Finite element and manufacturing analysis of a car body model

Abstract

This thesis presents an integrated computational investigation of the structural and aerodynamic performance of a conceptual sportscar body panel using Finite Element Method (FEM) and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), supported by a feasibility‑focused Computer‑Aided Manufacturing (CAM) assessment. A high‑fidelity CAD model was selected, prepared and evaluated through a structured mesh independence study using coarse (15 mm), medium (12.5 mm) and fine (5 mm) meshes to ensure numerical stability and solution reliability. Aluminum 6061‑T6/T651 was selected as the car body‑panel material due to its favorable stiffness‑to‑weight ratio, corrosion resistance and suitability for lightweight automotive structures. Overall, the research establishes that the concept car body is structurally viable, aerodynamically efficient and manufacturable using modern metal processing technologies. The integrated FEM-CFD-CAM workflow developed in this study provides a robust foundation for future automotive body panel optimization, enabling accurate evaluation of aerodynamic performance, structural integrity and design refinement in early development stages.