Whether it is a teenager or a college student, everyone is crazy about cars. Whenever they see a supercar or a sports car, they dream about buying one.
Some go one step further and plan on designing their automobile in the future!
If you are passionate about cars, you surely want to work for an automotive company and join their team to design the next beast to run on the road.
Designing a car at an industrial level for an automobile company requires a lot of talent and experience. Hence, an interested person needs to acquire lots of qualities, knowledge, and skills to become an automotive designer.
Is The Job Of A Car Designer Easy?
Designing a car is not as simple as making sketches with a pen and paper to draw a nice looking car. There are many factors you need to keep in mind.
The car has to be fuel-efficient, safe, durable, comfortable, and more. It should also be able to compete with other cars in the market and be significantly better than them.
Hence, the job isn’t as easy as it sounds, and companies will only hire the best talent. If you want to be a car designer, you should always look for ways to improve your knowledge and learn the art of car design.
If you have already taken up a Mechanical Engineering Course, things might be easier for you.
The Role Of A Car Designer
Car designers use their knowledge and creativity to come up with an idea for a new car. They apply design principles and innovative ideas to design a functional and eye-catching vehicle.
They are responsible for the entire body design, including its interiors and exteriors, and decide the color that will work with the car design.
It is also necessary to follow the safety standards and the currently trending body style.
How Learning Car Design Can Help You Get Closer To Your Dream Job
The knowledge of car design can open many doors for you in multiple departments. Car companies will hire you depending on your knowledge, skill, and experience in car design.
Even if you do not work directly as an automotive designer, car design knowledge is essential for the automotive industry.
Technical Knowledge
To design a car, you need to have strong fundamentals about automobiles in general. Coming from a mechanical, automobile, or electrical department will give you the technical knowledge you require.
Some of the core topics in the design field include:
1. Geometrical Dimensioning And Tolerance
The basis of any engineering drawing lies in its appropriate dimensioning system. You need to have an excellent knowledge of tolerance of various materials to provide smooth movement of the parts in the car.
For example, if the vehicles’ meshing gear dimensions are not in sync, it can harm the car’s transmission.
2. Knowledge Of Automobile Parts
The knowledge of vehicle components is essential. You need to know where some parts fit in the vehicle design and the purpose behind it. Unless you know how each part functions, you cannot make a better car.
3. Knowledge Of Engines
The knowledge of engines can help you prepare the proper timing chart for the combustion engine.
You can calculate the power developed by the engine and how it will propel the engine forward. It will also help you design a brake to decelerate the speed.
Most cars in the world still work on liquid fuels. As we look forward to electric cars, the knowledge of electric circuits and battery backpacks will be necessary for EV design.
4. Vehicle Dynamics
Vehicle dynamics helps you understand how the automobile will move. You must learn about vehicle dynamics and the use of governor and differentiator to help keep balance in the vehicle.
You also need to learn about aerodynamics and the center of gravity to produce high-speed cars with no stability issues.
5. Material And Production Science
A designer is responsible for the material costs involved in making the car. They must provide a product that meets customer expectations but is also cheap to produce. Material science can help you achieve this tricky task.
Software Knowledge
Gone are the days when designers used drafters and sheets to design cars. Nowadays, these are done more effectively with the help of different software.
Such software allows car designers to make a more realistic 3D design and test the car’s functionality. Here are some software tools that most industries work on for car design.
1. SolidWorks
SolidWorks is a commonly used CAD software by car designers. It makes car designing simpler and also helps to solve design-related problems quickly by easily identifying them.
Solidworks software helps to design a 3D image of the car. It is user-friendly. Hence, to design a car at an industrial level, you will need to have a great understanding of SolidWorks.
2. CATIA
CATIA is a globally used software for 3D design, Computer-aided engineering solution, PLM, and Computer-aided manufacturing solution. It provides a 3D user experience, making it easier to work on it.
CATIA can easily detect design errors, thus saving a lot of time and money. It works best for creative designers as it offers many tools and options, giving them the freedom to implement their innovative ideas.
3. ANSYS
Ansys is a great finite element software. Many car designers and automobile industries widely and globally use it.
ANSYS is used to simulate a car for analyzing its strength, toughness, and many other attributes before moving to the manufacturing process.
4. Adam’s Workshop
A designer needs to assess a car’s costs and parts. Adam’s Workshop is a tool that allows you to change components from various manufacturers in your design and assess the performance.
You can also undergo simulations to understand the view from the perspective of the end-user.
Conclusion
A beautiful car with functionality thrills the soul. To design a car that makes everyone go wow, you need to design the car creatively while knowing all of its fundamentals.
The industry wants skilled people who can help the company. As such, you should get knowledge and hands-on experience with real-world projects.
You must also learn Car Design Software to produce quality results and stay relevant to the current automobile landscape.
