DOE Tool Applied on a Skid Plate: A Case Study

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In recent years, the automotive industry has been undergoing constant evolution, and to keep up with market trends, it’s necessary to seek better performance in the shortest time possible. Therefore, CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) becomes one of the most efficient tools for this purpose, as it can predict failures and/or improvements virtually before the start of tooling manufacturing. Thus, optimization, a process in which the best value of a parameter is obtained, becomes essential in the CAE field. In this work, Design of Experiments (DOE) will be applied, a methodology that, using applied statistics, plans, conducts, analyzes, and interprets controlled tests, evaluating predefined parameters from different areas. A light vehicle skid plate will be the case study, impacting disciplines such as durability, NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness), and aerodynamics, in virtual analyses such as stiffness, vibration modes, and water fording. Using the resources provided by Renault, this study aims mass reduction, ensuring component efficiency, and reducing development time.</div></div>