Virtual Crash Testing Virtual reality technology not only gives DaimlerChrysler a significant return on investment in cost, time savings, and product quality, but also reduces material waste and environmental impact while at the same time allows manufacturers to improve occupant safety and crashworthiness. Virtual crash tests allow a more detailed examination from inside the vehicle that is not possible in a physical crash test. Design Collaboration Visualization also enables increased collaboration between different disciplines. For example, if design conflicts arise between styling and the manufacturability of a particular body feature, with access to a lifelike model in a team discussion these can be resolved quickly. Visualization allows an investigation of the aerodynamic effects for certain body shapes, and the ability to manufacture the body panels for those shapes.
Collaboration means time savings.
Improved Manufacturability At Toyota, visualization is improving communications on the assembly floor. Using a video conferencing system combined with Envision software from Delmia, a division of Dassault Systemes, designers and assembly line managers can look at simulations of individual components as they are being virtually installed into a vehicle during assembly. Engineers and factory workers in Japan and overseas can see and talk to each other while simultaneously viewing the same information. As a result, changes sometimes took two months to be uniformly implemented. With V-Comm, the information is reviewed and discussed in real time.