Fundamentals of Vehicle

Design
Dr. Shirish P Patil &
Dr. Kamarul Tawi

Course Objectives
Understand vehicle manufacturing organization
Understand vehicle development process
Understand vehicle systems and attributes (properties)
Learn to set performance specifications for a new
vehicle
Understand system/component contribution towards
vehicle performance
Learn to set specifications for system/component design
Learn to design components to meet specifications

Course Outline
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Overview of vehicle design process

Vehicle performance specifications
Vehicle acceleration & powertrain design specification
Vehicle deceleration & brake design specification
Vehicle ride & chassis design specification
Vehicle roll-over & chassis design specification
Vehicle handling & chassis design specification
Vehicle durability & chassis design specification
Vehicle crash safety & body design specification
Design of the suspension system
Design of the steering system
Design of the body/door system

Course Schedule
Every Tuesday: classroom instruction (2 hours)
Every Thursday: group project discussion (3 hours)
Study time: approximately 4 hours/week

Evaluation Criteria
Final written project report including
weekly log of activities (40%)
Final project presentation (15%)
Mid-term project presentation (5%)
Team participation & contribution (40%)

Team Participation & Contribution Evaluation

No.

Performance
Criteria

Level1

Level2

Level3

Level4

Level5

1.

Contributions

Does not
provide ideas
when
participating in
the group
discussion.

Rarely provides
ideas when
participating in the
group discussion.

Sometimes provides
ideas when
participating in the
group discussion. A
satisfactory group
member who does
what is required.

Usually provides
useful ideas when
participating in the
group discussion. A
strong group
member who tries
hard.

Routinely provides
useful ideas when
participating in the
group discussion. A
leader who
contributes a lot of
effort.

2.

EffortinProblemsolving

Does not try to

solve problems
or help others
solve problems.
Lets others do
the work.

Rarely tries to
solve problems or
help others solve
problems.

Does not suggest or

refine solutions, but
is wiling to try out
solutions suggested
by others.

Refines solutions
suggested by
others

Actively looks for

and suggests
solutions to
problems.

3.

Attitude

Always publicly
critical of the
project or the
work of other
members of the
group. Has
negative attitude
about the
task(s).

Is often publicly
critical of the
project or the work
of other members
of the group. Is
often negative
about the task(s).

Is occasionally
publicly critical of the
project or the work
of other members of
the group. Usually
has a positive
attitude about the
task(s).

Is rarely publicly
critical of the
project or the work
of others. Often
has a positive
attitude about the
task(s).

Is never publicly
critical of the project
or the work of
others. Always has a
positive attitude
about the task(s)

4.

Participationand
Workingwith
Others

Does not
participate, listen
to, shares with,
and supports the
efforts of others.
Is not a good
team player.

Rarely participate,
listens to, shares
with, and supports
the efforts of
others. Often is
not a good team
player.

Often participate,
listens to, shares
with, and supports
the efforts of others,
but sometimes is not
a good team
member.

Usually participate,
listens to, shares,
with, and supports
the efforts of
others. Does not
cause ripples in
the group.

Almost always
participate, listens
to, shares with, and
supports the efforts
of others. Tries to
keep people working
well together.

Project Description
Each team (5 students) will choose a
passenger vehicle to be engineered
Team will decide the performance
specifications for the vehicle
Team will design the specifications for the
powertrain/brake/suspension/body system
so that vehicle specifications are satisfied

Requirements for the Report

List of specifications for cost, weight, acceleration,
braking, ride, handling, roll-over, crash safety and
durability. Method of setting each specification
Design of powertrain system properties to meet
acceleration specification
Design of brake system properties to meet braking
specification
Design of suspension & steering system properties to
meet ride, handling, roll-over and durability specification
Design of body system properties to meet crash-safety
specification
Design of door system properties to meet door closing
effort specification

Vehicle Classification
Vehicle
Type

BodyStyle

PowerTrain

Suspension

Passenger Car

2D/3D/4D/5D UniBody

Engine: 1.0-3.0L
Trans: 5spd/Auto
Driveline: FWD

Front: McPherson
Rear: Multi-link

MPV

4D/5D UniBody

Engine: > 2.0L

Trans: Auto
Driveline: FWD

Front: McPherson
Rear: Multi-link

SUV

5D Unibody or Body on
Frame

Engine: 1.8-5.0 L
Trans: Auto
Driveline:
FWD/RWD/AWD

Front: McPherson/SLA
Rear: Multi-link/Solid Axle

Luxury Car

4D Unibody or Body on
Frame

Engine: >2.5 L
Trans: Auto
Driveline: FWD/RWD

Front: SLA
Rear: Multi-link

Sports Car

2D/3D Unibody

Engine: >3.5 L
Trans: 5Spd
Driveline: RWD

Front: McPherson
Rear: Multi-link

Pickup Truck

2D/4D Body on Frame

Engine: >2.5 L
Trans: Auto
Driveline: RWD/AWD

Front: SLA
Rear: Solid Axle

Commercial
Truck

2D Body on Frame

Engine: >5 L
Trans: Auto
Driveline: RWD

Front: SLA
Rear: Solid Axle

How to prepare vehicle

specifications?
Understand what your customer desires
Understand what your competition offers
Understand government regulation

Team Exercise
Pick a vehicle you plan to design
Write vehicle specifications by studying 2
or more competition vehicles (study dealer
specs., do internet search, etc.)

Cost Specification
What is the intended selling price of the
car?
How many units do you plan to sell?
Will you make any profit?

Weight Specification
What is intended gross vehicle weight
(GVW)?
How many passengers?
What is the luggage capacity?
Weight distribution?

Geometry Specification

Wheelbase?
Tread?
Ground clearance?
Tire size?

Acceleration Specification
0 to 100 km/h in how many seconds?
Engine torque/power?
Transmission speed? Auto or Manual?

Braking Specification
Deceleration level required?
Stopping distance from 100 km/h?
Dry surface/Wet surface?

Ride Specification
Desired ride frequency?
Desired passenger acceleration on an
average road surface?

Roll-over Safety Specification

What is the max lateral acceleration the
vehicle will sustain?

Handling Specification
Minimum turning radius?
Understeer or oversteer?
Steer gradient?

Durability Specification
What is the desired life of a suspension
component?

Crash Safety Specification

What is the average deceleration
experienced during frontal crash?

Organization of an Automaker
Suppliers

Vehicle
Engineering

Manufacturin
g
&
Assembly

Leadershi
p

Finance

After
Sales
Service

Sales
&
Marketin
g

Dealer
Networ
k

Concept to Customer Process

Customer
Requirement
s
Regulation
s

Vehicle
Progra
m
Vehicle
Engineering
Manufacturi
ng
&
Assembly
Sales
Servic
e

Organizational Responsibility
Organization

Responsibility

Examples

Central
Leadership

Run the company profitably

Provide leadership for the future

Provide initiatives to build

Eco-friendly cars

Finance

Raise & provide funds to run

operations

Provide loans to
customers for purchasing
vehicles

Vehicle
Engineering

Engineer the vehicle to meet

customer specifications and
regulatory requirements

Design & test parts and

vehicles to meet specs.

Manufacturing &
Assembly

Manufacture parts & assemble

vehicles

Manufacture stamped
body panels & engine
castings

Sales & Marketing Gather customer specifications

Set customer wants

After Sales
Service

Provide after sales customer

service

Ensure availability of
replacement parts

Dealer Network

Sell & service cars

Suppliers

Manufacture parts & assemble

Design/test/manufacture

Vehicle Development Organization

Vehicle
Development
Organization

Product
Engineering

BodyEngineering
ChassisEngineering
PowertrainEngineering
ClimateControlEngineering
ElectricalEngineering

Vehicle
Engineering

PackageEngineering
WeightEngineering
SafetyEngineering
VehicleDynamics
VehicleDurability
VehicleNVH
VehicleThermal&Aero
PrototypePlanning/Test

Styling

ExteriorStyling
InteriorStyling

Product Engineering

Organization

Responsibility

BodyEngineering

Developexteriorsheetmetalandinteriortrimtomeet
engineeringandcostspecifications

ChassisEngineering

Developsuspension/steering/brake/framesystem
componentstomeetengineeringandcostspecifications

Powertrain
Engineering

Developengine/transmission/driveline/fuel/exhaustsystem
componentstomeetengineeringandcostspecifications

ClimateControl
Engineering

DevelopHVACsystemcomponentstomeetengineering
andcostspecifications

Electrical&Electronic
Engineering

Developelectrical/electronics/entertainmentsystem
componentstomeetengineeringandcostspecifications

Vehicle Engineering

Organization

Responsibility

PackageEngineering

Ensureallsystemsandcomponentsfitinthevehicle

WeightEngineering

Ensureallsystemsandcomponentsmeetweightspec.

SafetyEngineering

Ensurethatthevehiclemeettheregulatorysafetyspec.

VehicleDynamics

Ensurethatthevehiclemeettheregulatory/customerride
&handlingspec.

DurabilityEngineering

Ensurethatthevehiclemeetthecustomerdurabilityspec

VehicleNVH

EnsurethatthevehiclemeetthecustomerNoise,
Vibration&Harshnessspec.

PrototypePlanning/Test Plan&manageprototypebuildsandtesting

Styling

Organization

Responsibility

ExteriorStyling

DevelopexteriorsheetmetalClassI(Styled)
claysurface

InteriorStyling

DevelopinteriortrimClassI(Styled)clay
surface

Vehicle Development Process

Vehicle,
System&
Component
Spec

Concept
Evaluation
To
MeetSpec
Program
Approval
Prototype
Design&
Testing
Production
Design&
Testing
FixProblems
Before
Production

Vehicle Development Process

Process

Outcome

Activities

Examples

PrepareSpec.

Finalvehicle,
system&
componentspec.

Holdcustomerclinics
Benchmarkvehicles
Studyregulations

0to100kmphin9sec
Investmentcost<$500M
nostructuralfailure<150,000km

Concept
Evaluation

Datarequiredto
makedecisions

Designfeasibilitystudies
Costfeasibilitystudies

Isaccelerationspec.possible?
Isinvestmenttargetpossible?

Program
Approval

GOorNOGO
decision

Programmeeting

PrototypeDesign Datarequiredfor
&Testing
80%confidence
inthedesign

Partdesign
Manufacturing&Assembly
Testing

CADsurfaceorsolidwithdrawings
softtooledpart&pilotplantassembly
CAE/Lab/ProvingGroundtesting

Production
Design&Testing

Datarequiredfor
99%confidence
inthedesign

Partdesign
Manufacturing&Assembly
Testing

CADsurfaceorsolidwithdrawings
hardtooledpart&plantassembly
CAE/Lab/ProvingGroundtesting

FixProblems
beforeLaunch

100%confidence

Finalfixesbylaunchteam

Vehicle Systems & Attributes

Vehicle

Systems

Body
Chassis
Powertrain
ClimateControl
Electrical

Attributes

Cost
Weight
Package
Safety
Dynamics
Durability
NVH
Styling

Function of Vehicle Systems

VehicleSystem

Function

Body

Providedurableattachmentforothermajorsystems
Providesafeandpleasantseatingenvironmentforallpassengers
Protectpassengersfromcrashes

Chassis

Providecapabilitytosteerthevehicle
Providecapabilitytobrakethevehiclesafely
Provideisolationbetweenroadandpassengers

Powertrain

Providecapabilitytoacceleratethevehiclebytransferringtorquetowheels
Providecapabilitytocontrolvehiclespeed
Meetregulatoryexhaustrequirement

ClimateControl

Maintaincomfortabletemperaturedistributionforpassengers
Providewindshielddefrostcapability

Electrical&Electronics

Providepowersupplywhereneeded
Providedesirableentertainmentsystem
Providefunctionalcensorsandcontrols

Vehicle Attributes
VehicleAttributes

Description

Cost

Lowestproduction,assemblyanddistributioncostcomparedto
competitivevehicles

Weight

Lowestcurbweightcomparedtocompetitivevehiclesinitsweightclass

Package

Bestuseofthespacetoprovidecomfortandamenitiestopassengers

Safety

5*crashratingfromtheFederalMotorVehicleSafetyStandard(FMVSS)

Dynamics

Bestride&handlingperformancecomparedtocompetitivevehicles

Durability

Highestreliabilityandhighmileagedurabilitycomparedtocompetitive
vehicles

NVH

Lowestnoise,vibrationandharshnesscomparedtocompetitive
vehicles