As they are responsible for the performance of a vehicle or a train, the design of chassis/ suspension systems or bogies represents a strategic stage in the development of these products. In the automotive sector, chassis/suspension systems cover a vast area: suspensions, steering, tyres, braking control systems and even front and rear axles.

After a specification has been defined by pilot study engineers, drawings are produced by designers in order to define
the architecture and functionalities, before dealing with manufacturing and assembly methods, followed by an industrial scale production launch. In the rail sector, the bogie is a subsystem of a train. It includes the chassis/suspension systems, braking, tyres and drive system, including the gearbox and supports the wheel axles.

Its design therefore covers numerous components, requiring a variety of skills: project engineers, draughtsmen, designers, etc. Quality and safety are critical issues for design, in particular
for mechanical and electrical components, with various fault analyses. It is therefore a genuine project in itself, needing to be handled independently of the rest of the train, with specific management, design, validations and integration.