Smoothness, by processing values of acceleration measured the driver's seat.

This article is the sintezis of vehicle development process, starting from its characteristics and included in a competitive market, and shows the dimensional optimization process application and validation using the GD&T by ASME 14.5 M. INDEX KEY WORDS INTRODUTION TECHNICAL GROUNDING STUDY EXAMPLE CHOICE PROCESS STUDY EXAMPLE APPLYING AND VALIDATING GD&T BY ASME 14.5M STANDARD STUDY EXAMPLE RESULTS FINAL CONSIDERATION APPENDIX BIBLIOGRAPHY

Since the globalization, the automotive competition is growing every day, and automotive products (vehicles and components) are often developed in one country though it's made, used and applied in other markets. The operating conditions such as height, climate, topography, customer perception and other variables are often different from one market to another and could influence on the products reliability. If the market operating conditions are not considered in the vehicle development phase, the product may not fully perform its intended function over useful life period, and also may experience an excessive level of field complaints and/or failure modes specific to those markets and also damage the image of the brand.

The globalization, rivalry and the technologies have changed the auto industry in a battlefield, where companies are fighting for quality, reliability, the reduction of development cycle and also cost. The manufacturing process of car body is the major responsible for time consumption, labor and investment. One of the bottleneck solutions is to use computational simulations during design phase in order to minimize the reworks. The car body is composed by several stamped parts, and its design requires a series of parallel activities, and one of the fundamental information is the accurate magnitude of spring back distortions, but due to the complexity of the phenomenon, the results are not so accurate as desired. The explored literatures are recommending numeric methods to simulate material's behavior and also the spring back phenomenon.

This paper explores the method of modeling and validation the computational tools able to accurately replicate the dynamic behavior of a Formula SAE vehicle. Based on limitations in conducting physical tests, it is possible to mathematically predict the forces and momentum generated on the steering column of the vehicle, minimizing effort and improving driver comfort even before the component physically manufactured. The results in permanent state due technical instrumentations were used in the physical vehicles and compared with other proposals (skid Pad test). As the software simulating the same path, it was possible to adopt values of speed and wheel steering, allowing compare the dynamics of the vehicle, through the signals from other sensors installed in the data acquisition system, validating the behavior of the models presented in permanent state. Other aspects were studied to understand vehicle behavior concerning lateral stability and steering behavior.

In the current automotive industry, in an increasingly challenging environment due to strong competition, to develop a product that performs its functions objectively, with quality and mainly with the lowest possible cost, these are the keys to conquer competitive advantage. This paper is intended to explore cost reduction of an automotive system by using the techniques of the methodology EV / AV (Engineering Value / Analysis Value). The analysis are framed as exploratory, in the form of study, with ratings of the components and their functions, followed by the generation of ideas with the completion of an indication of a great potential for a product development with optimized cost.