Case Study: CUICAR (Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research) achieves lightweight, high‑stiffness body‑in‑white for six‑passenger sports car with Altair HyperWorks

Maximizing Body Stiffness and Meeting Strength Requirements Using HyperWorks

CUICAR’s Deep Orange Program at Clemson developed the Deep Orange 3 six-passenger sports-car prototype using Industrial Origami® Folded Metal Technology (FMT). The challenge was to deliver an aluminum body-in-white (BIW) that accommodated a unique 3+3 seating layout while meeting strict torsional and bending stiffness, strength, weight, packaging and cost targets. CUICAR partnered with Altair and used the HyperWorks suite (HyperMesh, OptiStruct, HyperView), supported by Altair-sponsored training and internships.

Altair provided the HyperWorks tools and training that CUICAR used to model the BIW in HyperMesh, run in-depth OptiStruct finite‑element analyses (torsion, bending, natural frequency, dynamic loads) and validate results in HyperView. The Altair-enabled simulations showed the BIW met or exceeded torsional and bending stiffness and strength requirements, allowing the team to manufacture the folded-metal chassis and showcase the completed Deep Orange 3 at SEMA; structural stiffness and chassis strength targets were explicitly exceeded per the program results.

CUICAR

Paul Venhovens

BMW Endowed Chair-Systems Integration