Fender Design - Study of Wheel Arch with European Regulations

                                                     Study of Wheel Arch with European Regulations

Objective:

           Calculate the Wheel Arch area and prove whether the car will pass the European standards or Not.

Introduction of Wheel Arch:

          The design of the wheel arch of a fender should be such that it must have shield wheels and protect both passengers compartment and pedestrians from the projection of Water, Mud, and Stones.

          Wheel Arch is the Semi-Circular part of the fender positioned above the wheel of the vehicle.

          For the vehicle to has its use permit in different countries the wheel arch of enders must be compliant with the standards and regulations set by the respective countries.

European Standards for Wheel Arch:

 Find the following Clearance Values ''L'' & ''a''  also prove whether it will pass European standards:                

1. The clearance "L" as shown in the above fig at all the five sections SA-SA, SB-SB, SC-SC, SD-SD and SE-SE should be greater than 10 mm.
2. Wheel Guard Requirement: The value of "a" shall be more than 5 mm at a line 30° forward and 50° rearward from centre vertical axis of the wheel.

Applying European Standards to given Fender & Wheel Data:

Software Used: Siemens NX-CAD

                The sketch is drawn on the wheel face as per the European standards provided and projected on the wheel arch at sections SA, SB, SC, SD and SE to measure "L", "a" and wheel arch area.

1) Obtaining the value of clearance "L"

              The clearance "L" as shown in the above fig at all the five sections SA-SA, SB-SB, SC-SC, SD-SD and SE-SE should be greater than 10 mm.

 i) Measuring "L" for the given Wheel & fender at SB

             The Value of "L" at SB=10.00 mm

ii) Measuring "L' for the given wheel and fender at SA:

                The Value of "L" at SA=10.00 mm

iii) Measuring "L' for the given wheel and fender at SC:

              The value of "L" at SC = 0.000 mm

iv) Measuring "L' for the given wheel and fender at SD:

                      The value of "L" at SD = -2.834 mm

    Note: Here the value is negative because the wheel arch line comes outside the fender

v) Measuring "L' for the given wheel and fender at SE:

                  The value of "L" at SE = -5.995 mm

Clearance "L" obtained at sections SA, SB, SC, SD and SE

                                                                                     :- Table A

      From table A, the given fender doesn't pass the European standards for wheel arch area at sections  SC, SD and SE.

 Note: Here the value is in negative the wheel arch line comes outside the fender

2) Obtaining the value of clearance "a" for Wheel Guard Requirement:

             Wheel Guard Requirement: The value of "a" shall be more than 5 mm at a line 30° forward and 50° rearward from the centre vertical axis of the wheel.

i) Finding the value of "a" at line 30° forward from the centre vertical axis of the wheel.

   The value of "a" at line 30° forward from the centre vertical axis of the wheel = 43.788 mm

ii)Finding the value of "a" at line 50° rearward from the centre vertical axis of the wheel.

   The value of "a" at line 50° rearward from the centre vertical axis of the wheel = 38.516 mm

Clearance "a" obtained at sections SB (at 30° forward from the centre axis), SC (at 50° rearward from the centre axis).  

                                                                         :- Table B            

Conclusion:

                From the above results obtained, we can conclude that the given fender doesn't pass the European Standards for Wheel Arch area.

                With this result, the styling team is required to modify the surface of the fender such that the clearance "L" at sections SC, SD and SE is equal to or greater than 10 mm by increasing the curvature at those sections towards the outside.