Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

Calculate the Wheel Arch gap at required points and check whether the car passes the European standard.

INTRODUCTION

Wheel Arch is the shaped part of the bodywork of a car or other vehicle that allows the wheel to be accessed, and in the case of front wheels, enable them to be steered. It is the semi-circular part that is positioned above the wheel of the vehicle. It should have the sufficient clearance between the tyre and the wheel arch so that it does not touch the wheel arch area.

If the wheel arch calculation is not done then it does more chipping which causes a lot of damage to the pedestrian as well as to the car also. The clearance value differ from region to region, according to the road condition. Followings are some standards that are followed by automobile industries.

Japanese Standards:

1. Clearance must be greater than 5 mm in all the three positions.
2. Wheel guard requirement: The value of ‘a’ shall be more than 5 mm at a line 30˚ forward and 50˚ rearward from the central vertical axis of wheel.

European Standards:

1. At all five sections the clearance value should be greater than 10 mm.
2. Wheel guard requirement: The value of ‘a’ shall be more than 10 mm at a line 30˚ forward and 50˚rearward from the central vertical axis of wheel.

Obtaining the clearance value ‘L’ at section SA, SB, SC, SD and SE:

At Section SA:

SA=9.948989376

At Section SB:

SB=10.00000

At Section SC:

SC=0.11394

At Section SD:

SD=3.428829653

At Section SE:

SE=7.189516001

Table:

SECTIONS	CLEARANCE MEASURED(MM)	TEST RESULTS
SA	9.948989376	FLASE
SB	10.00000	TRUE
SC	0.11394	FALSE
SD	3.428829653	FALSE
SE	7.189516001	FALSE

Conclusion:

The given model is analysed according to the European Standards and from the above table it is clear that the fender does not pass the European standards at all sections except at section SB.