On the impact of geometric variance on the performance of formed parts: A probabilistic approach on the example of airbag pressure bins

TL;DR

This paper investigates how geometric variability in formed parts affects their performance, using a probabilistic numerical approach on airbag pressure bins to improve lightweight design and quality assurance.

Contribution

It introduces a stochastic modeling method to quantify the impact of geometric deviations on part performance, enabling targeted quality control without altering manufacturing processes.

Findings

Geometric variance significantly influences performance outcomes.

Probabilistic models can predict performance variance from geometric deviations.

Enhanced understanding aids in designing lighter, reliable parts.

Abstract

Scatter in properties resulting from manufacturing is a great challenge in lightweight design, requiring consideration of not only the average mechanical performance but also the variance which is done e.g., by conservative safety factors. One contributor to this variance is the inherent geometric variability in the formed part. To isolate and quantify this effect, we present a probabilistic numerical study, aiming to assess the impact of geometric variance on the resulting part performance. By modelling geometric deviations stochastically, we aim to establish a correlation between the variance in geometry with the resulting variance in performance. The study is done on the example of an airbag pressure bin, where a better understanding of this correlation is crucial, as it allows for the design of a lighter part without changing the manufacturing process. Instead, we aim to implement more targeted and effective quality assurance, informed by the performance impact of geometric deviations.