What is vehicle package engineering? Describe 12 important major tasks that a package engineer should undertake in developing a new passenger car
A packaging engineer in the automotive industry is an engineer who locates all occupants, vehicle systems, and their components in the vehicle space. They divide the vehicle to ensure each commodity/vehicle system has allocated the required space. The package engineer is also the customer’s voice inside the engineering team. They must ensure that all the systems and components are being assembled in a way that will function properly to stratify the customer.
- Create Drawings – create a 2D vehicle section/ 3D CAD data to review the vehicle.
- Create Virtual Bucks – used to create renderings of the finished vehicle.
- Create Package Bucks (physical) – used to conduct clinics.
- Conduct Evaluations (using customers) – run internal and external clinics to ensure a well-balanced vehicle.
- Work with design studios on concepts/styling issues
- Support surface (exterior and interior) development to achieve the intended appearance and die/tool design.
- Ergonomic packaging
- FMVSS safety analyses – Ensure that vehicle passes all FMVSS safety standards to ensure the vehicle can be sold in the United States.
- Cross car beam/ structure – ensure vehicle body-in-white (BIW) is robust enough to enable a good safety rating without negatively affecting overall vehicle mass.
- Doors and overhead system – ensure vehicle easy entry/egress of the vehicle in addition to ample headroom.
- HVAC unit design/packaging
- Center console systems
