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The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New

Ford Fiesta
Dr. Axel Haenschke
Technical Specialist, Ford Motor Company Ltd
Ford Werke GmbH, Kln, Germany
ahaensch@ford.com

Abstract
The new Ford Fiesta the new global vehicle is the blueprint for future product
development.

The new small car range goes on sale in Europe, Asia and North America progressively
between 2008 and 2010. Sales in North America start in 2010. In Europe, Fiesta is being
built in Cologne, Germany and Valencia, Spain. Outside of Europe, production will be in
Nanjing, China, Rayong in Thailand and Cuautitln in Mexico.

The new Fiesta is about premium feel of a larger car, delivers a new level of safety, driving
quality and efficiency. The new Fiesta will be a great contribution towards sustainability and
cost effective motoring.

The first thing to notice is the design, but the vehicle performance and body structure
attribute behaviour are the specific highlights to point out in this presentation. The attribute
performance is not based on coincidences; the performance is a result of state of the art
engineering work. Especially the safety performance in EuroNCAP:

5 star adult occupant rating

4 star child occupant rating
3 star Pedestrian Protection

is the result of state of the art tools and methods of the Ford CAE development process.
These CAE engineering tools and methods are the major focus of the presentation, e.g.

the CAE safety model database

the material database
the use of HSS and mapping tools for CAE recognition of material forming history

The safety CAE tools, methods and development process are strongly driven by the Altair
Hyperworks environment. The results of the process are shown with several examples.

Keywords: Crashworthiness, HyperWorks, RADIOSS

Altair Engineering 2009 4-1

 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the new Ford
Fiesta

A. Hnschke Ford Werke GmbH, Kln, Germany

M. Spurling Ford Motor Company Limited, Dunton, United Kingdom
R. Santos TECOSIM Technical Simulation Ltd

Altair HyperWorks Technology Conference

May, 14th, 2009

Heritage Motor Centre

Gaydon, Warwickshire

May 14 2009

Altair Engineering 2009 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New Ford Fiesta 4-2
 Ford Fiesta CAE Driven Safety Process

Agenda

The New Ford Fiesta

Safety Requirements and Achievements

Structural and Safety Strategy

CAE Development Process

Questions & Answers

14th May, 2009 3

The New Fiesta

14th May, 2009

Altair Engineering 2009 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New Ford Fiesta 4-3
 Safety Requirements
European Crash Sign-off Modes High and Low Speed

Full Frontal Rigid Side Pole Rigid Full Rear Rigid

Vehicle = 48.3 kph & 56 kph Vehicle = 29 kph Barrier = 38 kph & 50 kph
Thatcham / GDV 10deg Rigid Thatcham / GDV 10deg Rigid
Vehicle = 15 kph Barrier = 15 kph

Various Adult
& child head,
leg-form and
thigh
pedestrian
impacts

40% Offset Deformable (L&R) 70% Offset Deformable (L&R)

Vehicle = 56 kph & 64 kph Side Deformable Fuel Filler Rear Deformable Barrier = 80 kph
Barrier = 50 kph Barrier = 80 kph

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Safety Achievements
Final ratings

5-star EuroNCAP rating 1E Thatcham Insurance rating

14th May, 2009

Altair Engineering 2009 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New Ford Fiesta 4-4
 Safety Achievements
EuroNCAP High Speed Crash Films compared to CAE

EuroNCAP Front Offset Impact EuroNCAP Side Impact

14th May, 2009

Structural and Safety Strategy

High Speed Impact

DP600 rear side rails optimised for
energy absorption in 80km/h crash mode
Safety cell for fueltank survival space
and door openability post test
DP600 front rails with TWB front section to
achieve an efficient crush followed by bend and
counter-bend collapse strategy
A/B Pillars hot-stamped from UHS Boron Steel

Low velocity vertical B-Pillar intrusion

profile
Limit intrusion into the occupant cabin
Prevent rocker panel rotation
Transfer load through the underbody

14th May, 2009

Altair Engineering 2009 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New Ford Fiesta 4-5
 Structural and Safety Strategy
Low Speed Impact

Hood controlled folding to avoid

damage to other parts

Strong shotgun closing

plate
Fender bracket with
integrated headlamp
catcher
Rear/Front bumper
Headlamp housing
beam and crash cans
controlled failure
fitted and optimised

Lower leg stiffener optimisation

to avoid cooling pack damage

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CAE Development Process

up front CAE Support

Parametric Concept Geometry to Support early Attribute Assessments

705.2 706.1
202
707
211 202.1
605
708
702
712 709 713
703
714 715

704 710

Master Sections 5dr B-Pillar proposal

and Design scan

Top Hat FEA-Model

merged with Platform
FEA-Model 5dr upper structure (template)

14th May, 2009

Altair Engineering 2009 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New Ford Fiesta 4-6
 CAE Development Process
The Modular Safety CAE Approach

SAV_BIW Front Doors Front BumperBeam Cockpit Structure Front Subframe

1000500

LMV_BIW Rear Doors Rear BumperBeam HVAC Rear Subframe

DoorTrims Front BumperFacia InteriourTrim

Interior Trim Front Strut & Knuckle
Dashboard_RHD/LHD

Energy Body In Prime Loudspeaker Rear BumperFacia IP-Assembly Steering Column

Window Regulator GOR Front Seats Steering Gear

FE_Solver Radioss Hood Headlamps / FogLamp Rear Seats PedalBox & Booster

LoadCases BatterieBrackets
Battery Brackets Tire & Wheels
Liftgate Body Interior
Interiour
ABS Module
Modul
Barriers Hinges
Fuel System
Dummies
Body Closures Body Exteriour
Exterior Chassis
PreProcess

PostProcess

Safety

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CAE Development Process

Material History in Crash Simulation / Mapping

Component residual plastic

strain distribution is extracted
The work hardening affects of Dual Phase
steel are significant and must be included!

Fully Automated
Data Mapping Tool

MAPIT*
Projects forming CAE material
Component thickness properties data onto full vehicle
distribution is extracted models using mesh independent
algorithms

Pre-Strain and
thickness distribution
included into the full
vehicle simulation

* MAPIT is a Ford Motor Company in-house developed software tool

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Altair Engineering 2009 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New Ford Fiesta 4-7
 Extensively engineered using CAE methodologies

Crash simulation models have over 1,000,000 elements.

Super computers are used to run the models, which can take 24 multi-processors over 20hrs to complete!

14th May, 2009

Questions & Answers

Thanks for
listening

14th May, 2009

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Altair Engineering 2009 The CAE Driven Safety Development Process of the New Ford Fiesta 4-8