Center for Creative Studies Student Designs Combine Consumer Preference, Steel Industry Architecture
5 January 1998
Center for Creative Studies Student Designs Combine Consumer Preference, Steel Industry Architecture
Concept vehicles on display at 1998 North American International Auto Show
DETROIT, Jan. 5 -- Four transportation design students have
successfully combined consumer preferences for sportiness, control, power and
safety with an innovative vehicle architecture to provide an eye-catching
vision of tomorrow's pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs).
The four students, from the Center for Creative Studies-College of Art and
Design (CCS-CAD) Transportation Design Program, designed and executed clay
models for concept vehicles as part of the ninth annual summer intern program
sponsored by American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI). The vehicles are
currently on display in the CCS exhibit at the 1998 North American
International Auto Show (NAIAS).
Several factors influenced the students' designs. Steel industry
specialists and automotive engineers briefed the students in early summer on
technical specifications and design package criteria for the steel industry's
Light Truck Structure (LTS) architecture. This information, combined with the
students' knowledge of industry research and consumer preferences, provided
them the framework by which to design the models.
LTS offers vehicle manufacturers a way to design and manufacture a family
of SUV, compact pickup and extended cab variants on the same production line.
LTS provides a lightweight, low cost approach to producing these vehicles.
The steel industry commissioned the LTS study on SUVs and light trucks
following its success with its UltraLight Steel Auto Body (ULSAB) project for
passenger cars. SUVs, light trucks and minivans account for nearly one-half
of all vehicle sales.
"Working within the constraints of the LTS engineering package was the
biggest challenge for the student designers this summer," explained Carl
Olsen, chair, Transportation Design Program, CCS. "This exercise taught the
students about the trade-offs involved between engineers and designers in the
development of a new vehicle."
The interns this summer were: Henry Chang of San Raphael, Calif.; Martin
Davis, of Detroit, Mich.; Tim Kozub, of Walled Lake, Mich.; and Matt Tandrup,
of Duluth, Ga.
The students' vehicle designs are described below:
"The Speciale"
Henry Chang's concept goal for a small pickup truck was to combine sporty
appeal with functional advantages. His cab has an extended roof and rear
window area, which return to a conventional cab length in the area of the
truck's bed. This gives the cab a dynamic side view and offers reclining
seats and an additional storage area without sacrificing space in the truck
bed or increasing the truck's overall length.
To create a unique visual appeal, Chang designed three exaggerated
grooves, which wrap around the body and on the hood of the truck and enable
the use of a thinner gauge, high strength steel.
"The Chambord"
Martin Davis wanted to define a theme of "new brutism" in his luxury SUV
concept vehicle. Inspired by the long hoods and short decks of the Cadillacs
and Lincolns from the 1930s and 1940s, Davis created a sport utility that
marries a dominating, rugged vehicle concept with a head-turning, stylish SUV.
Davis describes the look of his SUV as similar to that of a refined
Hummer. The body conveys aggressive styling -- a look designed to impress
other drivers and give the perception of the "ultimate road vehicle."
"The Hexen"
Tim Kozub researched the popularity and practicality of two-door SUVs
versus four-door models. He combined both elements by designing a sporty,
stylish four-door SUV that incorporates the flair of two-door models with the
functional features of four-door models.
Kozub's inspiration for the model came from new products on the market
that incorporate heavy padding and armor into their design, such as the Hummer
and the fictional "Batmobile."
"Not only does this look make the customer feel as if he's riding in a
tough vehicle, but an extremely safe one as well," he explained.
"The Warrior"
Matt Tandrup wanted his extended cab pickup design to have unique visual
appeal. He accomplished this task by designing stainless steel ribbing along
the vehicle's body sides and hood, created by laser welding two steel gauges
together.
Tandrup's extended cab portrays a sporty, rugged vehicle that is, at the
same time, extremely practical. Its access panel doors allow for ease of
loading and unloading cargo or passengers. The design also contains many
flowing lines and curves. "It's not boxy, like a typical extended cab truck,"
he said.
The AISI/CCS internship program provides the students with valuable
experience working on automotive designs, as well as important knowledge of
steel's unique attributes. This year, they visited an automotive laser
welding factory to learn more about the various forming and joining techniques
of steel.
"We find the internship program to be extremely beneficial to the
students," explained Darryl Martin, Director, Automotive Applications, AISI.
"Many of the students go on to work for automotive companies immediately after
graduation, without receiving any training in materials. Our goal is to help
fill that void by providing the students with a steel background before they
get to the car companies. This experience also gives them a better
understanding of steel benefits in terms of cost, lightweighting and material
selection."
The Center for Creative Studies provides an internationally prominent
environment for educating artists, designers, musicians and dancers. The CCS-
College of Art and Design is one of the nation's leading private, degree-
granting visual arts schools with programs in crafts, fine arts, graphic
communication, industrial design, and photography. Pre-college and community
education in music and dance is offered through the CCS-Institute of Music and
Dance.
American Iron and Steel Institute is a non-profit association of North
American companies engaged in the iron and steel industry. The Institute
comprises 49 member companies, including integrated and electric furnace
steelmakers, as well as 165 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers
to or customers of the steel industry.
SOURCE Center for Creative Studies
