Structural Frame-work Engineering Committee
1.Aim of activity
Regarding the structural design of automobile bodies, it is crucial to organically optimize a wide range of proprietary technologies, including planning and design technologies, material technologies, processing technologies, production technologies, and recycling technologies. This committee is composed of members involved in these proprietary technologies and aims to examine the ideal way to form the structure of automobile bodies, with the optimization of these proprietary technologies as the key point.
Specifically, two working groups will be established: a Structural Working Group (WG) and a Materials Working Group (WG). Based on the activities of these WGs, discussions will be held on the ideal form of the vehicle body approximately 10 years from now. In particular, the technological outlook for 2026 and beyond will focus on lightweighting and recycled material utilization technologies to achieve carbon neutrality, advancements in digital engineering, and adaptation to global environmental and safety regulations, with the aim of comprehensively raising the level of Japanese vehicle body technology and strengthening its international competitiveness.
2.Chairman/Secretary (2026-27)
| Chairman | Tsuyoshi Matsubara (Meijo University) |
|---|---|
| Secretary |
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3.Main target areas/matters
- Vehicle structure/body design
- Weight saving
- Design optimization/robust design
- Design simulation / Design tools / Design modeling
- White body
- Mild steel plate/high tensile strength steel plate/surface treated steel plate
- Aluminum alloy / Magnesium alloy / Titanium alloy
- composite material
- adhesive
- Processability/Recyclability
4. Volunteer activities
We will examine how the structure of an automobile body should be formed from four perspectives.
① WG1: With a view to xEV conversion and future vehicle body conversion to CN, we will examine structural design technologies, focusing on weight reduction.
② WG2: Taking carbon neutrality, global manufacturing expansion, and resource constraints into consideration, this WG2 will examine future vehicle bodies primarily from the perspective of materials and manufacturing methods.
③ WG1+2: We will continue the JSAE Annual Congress (Spring) forum "Latest Automotive Body Technologies" as a platform for mutual improvement through the presentation and discussion of the latest information from each automobile manufacturer regarding automotive bodies, and we will also consider a consortium for automotive body research.
④WG1+2: Promote research with external organizations related to the coordinated areas of the vehicle body (collaboration with NEDO-related organizations).