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Minutes of the First "Digital Prototypes For Durability" Meeting

SAE Fatigue Design and Evaluation Committee
January 7, 1998
Romulus, Michigan

Attendees

  • Mary Wickham, CAT
  • Tony Barr, Chrysler
  • Tom Cordes, Deere
  • Merlin Green, Deere
  • Dan Klann, Deere
  • Gary Mauritzson, Deere
  • Jose Nazario, Deere
  • Brian Dabell, EG&G
  • Steve Drury, EG&G
  • Kurt Munson, EG&G
  • Hari Agrawal, Ford
  • Chin-Chan Chu, Ford
  • Al Conle, Ford
  • Craig Meyer, Ford
  • Ric Mousseau, Ford
  • Zhengxian Bai, General Motors
  • John Hakala, General Motors
  • Dan Morrow, Manta
  • Christoph Leser, MTS
  • Raj Thakkar, Tower Automotive
  • Andrew Whelan, Tower Automotive
  • Ali Fatemi, U. Toledo
  • Darrell Socie, UIUC

Mission Statement

The following mission statement was adopted:
    "Systematically apply, develop, integrate, and validate all the tools and processes necessary to evaluate the structural durability of a vehicle by means of a digital simulation"

Objectives

The following objectives were adopted:
  1. Pool the resources of the committee to evaluate the current simulation processes as they relate to structural durability.
  2. Foster development of new tools and processes.
  3. Technology transfer.

Leader

Raj Thakkar has been asked to lead this effort. He can be reached at: thakkar.raj(at)towerautomotive.com

Intellectual Property

It is the feeling of the participants that any software/ideas/algorithims/etc that are generated by this effort should be placed in the public domain.

Mule Vehicle

A 4x4 ATV vehicle has been selected for purchase. The University of Toledo has agreed to act as the home base site for vehicle storage/teardown/build, subject to funding from SAE FD&E members. Ali Fatemi will act as the buyer for all parts.

Outline of Tasks

A collection of tasks that had been previously developed were presented and discussed. A champion was recruited for each task as well as volunteers to assist in doing the work:
  1. Digitize vehicle geometry points.
    • Champion: Al Conle
    • Volunteers: None.
    • Timing: Finish by 2/28/98

  2. Measure components inertial/dynamic properties.
    • Champion: Ric Mousseau
    • Volunteers:
      • Shocks, Springs, and Bushings: Christoph Leser
      • Component Inertial Properties: Ali Fatemi, Darrell Socie
    • Timing: 80% complete by end of April, 1998

  3. Create vehicle model using ADAMS/DADS.
    • Champion: Ric Mousseau
    • Volunteers: None.
    • Timing: Finish by end of April, 1998

  4. Create FEA model of components.
    • Champion: Dan Klann
    • Volunteers: Hari Agrawal, Zhengxian Bai, Ali Fatemi, Darrell Socie.
    • Timing: Start after the geometry is available.

  5. Create loads measurement vehicle and measure vehicle loads
    • Co-Champions: Brian Dabell & Dan Morrow
    • Volunteers: Kurt Munson, Gary Mauritzson, Darrell Socie, Andrew Whelan
    • Timing: Wait until next meeting to decide on timing

  6. Perform experimental modal analysis of the ATV, with and without the suspension.
    • Champion: Andrew Whelan
    • Volunteers: Mark Pompetski, Dan Morrow, Brian Dabell
    • Timing: Wait until next meeting to decide on timing

  7. Rig test in lab
    • Champion: Brian Dabell
    • Volunteers: Andrew Whelan, Phil Dindinger, Tom Cordes
    • Timing: Wait until next meeting to decide on timing

Funding

A brief discussion was held on the issue of funding this effort. The following comments are in no particular order:
  • Getting traditional grants from within some organizations can take time
  • Donations on the order of $5000 are easier to find
  • Use a university as location for holding donations
    • Ali Fatemi volunteered to do this
  • Look toward NSF for a larger scale grant after some success has been achieved
  • Please investigate the funding process within your own organization and report back at the next meeting.

Next Meeting

A half day meeting for this effort has been set for 1:00 pm on Monday March 30, 1998 in Manhattan Kansas. This meeting will coincide with the next meeting of the SAE FDE committee meeting at KSU.

Questions or Comments

  • About the effort:
    • Contact Raj Thakkar, thakkar.raj(at)towerautomotive.com, or Tom Cordes, re34681(at)deere.com
  • About these minutes:
    • Contact Andrew Whelan, awhelan(at)towerautomotive.com