Robust Design Strategy Applied to Vehicle Suspension System

This paper presents a robust design strategy for the design of complex mechanical systems. The design strategy is based on the hierarchical optimization of design variables. Simplified physics-based models are used in each step of the design and optimization process. The steps of the design process correspond to the different stages of the design process, from functional requirements and decomposition, to design of the parts. Besides optimization, robustness of the solution to variations in design variables and environmental conditions is essential. The methodology presented in this paper is applied to the optimization of the design parameters of a vehicle suspension system. The consideration of parameters uncertainties from early design stages, the organization of the optimization process, and the use of simplified models, allow to obtain performant and robust design, and to manage design trade-offs.