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Implementing the Voice of the customer is one of the main challenges during the Vehicle Development Process. The variety of desired vehicle attributes requires well-defined processes that include manufacturability along with the voice of the customer in all aspects of the product development process. Customer's defined attributes along with regulations and manufacturability requirements should flow through all process phases starting from the early concept development phase. This paper discusses a lean design approach to assure that the voice of the customer attributes are addressed and balanced through the product development process from concept to production. The lean approach includes architectural, performance, and manufacturability as key development attributes. A case study of Automotive Modular Door System is presented to demonstrate the application of the lean approach in the design and development of complex automotive systems.

Due to the high level of nonlinearity, few applications have been reported in the area of multi-objective optimization of metal forming process parameters. This paper presents a nonlinear multi-objective optimization model for metal forming process parameters. The developed nonlinear multi-objective optimization model allows different priority levels for each process objective. The resulting nonlinear optimization problem is solved using zero order unconstrained optimization techniques. This reduces the effort required to model the metal forming process problem since linearization and gradients are not required. The optimum solution can also be achieved from any starting point, since feasibility conditions are not needed. The application and efficiency of the developed model is studied using deep drawing test case with different priorities.

This paper presents a simplified approach for formability simulation of automotive body structural sections in the early design stage of vehicle development process. Plane strain approach is investigated for its applicability and accuracy by comparing the analytical results with the measured results of automotive body side panel. The plane strain approach was tried based on the fact that for a certain section location of a stamped panel, the minor strains are relatively small and negligible compared to the major strains. The state of plane strain can be induced mainly through symmetry and applied boundary conditions. This approach is both cost effective and time saving for analyzing sheet metal formability in early vehicle development stage, since only few sections of the entire panel need be analyzed.