Search Results

A really important characteristic of the OEM's (Original Equipment Manufacturer) that arrived in Brazil during the last decade is that all of them launched vehicles models that were conceived, designed and developed abroad, normally in the Company Headquarters. The first effect of this tendency affects certain technical specifications such as raw materials or even those components that were not validated for the local market conditions. The majority of the technical specifications are over dimensioned in relation to current local regulations in the Brazilian Country. According to Pascoal (2007), another effect is that these vehicles have an end of the product life cycles sooner than the Brazilian branch offices. This condition implies that even after the end of production of these vehicles in the European factories, these models will continue in the production line at the Brazilian Factories for several years (in some cases).

The aim of this paper is to present the technical and economic considerations in the development of projects of front and rear bumpers fascias for passenger vehicles in the automotive industry. Regarding to the technical issues addressed, there are: choice of the raw material, viable criteria of style surface and engineering, thermoplastic injection criteria, structural analysis, feasibility of assembly on the factory and after-sale, fixation concepts and many others. Regarding to the economical context, were evaluated: project and production costs, repairability costs, shock parking, components lifetime and communization. Based on the experience in previous projects and on the scientific literature, and applying the considerations presented, alternative ways of conducting bumper development projects are proposed.