Virtual Clutch Development Model
In a world of constant development and where competition grows stronger for every minute, there is a need to work smart to stay on the market. Product development in the automotive business is not an exception. It is though not enough to adapt new technology and new ideas, one has to apply it to the organization in the smartest way to be able to achieve one of the most wanted goals; shortened lead-time in combination with improved product quality. As well known, virtual prototyping is a mean to achieve the above stated goal. This paper describes how this method has been the basis for a new product development approach in the clutch system area in an automotive company. The new virtual development approach is enabled by creation of the Virtual Clutch Development Model (VCDM). The main benefit of the simulation model is that several clutch performance phenomena can easily be investigated at once to get an overview of the performance of the clutch system, this in an early phase of the development process. This will facilitate trade off decisions and avoid suboptimization and thus shorten lead-times and improve product quality.