Automated Vehicle Body Sectional View Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The generation of sectional views for vehicle bodies during the design phase is time-consuming and prone to errors due to the manual division of components, which hampers the efficient determination of technically implementable components and installation spaces.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method and device that utilize a predefined joint catalog within CAD programs to automatically generate and update sectional views by selecting and inserting predefined joint types and parameters, allowing for efficient and error-free integration of joints between vehicle body components, thereby speeding up the generation of sectional views and ensuring manufacturability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual division of vehicle body into components is performed, then design flexibility and customization are improved, but time consumption and error rate increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign flexibilityVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining joint types and their associated parameters in a joint catalog before the actual sectional view generation process. Users can select from predefined joint types (e.g., flush joint, stepped joint, recessed joint) rather than manually creating each joint geometry, which significantly reduces time consumption while maintaining design flexibility through parameter customization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by replicating standardized joint geometries from the joint catalog into the vehicle body model. Once a joint type is defined in the catalog, it can be copied and applied to multiple locations, ensuring consistency and reducing errors while allowing rapid iteration of design variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual creation of joint sections is performed, then customization of joint geometries is improved, but manufacturing errors and inconsistencies increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint geometry customizationVSAvoidmanufacturing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by allowing users to modify specific parameters (such as joint width, depth, positioning) of predefined joint types rather than creating joint geometries from scratch. This approach maintains manufacturing accuracy through standardized base geometries while enabling necessary customizations through parameter adjustment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback by automatically updating the three-dimensional model and generating sectional views based on the selected joint types and parameters. This automated feedback loop ensures that the design intentions are accurately translated into the model, reducing manual errors and inconsistencies.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If detailed manual modeling of joints is performed, then precision of joint representation is improved, but complexity of the process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint representation precisionVSAvoidprocess complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the joint definition process into distinct components: joint type selection from catalog, parameter specification, and automatic model generation. This segmentation reduces process complexity by breaking down the complex task of joint modeling into manageable, standardized steps while maintaining precision through detailed parameter control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

If standardized joint types are used, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but design flexibility decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing efficiencyVSAvoiddesign flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies universality by designing joint types that can serve multiple functions and be applied in various contexts within the vehicle body. The standardized joint types are formulated to be versatile enough to handle different design scenarios while maintaining manufacturing efficiency, and users can combine multiple joint types to achieve complex design requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11010502B2Method and device for generating a sectional view of a body of a vehicle

Publication Date: 2021.05.18 BAYERISCHE MOTOREN WERKE AG

AI summary

A method for generating a sectional view of a body of a vehicle includes displaying a first sectional view of the vehicle body on a screen, where the first sectional view comprises two surfaces of two components of the vehicle body which adjoin one another at a first transition point. The method includes displaying a joint catalog with a plurality of predefined joint types, where one joint type of the plurality of predefined joint types defines a predefined joint section for a joint between two surfaces. The method also includes detecting a selection of a first joint type from the joint catalog, and automatically inserting the predefined joint section for the first joint type at the first transition point into the first sectional view displayed on the screen, with the result that the surfaces of the two components are connected to one another at the first transition point by the joint section.