As worldwide demand for affordable, safe and low greenhouse gas
emission vehicles surged, WorldAutoSteel launched the
FutureSteelVehicle program (FSV) aimed at helping automakers
optimize body structures through advanced steel design concepts
suitable for both conventional and electrified powertrains. The
objective was to develop detailed design concepts and fully
optimize a radically different body structure vehicle in production
in 2015-2020 timeframe utilizing the latest grades of advanced and
ultra-high strength steels. FSV achieved 35 percent mass reduction
[approaching aluminum body structure mass with similar
performance], at no additional cost over a conventional steel body
while achieving simulated crash test performance enabling a 5-star
safety rating. This was accomplished with a portfolio of 34
standard and advanced steel grades and 17 steel manufacturing
technologies together with a state-of-the-future design
methodology. The body structure contained 97 percent high-strength
and advanced high-strength steel (HSS & AHSS) with 44 percent
of these in the GigaPascal strength range.
FutureSteelVehicle Design Methodology is a product design
optimization methodology that has been developed by Engineering
Technology Associates, Inc., (ETA) and WorldAutoSteel into
ETA's Accelerated Concept to Product (ACP) Process™ utilizing
the latest steel grades available by 2015 and the latest in
manufacturing processes to achieve a 35% BIW mass reduction while
achieving all vehicle performance targets at an early design
concept level.
The FutureSteelVehicle Design Methodology creates many design
solutions and options. This paper provides an insight to the
de-coupling process of the vehicle to subsystem (components) models
and the optimization process that allows designing components into
diverse, non-intuitive shapes that could follow nature and organic
shapes. The paper examines 10 potential design solutions out of 537
designs for the front longitudinal rail sub-system and reports
their results. The study shows the many design solutions that are
available utilizing different gauges, grades, geometries and
various manufacturing techniques while still meeting all of the
design requirements.