Supporting Methods for Conceptual Automotive Design and Digital Mock Up Based on External Parameter Control

Time and cost efficient development processes in the automotive industry are often based on the application of modern IT-supported engineering tools. Computer aided three-dimensional design and calculation methods are widespread and well introduced in component development and digital mock-up processes, with these methodologies following conventional development strategies in principle.

This publication introduces an enhanced design and development instrument, which bases on integrated functions provided by state of the art 3D-CAD software packages. The presented tool enables the full parametric generation of an automotive layout model, which includes all characteristic data of a concept car, yet at an early project phase. The 3D model is controlled by an external data sheet, which contains all the required parameters and serves as a customer friendly data collector.