| Get the car faster on the road |
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 Software Idee will shorten development time for new cars, a tool to strengthen Europe's car industry. The tool Idee was developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Chemical Technology in Pfinztal as part of the 23 projects in the EU's Pegasus Investments to improve the competitiveness of the European automotive industry. Idee is a CAD / CAE / CAM programs attached to a database. It analyzes the requirements for the component to be manufactured and then select the appropriate materials and manufacturing methods. Fraunhofer Institute exemplifies the car roof to be manufactured in a new material compared to that used previously. It is not necessary to start a new development. The designer allows the database instead propose materials and the manufacturing steps are required. The program also gives advice on how the tools of production will be designed. As an example of a rear body panel to the car Smart fitted with integrated LED lights. This diminished the number of parts 8-5, and the number of manufacturing operations from 12 to 5. Material and cost savings were achieved also by using conductive polymers instead of metal wires. In addition, the Fraunhofer researchers developed a new method to attach the LED lights to the body by microwave, and even the ability to release details when it's time to recycle parts of the car. - Idee reduces development time, reduce the number of manufacturing operations and the amount of material, "says Timo Huber involved in development work. Although the program is not yet fully developed, it may already be used to produce simple components. Fully developed and available for the automotive industry should be about one year. |
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