Development of Automotive Components using Topologic Optimization

This paper came from the latent needs of the Brazilian Market for products more robust and at the same time cheaper. With these needs in mind the product development team of General Motors do Brasil have developed together with Altair Engineering do Brasil a design methodology based on the topologic optimization technology.

The objective of this paper was defined in a meeting of the technical teams of the two companies: Develop the application of the topologic optimization technology on design of structural components using actual GMB models.

This methodology is described on this paper with some practical examples where it was applied. One the important news here presented it was considering the casting constrains that leave to an optimal design that can be produced.

The results here presented were obtained using optimization and compared with the traditional approach here defined as try-error. The parameters used to compare were: mass, time of development, trustworthiness on the results and the development costs.