The light-weight design of UTM (Urban Transit Maglev)-02 car-body frames are performed, based on initial configuration. The thicknesses of fourteen sub-structures are defined as design variables and the loading condition is considered according to weight of sub-structures, electronic and pneumatic modules and passengers. For efficient and robust process of design optimization, objective function and constraints are approximated by response surface approximation. Structural analysis is performed at some sampling points to construct the approximated objective function and constraints composed of design variables. Design space is changed to find many
optimal candidates and best optimal design can be found eventually. The Matlab Optimization Toolbox is used to find optimal value and sensitivity analysis about each design variable is also performed.
