DTD Podcast 11 – Ask Arv 4: Am I too old to change my Career?– Today’s question comes from Sam. Sam was curious to understand what the process was to design a car from concept to production.
This is a hard question to answer in a single podcast and we could probably discuss several topics and talk for hours on each particular segment. So I will do my best to break down what I know the process is.
Process and Topics discussed:
- Defining your Vehicle Functional Requirements and Objectives
- Initial Concept/Ideation – Themes Sketches
- Vehicle Packaging and Integration
- Powertrains and their effect on packaging
- Interior Requirements and packaging
- Surfacing from Clay Models
- Theme Refinement
- Preliminary Vehicle Dynamics
- Safety Requirements
There is an incredible amount of information and I have only scratched the surface and given a general overview. However other subjects NOT discussed in the podcast include:
- Vehicle Dynamics
- Suspension
- Wheel Diameter and Tires
- Prototype Testing and Validation
- Interior Optimization
- Weight Targets
- Drag Coefficient
If you have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Also be sure to pick up a copy of HPOINT: The Fundamental s of Car Design and Packaging by Stuart Macey. It’s an excellent book that gives you a fair amount of details showing what is involved with designing a vehicle and a MUST have for serious students interested in car design.
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