BODY-IN-WHITE STRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT FOR 3-SEATER 2-DOOR COUPE

ABOUT

In this project, I developed an optimized Body-in-White (BIW) layout topology structure for a 3-seater 2-door coupe. The key objectives and achievements were:

Designed a BIW layout that meets performance requirements for bending stiffness and torsional stiffness while providing adequate packaging space for vehicle components and occupants.
Engineered the body structure to ensure passenger safety during front and rear collisions through proper crash energy management.
Maintained an optimal body mass by incorporating weight-saving measures during the design process.
Modeled a structural beam frame topology using Siemens NX and Solidworks and analyzed the rotational joint stiffness of the critical B-pillar to rocker joint using Altair Hypermesh.
Evaluated and modeled the body side frame bending and torsion stiffness to meet the specified performance requirements.

I delivered a high-performance BIW structure that prioritized safety, rigidity, and overall vehicle efficiency for the 3-seater 2-door coupe through meticulous structural design, analysis, and optimization.

BODY IN WHITE AND LADDER FRAME DESIGN

A structural beam frame topology was developed using Siemens NX and Solidworks, considering all the packaging requirements for occupants and vehicle components.

assembly (packaging of components)

The complete assembly includes all the major components required for occupant packaging and vehicle components, such as the powertrain, suspension mounts, battery, radiator, fuel tank, and cargo.

b pillar to rocker joint simulation

Honda Civic's B-Pillar to rocker joint was analyzed using Hypermesh to determine the rotational joint stiffness, which was then used as a benchmark for the proposed design. This joint stiffness was incorporated into the design calculations to meet the performance requirements for bending and torsion stiffness of the frame.

CALCULATION OF BENDING AND TORSIONAL STIFFNESS USING EXCEL

Side Frame Sections and Joint Properties

Side Frame Restraints and Loads

Bending Stiffness

Torsional Stiffness

METHOD

An iterative method was followed to determine the bending and torsional stiffness of different joints in the beam frame.
Beam size resizing was carried out by various constraints, and the beams with very high bending energy were modified.
Various types of beam cross-sections (hexagonal and pentagonal) were experimented with to identify which beam used in the front mid-rail had the highest energy absorption capability with the least mass.
BIW structural cross-members were designed to maintain the passenger compartment's structural integrity and withstand crash impact loads.
The updated vehicle curb mass was determined after proposing three mass-saving opportunities.

RESULT

Thus, a three-seater vehicle was designed, considering packaging and crashworthiness requirements while keeping the mass of the frame within an acceptable range.