Vehicle Architectures and Lightweight Design Concepts
Climate, resources, prices - how will everything become easier in the future?
Light, safe, sustainable vehicle structures for the next generation: The research field Lightweight and Hybrid Design methods connects concept design, construction and simulation capabilities with the possibilities of prototyping, testing, and vehicle integration of demonstrators. It maps the entire (pre-)development chain from the first conceptualisation idea, through calculation and simulation, to prototype representation and its prototyping test.
Research for lightweight design at the Institute of Vehicle Concepts does not limit itself to just automotive applications, but likewise involves utility vehicles for the road as well as rail vehicles. We divide the research topics into the 'vehicle concepts and lightweight construction', 'materials and processes', and 'methods and simulation' focusses.
'Vehicle concepts and lightweight construction' concerns itself with the development of novel road and rail vehicles and lightweight construction for the generation after next. The goal is to bring the right material to the right place and lightweight through function integration.
In the area of lightweight design, 'Materials and processes' encompass the combination of different materials such as fibre reinforced plastic, magnesium, aluminium, and steel. Joining technologies are a central research focus with us for the successful implementation of multi-material design concepts.
'Methods and simulation' comprise both layout design and development tools as well as the assessment methods for light, safe, low-resource structures on road (motor vehicles and utility vehicles) and rail.
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