Aiming at Establishment of a Multi-Material Structure Designed Auto Body
Introduction of multi-material structures, using the right materials in the right parts, is necessary and indispensable for reducing the weight of automobiles, aircraft and other transportation equipment. At present, however, these efforts are limited to simple substitution of materials because design techniques for true
multi-material structures still have not been established. Thus, comprehensive technology development, beginning with establishment of design techniques for optimizing multi-material structures and also including modeling of joints of dissimilar materials, is an urgent challenge. Because integration of development results
for different types of materials and collaboration will be critical, in this research, ISMA is constructing a system and organization to encourage collaboration and promoting related activities. To maximize project outcomes, we have made “Development of Multi-material Technology” our top R&D challenge since FY2018.
Examples of multi-material components for auto body weight reduction
Construction of topology optimization system: Optimization of 3-material (steel, aluminum and magnesium) suspension tower structure
Research Achievements
Multi-Materials – Development of Innovative Design Technology for Auto Body Weight Reduction
In this research, ISMA’s developing design tools applying the structural topology optimization method, which is an analytical technique suited to the design of multi-material structures. Concretely, a design tool is completed by constructing an analytical system that links modeling of the target of analysis, visualization of the analytical results and the topology optimization method, studying the evaluation and modeling of the multimaterial interface for joints between dissimilar materials, and studying the applicability to the multi-material structure to the automotive body. Finally, detailed design by the materials and welding/joining techniques developed in this project is carried out, and a multi-material designed auto body is proposed.
System planned for development