Method and system for designing a vehicle door

Abstract

An interactive method and system for designing a door system for an automotive vehicle without the necessity of building a prototype is disclosed. Initially, a door system design is selected and a set of door system data describing attributes of a door structure, a door opening panel (DOP), mating surfaces of the DOP and the vehicle, vehicle attributes, hardware attributes, and seal system attributes are generated based on the selected design. A door system model is then generated from the door system data, and a design criteria for the door system is selected. Door system performance is then determined using predetermined conditions based upon the door system model by computing and displaying time histories of predefined parameters of the door system, door related hardware, and vehicle passenger compartment. The door system performance is then compared to the design criteria and changes are made to the door system design by modifying the set of door system data if the door system performance does not meet the design criteria. The door system design can be changed, door performance can be determined and compared to the preselected design criteria in an iterative process until the door performance meets the design criteria.