Computer-Aided Technologies

This chapter provides an understanding of how computerization has affected automotive product development through applications in areas, such as 3D product design, simulation, collaboration, visualization, digital prototyping, databases on decomposition of vehicles to component levels, requirements, forms, and electronic report preparation. These changes have helped in designing better products by reducing errors, development time, and development costs. Some areas of applications include (a) 3D CAD in modeling and visualization, (b) dimensional measurements, (c) scanning and milling to create vehicle models, (d) CAE in engineering analyses, and (e) robots and computer-controlled machinery in various manufacturing and assembly processes. Program management has also benefited greatly by reducing time to prepare project and program schedules, budgets, and communications between and within teams. This chapter also presents the advantages and disadvantages of computer-aided technologies.