Automotive System Design and Mechatronics

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White Paper Automotive System Design Page 1 of 7
Automotive System Design and Mechatronics
How to Meet the Challenges of "Mechatronic System Design" in Automotive Engineering
Abstract
Electronics and Software Engineering are quickly merging with traditional Mechanical Engineering to create a new paradigm in auto manufacturing: Mechatronics. Industry experts predict that this shift will bring about profound advances in automotive product development. Unfortunately, existing IT and process infrastructures do not provide sufficient capabilities to support the new paradigm: multiple data silos, a lack of standardized processes, and integration issues on a tool level (Mechanical, Electronic, Software) continue to pose serious obstacles to development efficiency, and remain a frequent source of delays, quality issues and cost increases. To capitalize on the many increased efficiencies that will emerge as a result of Mechatronics, OEMs and tier-one suppliers need to tightly integrate the domains of Mechanical, Electrical and Software Engineering, and collaborate more efficiently in early development phases. White Paper Automotive System Design Page 2 of 7
Mechatronics: Redefining Auto System Design To balance the cost increases induced by the additional electromechani-cal functionality in vehicle and systems, the auto industry must achieve ABS braking systems, electronic stability programs (ESP), electronic fuel substantial increases in efficiency. Industry experts predict that this cost injection and engine management, navigation systems, automatic air mitigation will not be achieved through improvements in operational conditioning-these are just a few of the rapid advances that electronics efficiency alone. A substantial contribution to savings must come from have brought to today's automotive technology. While only a decade better networking of the individual systems in product development, ago these advanced auto features were exclusive to premium or upper- and from making smarter decisions earlier in the development phase. range vehicles, they are quickly becoming standard in medium-range, The authors of the McKinsey study predict that this system integration mass-produced vehicles. will enable synergies that can deliver a cost savings of up to 20 percent.And there is more to come: electric overlay steering, along with active To leverage the required synergies, the traditional automotive value suspension and drive-by-wire are just some randomly picked examples chain will undergo further specialization: OEMs will take on a greater of the growing importance of electronics within the chassis department. role as systems integrator, delegating growing portions of the value Similarly, power train technology will soon be seeing the advent of creation to their tier-one suppliers, as confirmed by the recent PTC-new technologies such as shift-by-wire, electric double clutch, electro- sponsored study, "Managing Complexity in Automotive Engineering". hybrid propulsion, and eventually electromechanical substitutes for (©2007, Laboratory for Machine Tools and Engineering of the RWTH what was once the domain of precision mechanical engineering, such University of Aachen, Germany). as valve gear, or ancillary systems like oil and water pumps. As a consequence of their increasing role as systems integrator, the In the auto's interior, consumers will soon enjoy features such as head-up OEMs' share of total value creation is expected to further diminish from displays, active lighting, pedestrian protection sensors, object recognition, the current level of 35% to about 25% in 2015. or night vision equipment, while parking sensors or rear-view cameras are quickly becoming standard. OEMs and Suppliers Must Improve Collaboration The massive adoption of electronics in automotive technology is pre- and Project Management dicted to have a substantial impact on the way cars, light vehicles, and commercial vehicles are designed and manufactured going forward. In this scenario-where OEMs will assume the role of system integrator Analysts say that Electronics and Software will merge with Mechanical and suppliers will expand their share of the value chain, the industry components to become integrated systems known as Mechatronics, thus must work within enhanced infrastructures that are capable of sup-challenging the classical method of structuring vehicles into geome... [download for more]