Today in the development of cars and especially chassis parts, it is necessary to involve all aspects of part properties and the manufactoring process. Due to a continuing rise in energy costs, a large additional potential is given by design an optimal production process. For solving these additional requirements, involving simulation methods for the manufactoring process and better optimization methods are the keys for better chassis parts. In the first design phase, topology optimization became a standard for getting a design proposal. Here the classic methods and tools haven't the possibility to cover all aspects of the requirement specification. Almost it isn't possible to consider plastic material behavior or setting stress constraints over the whole design space. To have these abilities, the new topology optimization method, presented in this paper, is designed. Benefits of these new methods are in middle an additional weight reduction of 20 % compared with the old methods, the first design has a higher quality and through this, development time can be saved. Due to this, we have in the production 20% less material and energy costs. Also CO2-emissions are reduced in production - less material must be melted - and during the car usage. After the first design phase, the development loop between designer and simulation engineer is supported through an automatic simulation process, automatic documentation to establish a fast development speed. Beside normal shape optimization for improving local stress values, the new topology method can work with a start design and not only with a complete design space. With this help, larger modifications of the part can be derived. So once again, savings of material, costs and CO2-emissions are possible and quickly achieved. Due to the fast development process, manufacturing aspects can be investigated with more details earlier. By integrating the casting process simulation in the earliest possible time Volkswagen Braunschweig gets an entire overview over the potential in manufacturing process. On the one hand, the material properties can be improved, unnecessary costs in manufacturing steps can be investigated and zeroed out and on the other hand, the better known material properties can be used for more detailed simulation of part behavior in tests. The simulations of the manufacturing process saves time, costs and development loops because less hardware modification steps are needed. In overall, without the best simulation and optimization methods, it isn't possible to design and manufacturing competitive chassis parts. New solution outside the knowledge and experience of engineers can be found due to these new optimization methods. With the enlargement of the simulation methods to all steps of the manufacturing process, all hidden potential to material and energy costs reductions related with CO2-emissions can be raised. So lightweight design from the first design up the manufacturing process saves and raises the economic competitiveness and the employment at Volkswagen Braunschweig.
Optimization and simulation of aluminum-cast chassis parts from development to manufacturing
2012
24 Seiten, 17 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 12 Quellen
Conference paper
Storage medium
English
Optimization and simulation of aluminium-cast chassis parts from development to manufacturing
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