Multi-stage Packaging and Routing Optimization for Automotive Component Layout, Wire Harness and Duct Route Design

Modern vehicle design involves complex considerations and tradeoffs between system integration and layout which have a direct impact on performance, efficiency, and cost. The placement of equipment including control boards, motors, and fans as well as the routing of ducts and wire harnesses poses a time-consuming and intricate problem for design engineers. This paper presents an automated methodology to determine the optimal component packaging configuration, duct routing, and wire harnessing layout to maximize component packing density and minimize the total routing length. A two-stage optimization framework has been developed where the first stage packages the components within the design space with considerations for space utilization, component overlap, proximity relationships, point-to-point accessibility, and component mounting. The second stage implements a custom A-star path-finding algorithm and gradient based optimization to determine the optimal route layout between port points. The objective of this work – using A-star and gradient based optimization - is to minimize the total length of the duct work and harness layout while respecting proximity, overlap, and accessibility considerations. This paper outlines the methodology and real-world application through the design optimization of an automotive dashboard.