Virtual Functional Build for Body Assembly

Abstract

Functional build (FB) is a critical process in launching a vehicle, whereby individual prototype parts are stamped and then sent to a central location to be assembled into a prototype vehicle body. FB is premised on the realization that from a functional viewpoint the relationship between parts is important, not the relationship of the parts to their respective nominal dimensions. FB has been widely adopted in the automotive industry, and the financial benefits have been large and well documented. This paper describes Virtual Functional Build (VFB) where point cloud representations of parts are assembled virtually using assembly modeling software. The potential benefits of VFB over traditional FB techniques are reduced capital investment in tooling and, more importantly, reduced lead time due to earlier collaboration between geographically remote part and sub-assembly suppliers. This paper will contrast the FB and VFB processes on an actual automotive case study.