Advanced High Strength Steel

Technology in the 2006 Honda Civic

Creating Special Appeal with Steel

Mark Pafumi
Honda R&D Americas, Inc.

www.autosteel.org
I. Introduction
II. Special Appeal
III. DQR
IV. Safety

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I. Introduction
II. Special Appeal
III. DQR
IV. Safety

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New Civic Grand Concept

Advance Personal Compact

Balance
 Providing a
Unique Civic
Special Appeal
Feel and Impression

Innovative Package Design

DQR
and
Safety Environment
Advanced Performance
Exterior Design Concept

ADVANCED EMOTIONAL DESIGN

SPORTY ONE MOTION FORM

■ FORWARD CABIN

■ SOLID & Hi-TENSION BODY

Exterior Design
 ADVANCED PERSONAL COMPACT

Wedged Silhouette Aggressive & Solid

One motion nose to cabin side Fist like strength

Trapezoid Lower Body

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Coupe vs. Sedan Packaging Differences

Coupe is clearly distinguished from the Sedan

MORE SPORTY STANCE!

Sporty MORE EMOTIONAL STYLE!
& Windshield
Sharp
o
-2

Wheelbase
Hip Point - 50mm
-20
mm -50mm

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I. Introduction
II. Special Appeal
III. DQR
IV. Safety

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 White Body Overview

Target: Increase overall dimensions and add features

New Features
• Side Air Bag
• Side Curtain Air bag
05M Civic
• 16” wheels
• 1.8L (larger) Engine
• 5-Speed Automatic
• Telescoping Steering

White body weight = +4%

Weight Summary
• ACETM (Front) Body Structure
• Body Structure +16 kg
• Side Impact Improvements
• Rigidity (for handling) • Features + 46 kg

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 High Strength Steel Utilization

Target: Improve performance and control weight through HSS

05M Civic

Grade Grade
590 590
440 440
340 340
270 270
11%
19%
50%
38% 590 MPa
68%
steel use
2%
9%
tripled
3%
HSS Usage Rate: 32% HSS Usage Rate: 50%

50% of body now high strength steel

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 Front Styling

Target: Realize “One-motion” and “Crouching” form styling

Windshield Length of Front End
Angle -18% @ Center line -16%
Glass area +25%

Coupe

21.9o
05M Coupe = 26.7o 881 mm
o
[NSX = 23.9 ] 05M Civic
Sedan
W/S angle -18%

23.9o
1045 mm
05M Sedan = 29.1 o

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 Dashboard Upper Construction

Target: Apply aggressive front styling and improve structural rigidity

Move base of windshield out

05M Civic
Damper house connection
260 mm to DA/BD UPR less rigid
05M Civic

Rigid Connection
Engine DA/BD UPR Lid

Apply DA/BD UPR lid

Extends over engine

• DA/BD UPR extends

over engine
• Lid removable for
service
• Wiper box ties
damper house together

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 Side Sill Design

Target: Economically improve styling and acoustics of side sill

05M Civic Plastic Garnish
Slope-type Side Sill Edge-type Side Sill

Acura TSX
+ Clean appearance
+ Good acoustics (chipping noise)
-- High cost
Conventional PVC
Under-cut formed by cam
PVC-free acoustic (expandable) coating

- Visible weld flange + Same appearance as plastic garnish

- Low impact damping (chipping noise) + All steel design – no assembly parts
++ Low cost + Good chipping noise
+ Low cost

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 Lower body accents

Target: Economically apply model-exclusive lower body accents

Coupe Sedan
Theme: Simulated body side cladding Theme: Strong lower character line that
“Cladding” molded in front & rear bumpers doubles as door protector
Body side “molding” molded in bumper

• Front and rear doors apply

• Character line creates clip-on plastic molding
shadow giving appearance of
a body kit • Front fender and side panel
stamp shape of protector
• Side panel flared at RR
wheel to provide air foil effect •Unique look achieved with
• Unique look with zero cost! only two clip on garnishes

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 Rolled Rear Wheel Arch

Target: Guarantee compatibility of wide track and tire clearance

• Rear wheel arch rolled after welding
• Allows tires to be pushed outward as far as possible

Side Panel Outer

RR Inner Panel

After bending A

Dust sealer

Bend angle： 65° A

SECTION AA Bending range

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I. Introduction
II. Special Appeal
III. DQR
IV. Safety

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 Front Subframe

Target: Develop two subframes with different design constraints

1.8L Engine Specifications 1.8L 2.0L
2.0L Engine (Si )
Material 440 MPa 270 MPa
Process Hydro Stamped
Efficient Thickness 2.0t 2.0t
section
Weight 20.4 kg 22.4 kg
Straight pipe Production location JP, US Thailand
World-wide volume 450,000 50,000

• Optimized design – low piece price • Economical tooling

• Expensive tooling – but high volume • Conventional design
• AHSS allows same bending moment • One worldwide source
Bending Moment of Inertia Bending Moment of Inertia
（XY coodinates） （XY coodinates）
Ｉx-x 69472 Ｉx-x 121548
17mm 20mm
M=(31*57213)/17 M=(21*121548)/20
=126685 [kgmm] =127625 [kgmm]
（Yield Strength 31kg/mm2） （Yield Strength 21kg/mm2）

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 Rear Crossmember

Target: Improve body mounting strength for sporty suspension

• Reinforced for improved suspension mounting point rigidity Exclusive application
• Extra toughness for aftermarket modifications for Si Coupe

• Must keep common layout to base model

UPR Arm RR Crossmember EXTN
BRKT
RR Crossmember
RR Stabilizer
Mount Brkt
Countermeasures
Modify RR
Crossmember Increase thickness
Extend UPR Arm BRKT bulkhead RR Stabilizer Mount

Add SWs

2.3t Æ 3.2t

Extend Internal
Bulkhead

RR Crossmember - 1.2t/270 MPa Spot weld life increased 8x

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 Body Rigidity

Target: Improve body rigidity with focus on connection details

Add DA/BD Add RR Tray 1.2t/590 MPa Increase
UPR Gusset to RR Inner thickness
Gusset of Center
Tunnel
Frame
0.8t 1.8t
590 MPa
Result
Mode vs. 05M Civic
Bending + 7.6%
Torsion + 11%
Torsion

Increase 1.2t Add Side Sill

Add 2-piece B-PLR
section of LWR EXTN
Side Frame FR Seat
to UPR Cross
Member Member
connection

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 Rear Parcel Tray Construction

Target: Control vibration input from 360W subwoofer

• Improves rattle/squeak toughness
• Prevents center seat belt retractor chatter
Rear Tray mode
Add beads with glass
0.6t/270 MPa

Maximize speaker hole diameter Section AA

Final Base C/M #1
Add strap (0.6t)
Sect AA
0.6t/
2 70 M
Pa
Compliance
(m/N –dB)

5 mm
Add bent flange Subwoofer Operating Frequency
Add support 0.6t
/270 around speaker & (40-160 Hz)
MPa
(1.6t) seat belt holes
Box section

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I. Introduction
II. Special Appeal
III. DQR
IV. Safety

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 Safety

Target: Create high-energy absorbing structure with HSS

Front Rear

Side

All critical frame members

use 590 MPa steel
Side
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 ACETM Body Structure

Target: Adopt advanced Compatibility Body Structure

05M Civic Load Distributing

Body Frame

Load carried deep

in to structure
Cross section of upper member joint enlarged
Extended upper member joined to the side frame

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 Offset impact of Civic v. Pilot

05M Civic

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 Floor Frame Construction

Target: Efficient transfer of frontal crash loads

1.6t/590 MPa 05M Civic

Floor frame stops

64 KPH Offset Barrier

1.6t/590 MPa
1.0t/590 MPa

Photo courtesy IIHS

Load transfer to side sill Floor frame extends to side sill
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 Tailor Welded Blanks

Target: Apply tailor welded blanks to balance performance & weight

• Dashboard Lower
Front Side Frame
• Front Side Frame
• Door Inner Panel
• Center Pillar Stiffener (4D) 590 MPa

Dashboard Lower
1.6t

0.8t/270 MPa Polygon

shape
1.2t

1.4t
Apply beads to increase
rigidity of section

1.2t/590 MPa
05M Civic

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 Side Impact Test Modes

Target: Achieve high performance in both NCAP & IIHS modes

NHTSA Side NCAP IIHS SICE
Passenger Car Mode Light Truck Mode

• Higher Weight
• Higher Height

WT: 3015 lbs WT: 3300 lbs (+285 lbs)

11 in 15 in (+4 in)

Head G Two Body Regions rated to

calculate Thoracic Trauma Index (TTI) Head Injury Criteria
Rib G Neck Force/Moments
TTI = Rib maxG + Lwr Spine G Four Body
Lower Regions rated
Spine G 2 Rib Deflections

Pelvic Forces
Pelvis G

• Barrier strikes low – engages side sill and B-PLR
• Two body regions rated
• No rating for structure or head protection
• Barrier misses side sill – all load carried by door
& B-PLR
• Four body regions rated
• Head protection & body performance rated

Driver IIHS “GOOD”

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 Side Impact Protection

Target: IIHS Good with reduced weight and cost

ARCH A, ROOF
05M Civic
ARCH A, ROOF
270MPa, t0.7 HSS MPa, t0.7 GST, ROOF ARCH
HSS MPa, t1.6
GUSSET,MID FLR C/MBR
HSS MPa, t3.0 STIFF,CTR PLR UP RNFCT,CTR PLR UP
HSS MPa, t2.0 HSS MPa, t1.0

RNFCT,GUSSET
HSS MPa, t2.0
PNL,RR INSIDE
270MPa, t0.65

GUSSET,MID FLR C/MBR

HSS MPa, t2.6

RNFCT,MID FLR C/MBR

HSS MPa, t1.6

RNFCT, MID FLR C/MBR

RNFCT,CTR PLR LWR HSS MPa, t 2.0
PNL,RR INSIDE 270MPa, t1.6
270MPa, t1.2
STIFF,CTR PLR
270MPa, t2.0 RNFCT B, CTR PLR LWR
C/MBR,MID FLR STIFF HSS MPa, t1.6
HSS MPa, t1.6

53% HSS (by weight)

STIFF,CTR PLR LWR
HSS MPa, t1.0 89% HSS (by weight)
Weight = -3.9 kg; Cost = -10%

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 Rear Impact (RR301)

Target: Efficient energy absorption of rear frame Fuel filler

pipe
• Phase in RR301 regulation (80 kph RR impact)
• No damage to fuel tank
• Protect fuel filler pipe from leak Fuel System Fuel tank

Rear Frame
Frame Construction
05M Civic RR Frame Patch
FR RR Frame 0.6t/270 MPa
Bent 2.0t/590 MPa

RR Floor Cross
Straight Mbr Extn
1.8t/270 MPa

RR Frame Stiffener RR Upper Arm Brkt

2.3t/590 MPa 1.8t/270 MPa

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 Pedestrian Impact

Target: Reduce head injury by applying:

• Energy absorbing structure
• Sufficient clearance to underhood components

Hood Hinge
• Verically collapsable structure
• Still must meet durability & frontal crash
requirements (no windshield contact)
Initiator Holes

Fender Bracket
Hood • Collapsable fender mounting
Meets EU/J regulation: • Clearance to UPR MEMBER
66% of area <1000 HIC
100% of area <2000 HIC

Wiper Pivot (Aluminum)

• Break-away Structure

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 Safety Summary

Test Mode Published Data

Driver
Driver
Front NCAP Pass
Pass

Front
Side NCAP
Rear

Offset GOOD

GOLD (06M)
Side
GOOD
Impact

Neck Injury
GOOD
Reduction

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 Conclusion
DQR
• Flexible front subframe design
• Rigid rear parcel tray
• Durable rear crossmember
• Enhanced body rigidity

Special Appeal Safety

• Lightweight white body • ACETM body structure
• 50% high strength steel
• Energy distributing floor frame
• Aggressive front styling
• Extensive use of tailored blanks
• Unique DA/BD UPR construction
• Efficient side impact structure
• Integrated side sill design
• Industry-leading pedestrian
• Stylish lower body accents impact protection
• Rolled wheelarch flange
All made possible with innovative use of steel
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