New methodology for light weight solutions to improve BIW structural performance using bulk head optimization

Abstract

Body-in-white (BIW) is the Car body with welded sheet metal parts painted in white. Automobile companies were trying to optimize mass and improve performance with optimal mass addition. In many automotive industries many BIW designs due to aggressive mass optimization, there is a need to have smart solutions to improve BIW structure performance with very little mass increase. In this paper, a new technique of identifying the optimized internal reinforcements in the BIW at conceptual BIW design phase using Deign of experiments and Multi-objective optimization has been investigated. The paper focus on the Bending and torsion stiffness load cases to evaluate the BIW performance. Bulk head designs were designed at the major joints like A-pillar, B-pillar, C-pillar and rocker and their optimal locations to improve stiffness with minimum mass increase were identified using Design of experiments and multi objective techniques. The research shows that the optimized Bulk head design locations using the DOE technique has improved the overall BIW stiffness performance by 3.9% with 1.2% of mass addition in the BIW.