GM’s “Lightweighting” Used In ME’s Design/Construction
05-03-2018, 12:08 PM
#1
Safety Car
Thread Starter
GM’s “Lightweighting” Used In ME’s Design/Construction
GM has been kicking it with its much lighter new vehicles — averaging 350 pounds less than the previous version in its last 14 models, e.g., the 2019 Silverado is 450+ pounds less. This new process allows parts that are 40% stronger, 20% lighter and sometimes able to combine 8 parts into one. Especially symbiotically using its new 3D printing processes.
How about a possible, maybe probable, 100+ pound less 2020 ME than most predict due to this lightweighting process?
Also below is a 2:14 video about new GM “lightweighting” process.
This is a fascinating Article on GM “Lightweighing!”
2:14 video:
https://video.marketing.gm.com/10508...-weighting.mp4
http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/h...weighting.html
How about a possible, maybe probable, 100+ pound less 2020 ME than most predict due to this lightweighting process?
Also below is a 2:14 video about new GM “lightweighting” process.
This is a fascinating Article on GM “Lightweighing!”
Originally Posted by Media.GM
General Motors is using new, advanced software design technology to introduce the next generation of vehicle lightweighting. The technology is key to developing efficient and lighter alternative propulsion and zero emission vehicles.
GM is the first automaker in North America to use new generative design software technology from Bay Area-based software company Autodesk. It uses cloud computing and AI-based algorithms to rapidly explore multiple permutations of a part design, generating hundreds of high-performance, often organic-looking geometric design options based on goals and parameters set by the user, such as weight, strength, material choice, fabrication method, and more. The user then determines the best part design option.
“This disruptive technology provides tremendous advancements in how we can design and develop components for our future vehicles to make them lighter and more efficient, said GM Vice President Ken Kelzer, Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems. “When we pair the design technology with manufacturing advancements such as 3D printing, our approach to vehicle development is completely transformed and is fundamentally different to co-create with the computer in ways we simply couldn’t have imagined before.”
GM is leading the industry into the next phase of vehicle lightweighting. The new design technology provides significantly more vehicle mass reduction and parts consolidation opportunities that cannot be achieved through traditional design optimization methods.
GM is utilizing the innovative technology on future product designs. GM and Autodesk engineers have applied this new technology to produce a proof-of-concept part – a seat bracket – that is 40 percent lighter and 20 percent stronger than the original part. It also consolidates eight different components into one 3D-printed part.
As part of a multi-year alliance focused on innovation, GM and Autodesk will collaborate on projects involving generative design, additive manufacturing, and materials science. Executives and engineers from the two companies will participate in a series of onsite engagements to exchange ideas, learnings, and expertise. GM also has on-demand access to Autodesk’s full portfolio of software and technical specialists.
“Generative design is the future of manufacturing, and GM is a pioneer in using it to lightweight their future vehicles,” said Scott Reese, Autodesk Senior Vice President for Manufacturing and Construction Products. “Generative technologies fundamentally change how engineering work is done because the manufacturing process is built into design options from the start. GM engineers will be able to explore hundreds of ready-to-be-manufactured, high-performance design options faster than they were able to validate a single design the old way.”
GM has been a leading end-user and innovator in additive manufacturing. For more than three decades, GM has used 3D printing to create three-dimensional parts directly from digital data through successive addition of layers of material. GM possessed the first and has some of the auto industry’s most comprehensive 3D printing capabilities in the world with more than 50 rapid prototype machines that have produced more than 250,000 prototype parts over the last decade.
Since 2016, GM has launched 14 new vehicle models with a total mass reduction of more than 5,000 lbs., or more than 350 pounds per vehicle. Most of the weight reduction are a result of material and technology advancements. Of those models, more than half of the vehicles shed 300-pounds or more including the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, which reduced mass by up to 450-pounds.
Eliminating mass in parts where material is not required for performance combined with parts consolidation yields benefits for vehicle owners including the potential for more interior space and vehicle content, increased range, and enhanced vehicle performance. It also paves the way for new features for customers and provides vehicle designers a canvas on which to explore designs and shapes not seen today.
GM is the first automaker in North America to use new generative design software technology from Bay Area-based software company Autodesk. It uses cloud computing and AI-based algorithms to rapidly explore multiple permutations of a part design, generating hundreds of high-performance, often organic-looking geometric design options based on goals and parameters set by the user, such as weight, strength, material choice, fabrication method, and more. The user then determines the best part design option.
“This disruptive technology provides tremendous advancements in how we can design and develop components for our future vehicles to make them lighter and more efficient, said GM Vice President Ken Kelzer, Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems. “When we pair the design technology with manufacturing advancements such as 3D printing, our approach to vehicle development is completely transformed and is fundamentally different to co-create with the computer in ways we simply couldn’t have imagined before.”
GM is leading the industry into the next phase of vehicle lightweighting. The new design technology provides significantly more vehicle mass reduction and parts consolidation opportunities that cannot be achieved through traditional design optimization methods.
GM is utilizing the innovative technology on future product designs. GM and Autodesk engineers have applied this new technology to produce a proof-of-concept part – a seat bracket – that is 40 percent lighter and 20 percent stronger than the original part. It also consolidates eight different components into one 3D-printed part.
As part of a multi-year alliance focused on innovation, GM and Autodesk will collaborate on projects involving generative design, additive manufacturing, and materials science. Executives and engineers from the two companies will participate in a series of onsite engagements to exchange ideas, learnings, and expertise. GM also has on-demand access to Autodesk’s full portfolio of software and technical specialists.
“Generative design is the future of manufacturing, and GM is a pioneer in using it to lightweight their future vehicles,” said Scott Reese, Autodesk Senior Vice President for Manufacturing and Construction Products. “Generative technologies fundamentally change how engineering work is done because the manufacturing process is built into design options from the start. GM engineers will be able to explore hundreds of ready-to-be-manufactured, high-performance design options faster than they were able to validate a single design the old way.”
GM has been a leading end-user and innovator in additive manufacturing. For more than three decades, GM has used 3D printing to create three-dimensional parts directly from digital data through successive addition of layers of material. GM possessed the first and has some of the auto industry’s most comprehensive 3D printing capabilities in the world with more than 50 rapid prototype machines that have produced more than 250,000 prototype parts over the last decade.
Since 2016, GM has launched 14 new vehicle models with a total mass reduction of more than 5,000 lbs., or more than 350 pounds per vehicle. Most of the weight reduction are a result of material and technology advancements. Of those models, more than half of the vehicles shed 300-pounds or more including the all-new 2019 Chevrolet Silverado, which reduced mass by up to 450-pounds.
Eliminating mass in parts where material is not required for performance combined with parts consolidation yields benefits for vehicle owners including the potential for more interior space and vehicle content, increased range, and enhanced vehicle performance. It also paves the way for new features for customers and provides vehicle designers a canvas on which to explore designs and shapes not seen today.
https://video.marketing.gm.com/10508...-weighting.mp4
http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/h...weighting.html
Last edited by elegant; 05-03-2018 at 12:11 PM.
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05-03-2018, 01:32 PM
#4
The Consigliere
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I think much of the effort we see in this area is to offset gains in weight driven by safety regs and customer demands re features.
On the ME the tires and wheels will likely be lighter, some of the drive train components may be also. May gain weight for customer demands. May also gain weight back with added heat exchangers as thermal management will be important.
So in the end it may be a wash overall.
I expect it to be 3,300 lbs. or thereabouts.
On the ME the tires and wheels will likely be lighter, some of the drive train components may be also. May gain weight for customer demands. May also gain weight back with added heat exchangers as thermal management will be important.
So in the end it may be a wash overall.
I expect it to be 3,300 lbs. or thereabouts.
05-03-2018, 01:58 PM
#5
Race Director
I think much of the effort we see in this area is to offset gains in weight driven by safety regs and customer demands re features.
On the ME the tires and wheels will likely be lighter, some of the drive train components may be also. May gain weight for customer demands. May also gain weight back with added heat exchangers as thermal management will be important.
So in the end it may be a wash overall.
I expect it to be 3,300 lbs. or thereabouts.
On the ME the tires and wheels will likely be lighter, some of the drive train components may be also. May gain weight for customer demands. May also gain weight back with added heat exchangers as thermal management will be important.
So in the end it may be a wash overall.
I expect it to be 3,300 lbs. or thereabouts.
But, based on the "NVH" thread and the "gotta fit golf clubs" commentary (I am a bit guilty on both) I think we all know it ain't gonna happen!
Last edited by Rapid Fred; 05-03-2018 at 02:11 PM.
05-03-2018, 02:06 PM
#6
Easy to make it lighter when you pork up the current model. It's like politicians claiming a reduction in annual deficit is amazing... debt is still going up!
My C5Z was 3118 lbs with 19 lb Alcoa forged wheels.
My C7 Z51 is 3430 lbs with 27 lb Chinese crap cast rear wheels! Wheel only!!!! Fronts are 25.
I wish they'd get back to a 3000 lb car with 20lb wheels.
My C5Z was 3118 lbs with 19 lb Alcoa forged wheels.
My C7 Z51 is 3430 lbs with 27 lb Chinese crap cast rear wheels! Wheel only!!!! Fronts are 25.
I wish they'd get back to a 3000 lb car with 20lb wheels.
05-03-2018, 02:38 PM
#7
Safety Car
It takes 10 years of technology and advanced materials to save 0.25 lb out of seat brackets only to add 5 lbs of wiring and infotainment.
The only way to get a light car in 2020 is to have it purpose built without all the luxuries. Lotus and Porsche are among the few that actually try to build such a thing today. I say GM needs a management decision to get have a light C8. Technology alone won't get it there.
The only way to get a light car in 2020 is to have it purpose built without all the luxuries. Lotus and Porsche are among the few that actually try to build such a thing today. I say GM needs a management decision to get have a light C8. Technology alone won't get it there.
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05-03-2018, 03:22 PM
#9
Team Owner
Back in 2011 when Mary Barra was the Senior Vice President of Global Product Development(Bob Lutz's old job), an industry article in 2011 stated......... "But the grand quest for Barra at the moment is something alternately called “lightweighting” and “mass reduction.” These are efforts within GM to design and build cars that are significantly lighter."
Yet the Corvette has gotten noticeably heavier each year from 2011 to 2018, and gas mileage hasn't gained any significant amount from 2011 to 2018 using "new technology" that added additional weight and additional cost to the C7.
It appears that GM made a "management decision" to "lightweight" their cars that hasn't exactly paid off during the past 7 years on the Corvette.
Yet the Corvette has gotten noticeably heavier each year from 2011 to 2018, and gas mileage hasn't gained any significant amount from 2011 to 2018 using "new technology" that added additional weight and additional cost to the C7.
It appears that GM made a "management decision" to "lightweight" their cars that hasn't exactly paid off during the past 7 years on the Corvette.
Last edited by JoesC5; 05-03-2018 at 03:32 PM.
05-03-2018, 06:35 PM
#10
Tech Contributor
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Bill
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05-03-2018, 06:43 PM
#11
Team Owner
The C6Z non removable roof was slightly lower in weight than a car with a removable roof. All they did was take a removable roof and make it non removable by using bolts rather than levers and toggles. The big weight reduction of the C6Z was the aluminum frame.
Bill
Bill
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05-03-2018, 07:02 PM
#12
The Consigliere
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Bolt the top in place, and then they'll put a supplemental restraint system (read airbags) in it, offsetting weight reduction.
Which I'd be fine with anyway, just to have a fixed roof coupe for added structural integrity; leave the vert for the top off guys.
Which I'd be fine with anyway, just to have a fixed roof coupe for added structural integrity; leave the vert for the top off guys.
05-03-2018, 07:12 PM
#13
Melting Slicks
If anyone remembers how heavy the C5 removable top was, you'll be impressed as i was, when I removed the top from my C7. I'd guess the C7 to be half (or better) the weight of the C5.
05-03-2018, 07:59 PM
#14
Team Owner
Either make the airbags mandatory in 100% of the cars or dump the requirement completely. Requiring them on a fixed roof car but then to throw in a loophole so you don't have to have them is a car with a removable top isn't keeping everyone from hurting themselves; only part of them.
05-03-2018, 09:54 PM
#15
Race Director
The C6Z non removable roof was slightly lower in weight than a car with a removable roof. All they did was take a removable roof and make it non removable by using bolts rather than levers and toggles. The big weight reduction of the C6Z was the aluminum frame.
Bill
Bill
05-03-2018, 11:16 PM
#16
The C6Z had the roof bolted in place so the frame didn't crack from flex. The car was already designed (base C6) so they couldn't reengineer the frame correctly for an aluminum. They had to copy the steel frames size and shape sonthe body panels and interior would all work... th frame didn't have the needed torsional rigidity so the targa top was bolted in place.
The only reason it's a metal frame vs. the C5Z roof being all composite is because they modified the existing C6 targa roof!
The C7 frame is heavier because it's a clean sheet design to allow a targa and convertible without extra bracing.
My point is the C6Z's fixed roof is an afterthought, not brilliant design.
The only reason it's a metal frame vs. the C5Z roof being all composite is because they modified the existing C6 targa roof!
The C7 frame is heavier because it's a clean sheet design to allow a targa and convertible without extra bracing.
My point is the C6Z's fixed roof is an afterthought, not brilliant design.
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05-04-2018, 06:39 AM
#18
Team Owner
The C6Z had the roof bolted in place so the frame didn't crack from flex. The car was already designed (base C6) so they couldn't reengineer the frame correctly for an aluminum. They had to copy the steel frames size and shape sonthe body panels and interior would all work... th frame didn't have the needed torsional rigidity so the targa top was bolted in place.
The only reason it's a metal frame vs. the C5Z roof being all composite is because they modified the existing C6 targa roof!
The C7 frame is heavier because it's a clean sheet design to allow a targa and convertible without extra bracing.
My point is the C6Z's fixed roof is an afterthought, not brilliant design.
The only reason it's a metal frame vs. the C5Z roof being all composite is because they modified the existing C6 targa roof!
The C7 frame is heavier because it's a clean sheet design to allow a targa and convertible without extra bracing.
My point is the C6Z's fixed roof is an afterthought, not brilliant design.
The C6 Z06 and it aluminum frame was on the drawing board at the same time the C6 with it's steel frame was on the drawing board. From day one, the C6 Z06 was designed to have a fixed roof, and the frame was designed around that idea. After the C6 Z06 was released some people were bitching about it not having a targa top, and GM said they never considered the car not having a fixed roof. GM did go on and said that even though they had not done any design work on a targa top Z06, they would estimate that it would take around 44 pounds of extra bracing in order to achieve the stiffness required by having a targa top. Years later and here comes the C7 with it's aluminum frame and it gained 37 pounds of weight over the C6's aluminum frame. GM's estimate on the C6's frame to have a targa top was off by 7 pounds. Had they actually designed the C6 aluminum frame to have been suitable for a targa top from the start, and had gone through the full frame design ritual, they may have beaten their estimate by 6 or 7 pounds and done it at the same weight increase that the C7's frame came in at.
The aluminum frame used in the C6 Z06 was an engineering exercise for both GM and Dana. GM was confident in using aluminum for the frame but wanted to make sure they could actually manufacture an aluminum frame, as they had zero experience. They were not going to jump from the steel frame C5 to a steel frame C6 overnight. That's where Dana entered the picture. They also wanted to gain experience in making aluminum frames for future truck applications. Bowling Green is an assembly plant, not a R&D center. GM had Dana do the R&D for the assembly/welding process for the new aluminum frame. Once the process was perfected, GM moved the aluminum frame manufacturing from Dana In Hopkinsville, KY to Bowling Green, KY to get Bowling Green up to snuff actually manufacturing the aluminum frame during the last couple of years of the C6's production. The 8 years of manufacturing the low volume C6 Z06 and ZR1 gave GM and Dana the manufacturing knowledge they needed in order to go 100% with an aluminum frame on the C7. As it turned out, the C6's aluminum frame engineering exercise was a 100% success and enabled GM to go with aluminum across the board for the C7's frame.
Last edited by JoesC5; 05-04-2018 at 07:10 AM.
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05-04-2018, 08:19 AM
#20
Safety Car
The C6Z had the roof bolted in place so the frame didn't crack from flex. The car was already designed (base C6) so they couldn't reengineer the frame correctly for an aluminum. They had to copy the steel frames size and shape sonthe body panels and interior would all work... th frame didn't have the needed torsional rigidity so the targa top was bolted in place.
The only reason it's a metal frame vs. the C5Z roof being all composite is because they modified the existing C6 targa roof!
The C7 frame is heavier because it's a clean sheet design to allow a targa and convertible without extra bracing.
My point is the C6Z's fixed roof is an afterthought, not brilliant design.
The only reason it's a metal frame vs. the C5Z roof being all composite is because they modified the existing C6 targa roof!
The C7 frame is heavier because it's a clean sheet design to allow a targa and convertible without extra bracing.
My point is the C6Z's fixed roof is an afterthought, not brilliant design.