• Contents V47EMAC2005
• Electronic Suppl
• EMAC 2005
• Part 1
• Part 2
• Part 3
• Part 4
• Author index
• Journal home
• RSS News
• Information
• for Readers
• for Authors
• for Referees
• Other e-journals
• Aust Math Soc
• 
  

ANZIAM J. 47(EMAC2005) pp.C570--C584, 2007.

Probabilistic modelling of automotive body joints

A. S. Blicblau

M. Singh

B. Strahan

C. Torpy

(Received 6 October 2005; revised 30 November 2006)

Abstract

We investigate the manner in which variability in the quality of spot welds in automotive body joints contributes to variability in joint stiffness. Joint stiffness is defined here as the resistance to rotation of the joint. The aim is to develop a method of investigating problems of this nature using simulation and statistical techniques, and then to quantify the variation for this particular case. The results are validated by ensuring that the accuracy and resolution of the model are appropriate. Here, accuracy is the degree to which the model represents reality and is determined by achieving convergence of results as finer mesh densities are used.

Download to your computer

• Click here for the PDF article (418 kbytes) We suggest printing 2up to save paper; that is, print two e-pages per sheet of paper.
• Click here for its BiBTeX record

Authors

A. S. Blicblau

M. Singh

B. Strahan

C. Torpy

Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn Australia. mailto:msingh@swin.edu.au

Published March 5, 2007. ISSN 1446-8735

References

1. Bajaria H. J., Six sigma quality: points and counterpoints, Quality Australia, 15, pp.15--17, 2000.
2. Beer F. P., Johnston E. R., & Dewolf J. T., Mechanics of materials, McGraw--Hill, NY, 3rd edition, 2002.
3. Burden R. L. & Faires J. D., Numerical Analysis, PWS publishing company, Boston, 4th edition, 1988.
4. Fenton J., Vehicle layout and analysis, Mechanical Engineering Publications, London, 1980.
5. Kuo E. Y., Jayasuriya A. M. M. & Wung P., The effect of high mileage spot weld degradation on vehicle body joint stiffness, SAE paper 2001-01-0426, 2001.
6. Okabe A. and Tomioka N., Estimating each element of joint stiffness matrix using neural network-estimation from the rotation vector at end of jointed part, SAE paper 2001-01-3219, 2001.
7. Smith P., Into Statistics, Springer--Verlag, Singapore, 1997.
8. Song Y., Flanigan D., Rivard C., Shahidi B. and Nguyen C., A new FEA method for the evaluation of a body joint, SAE paper 2001-01-0758, 2001.
9. Steele C., Probabilistic design section, Swinburne University of Technology, Faculty of Engineering and Industrial Sciences, Lecture notes, 2003.