A Study of Panel Denting

판넬의 덴팅에 관한 연구

In the interest of improved automotive fuel economy, one solution is reducing vehicle weight. Achieving significant weight reductions will normally require reducing the panel thickness or using alternative materials such as aluminum alloy sheet. These changes will affect the dent resistance of the panel. In this study, the correlation between panel size, curvature, thickness, material properties and dent resistance is investigated. A parametric approach is adopted, utilizing a "design software" tool incorporating empirical equations to predict denting and panel stiffness for simplified panels. The developed design program can be used to minimize panel thickness or compare different materials, while maintaining adequate panel performance.