Alstom Transportation Design Engineer Interview Questions and Answers

Side member & cross member are structural components in a car's Body in White (BIW) that provide strength and support to the vehicle.

• Side member: Longitudinal structural component that runs along the sides of the vehicle, providing support and rigidity.

• Cross member: Horizontal structural component that connects the side members, adding strength and stability to the vehicle.

• Examples: Side members can be found on the sid...read more

Annotations, PMI & GD&T are tools used in engineering to communicate design and manufacturing requirements.

• Annotations are notes or labels added to a drawing to provide additional information.

• PMI (Product Manufacturing Information) includes dimensions, tolerances, materials, and other specifications needed for manufacturing.

• GD&T (Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing) is a system for defining and communicating enginee...read more

Beads and darts are decided based on design requirements, manufacturing constraints, and structural considerations in BIW members.

• Consider design requirements such as stiffness, strength, and crashworthiness.

• Take into account manufacturing constraints like tooling limitations and cost.

• Evaluate structural considerations such as load distribution and stress concentrations.

• Use simulation software to optimize bead and dart...read more

Various methods are used for making BIW (Body in White) including hydroforming, stamping, welding, and bonding.

• Hydroforming: shaping metal using fluid pressure

• Stamping: pressing metal into a desired shape

• Welding: joining metal pieces together using heat

• Bonding: using adhesives to attach metal components

Hydroforming uses fluid pressure to shape metal while forming uses mechanical force.

• Hydroforming uses fluid pressure to shape metal while forming uses mechanical force

• Hydroforming allows for complex shapes with uniform wall thickness, while forming may result in uneven thickness

• Hydroforming is more cost-effective for large production runs, while forming is better for smaller quantities

• Examples of hydroforming include a...read more

GD&T stands for Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing. It is a system for defining and communicating engineering tolerances.

• GD&T is used to specify the allowable variations in form, size, and orientation of part features.

• It helps ensure that parts fit together properly and function as intended.

• GD&T uses symbols, such as position, concentricity, and flatness, to communicate tolerance requirements.

• It is commonly used in...read more

Benchmarking is the process of comparing one's business processes and performance metrics to industry bests or best practices from other companies.

• Benchmarking helps identify areas for improvement and opportunities for innovation.

• It involves analyzing data and metrics to understand how well a company is performing compared to others in the industry.

• Master section refers to a standardized set of criteria or best practic...read more

LMC & MMC refer to the conditions in which a part has the least or maximum amount of material respectively.

• LMC is the condition where a part has the least amount of material, ensuring the smallest size of the feature.

• MMC is the condition where a part has the maximum amount of material, ensuring the largest size of the feature.

• These conditions are important in engineering design to ensure proper fit and function of part...read more

Sheet metal thickness is decided based on factors like material type, part geometry, function, and cost.

• Consider material type and its properties (e.g. strength, ductility)

• Analyze part geometry and required structural integrity

• Evaluate function of the part and potential stresses it will endure

• Factor in cost implications of different thickness options

• Consult industry standards and guidelines for recommended thickness ra