Automotive material engineers and designers can now access anew online course offered by WorldAutoSteel, the automotive group of the WorldSteel Association.

WorldAutoSteel,in partnership with steeluniversity, now offers its Design Advisor course on steeluniversity.org. The course includes an online simulation modelthat enables participants to enter vehicle design scenarios for quickevaluations. The speed and accuracy of the evaluations make it a practicalexample of the use of Life Cycle Assessment, helping to evaluate potentialmaterial decision impacts to the environment, and total impacts toward acircular economy.

“Vehicledesigners of the 21st century must turn out vehicles that surprise and delightcustomers, meet strict government regulations, satisfy financial investors,reduce emissions, and contribute to a circular economy,” says Cees ten Broek,Director, WorldAutoSteel. “The Design Advisor course gives a big pictureunderstanding of how vehicle design choices can affect the mass, cost andclimate change emissions through the vehicle life cycle.”

Engineers,designers, and university students will benefit through taking the course andusing the simulation model. Users can evaluate the impact of design choices forthe different vehicle structural components and gain a better understanding ofperformance over the life cycle of the vehicle.

TheDesign Advisor course is taught by Dr. Don Malen, adjunct professor andresearch scientist from the University Of Michigan College Of Engineering andthe creator of the simulation model.

“Materialselection decisions are most often made very early in the vehicle designprocess,” says ten Broek. “The Design Advisor course enables vehicle designdecision makers to quickly and accurately examine material selectiontradeoffs.”