Optical 3D metrology systems are increasingly used in in the area of research and development in the automotive industry for the verification of numerical simulations and models. For passenger safety and structural reliability it is critical to detect and understand the dynamic behavior of components and parts under load and during crash events. The input of precise boundary conditions is a key factor for accurate and reliable numerical simulations. These boundary conditions such as material parameters and dynamic behavior of test rigs are determined using optical 3D metrology systems.
The numerical simulation of a windshield under dynamic crash conditions is highly complex and time consuming due to very inhomogeneous material properties and its deformation behavior. During research and development head impact tests are conducted in combination with optical 3D measurements for full-field 3D displacement and strain analysis with the goal of verifying and optimizing these numerical simulations. In addition the impacting device and the impactor are evaluated for their 3D motion and 3D position to guarantee a correct flight path and impact point on the windshield of the impactor. Optical 3D metrology strongly contributes during the research and development in the automotive industry to increase passenger and pedestrian safety.