Bumper Rigidity Design Guideline

The problem

A bumper has to be soft enough to protect a pedestrian on impact, yet stiff enough that it doesn't sag or deflect visibly over the life of the vehicle. Without a shared standard, each new design started that balancing act from scratch.

The approach

• Ran CAE simulations and real-world tests on existing Honda and Acura bumper components to validate the analysis method itself.
• Evaluated historical test data to benchmark pedestrian impact performance and structural deflection.
• Turned the findings into rigidity targets that designers can check against early, before committing to geometry.

The result

I synthesized the work into a formal design guideline and requirements document. The body design team adopted it, saving valuable time in the initial design stages of new bumpers.