Title: Lightweight automotive doors design including material and manufacturing process selection

Authors: Shuxin Wang, Xintao Cui, Lianhong Zhang

Addresses: School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China. ' School of Mechanical Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, PR China

Abstract: Lightweight materials are used to make vehicles lighter and more fuel-efficient. This paper presents an approach to lightweight automotive door design including material and manufacturing process selection based on digital production line environment. Preliminary selection is performed firstly. Structural optimisation technique is employed to determine the optimal panel thickness. Finally, a multi-objective analysis is performed to identify the optimum door assembly. It is found that the optimal material and manufacturing process depend heavily on the production volume, the vehicle program and application. There are other materials and processes that may be an improvement on the traditional steel stamping.

Keywords: automotive doors; materials selection; manufacturing process selection; lightweight materials; vehicle design; door design; automobile industry; door panel thickness; door assembly.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMTM.2008.017490

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management, 2008 Vol.14 No.1/2, pp.118 - 129

Published online: 12 Mar 2008 *

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