Fender Design Challenge

Fender Design

Fender is a side closing component, which is used to prevent things such as water, small rocks, and mud from hitting the engine compartment. The fender covers all four wheels of the vehicle and is classified into front fender and rear fender. However, the rear fender is integrated together with the body side while the front fender is a separate part.

The front fender can further be classified into 2 types: full bumper and half bumper. The half bumper is more in use as blanking of the half bumper produces less waste over the full bumper type. A half bumper is preferred as it reduces material usage.

Full Bumper type fender Half Bumper type fender

To mount a fender on the car, it has five major fastening points: Bodyside, A-Pillar, Sill, Cowl, and Drip area. Fasteners are used as none of these regions are visible on the outside and hence have no effect aesthetically speaking.

Drip Area:

• The drip area is attached to the engine compartment and is designed accordingly.
• The drip area of the fender needs to be in a proper position, such that it does not affect the other mounting on the top.
• For this, the cowl mountings i.e., the area which carries the wiper accessories needs a minimum of 200mm space and hence we leave a gap of 200mm or more from the rear end.
• Similarly, the front end will carry the headlamp which needs a minimum of 150mm area.
• The drip area is given a draw angle of a minimum of 3 degrees and is produced with a flange such that the weld nuts won’t be visible from the outside. It is to make the overall look of the car aesthetic.
• For the spring back effect to be minimum, the length of the drip area is kept only up to 40mm.

Bumper Mounting:

• This part of the fender is attached to the bumper.
• The design consideration is taken from the bumper and the mounting area is designed accordingly.
• It is joined using fasteners as this part does not show on the outside.

A-Pillar Mounting:

• A-Pillar mounting is mounted on the A-pillar of the body side.

Baffle Mounting:

• The baffle is made of plastic and/or rubber, it is the part which prevents dirt and mud water from splashing inside the engine and is attached to the fender at the baffle mounting region.
• It is made of plastic/ rubber as it helps reduces noise caused by dirt and water hitting it.

Sill Mounting:

• Sill is a small strip of metal at the base of the car. It helps in strengthening the body of car as well as provides a footing to climb into it.
• The fender is attached to the sill area with the help of fasteners.

Conclusion: The part has been designed using the necessary considerations for various mountings of fender with proper relief along with attention to manufacturablity.