Six Sigma Methodology Application for Performance Evaluation of Different Configurations of Seat Belts Reinforcements during a Project Development 2007-01-2665
The relation cost versus performance in the design of an automobile is crucial for its success. These two characteristics, much like the project development timing, are closely related to the attributes that the new design must achieve (e.g. weight, fuel economy, torsional stiffness, NVH, safety, etc.). In this respect, the design optimization of body reinforcements (i.e. part thickness, quantity of reinforcements, and number of spot welds) contributes greatly to a sound and robust project concept. This paper describes one application of 6-Sigma methodology to evaluate the performance of different configurations of seat belt reinforcements resulting in an optimized concept that achieved the proposed performance targets with weight and sub-assembly complexity reduction. Using a Design of Experiments (DOE) and Finite Element Analysis (FEA), each proposal was evaluated for its resistance to plastic deformation. Through a linear regression analysis of the results obtained, it was possible to estimate the influence of each variable on the performance of the assembly and achieve an optimized design. This article demonstrates the proposals evaluated, the system's required targets, the regression analyses, and the related business case.
Citation: Zamorano, L., "Six Sigma Methodology Application for Performance Evaluation of Different Configurations of Seat Belts Reinforcements during a Project Development," SAE Technical Paper 2007-01-2665, 2007, https://doi.org/10.4271/2007-01-2665. Download Citation
Author(s):
Luiz Gustavo Souza Zamorano
Affiliated:
Ford Motor Company
Pages: 8
Event:
SAE Brasil 2007 Congress and Exhibit
ISSN:
0148-7191
e-ISSN:
2688-3627
Related Topics:
Finite element analysis
Optimization
Safety belts
Six Sigma
Fuel economy
SAE MOBILUS
Subscribers can view annotate, and download all of SAE's content.
Learn More »