Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge
Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge
fender:
Fender is a part of an automobile, motorcycle or other vehicle body that frames a wheel well (the fender underside). Its primary purpose is to prevent sand, mud, rocks, liquids, and other road spray from being thrown into the air by the rotating tire. Fenders are typically rigid and can be damaged by contact with the road surface.
The main purpose of fenders on cars is that they shield the wheels and they protect the passengers, the pedestrians, and the other vehicles from stones, mud, liquid, and other debris that can fly in the air because of the speeding rotating wheels while the car is running.
Objective:
Calculate the Wheel Arch area and prove whether the car will pass the European standards or Not.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
European Standards to given Fender & Wheel Data:
Software Used: catiav5
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.) Clearance 'L' at SA-SA
L = 9.949mm
ii.) Clearance 'L' at SB-SB
L = 10.00mm
iii.) Clearance 'L' at SC-SC
L = 0.00mm
iv.) Clearance 'L' at SD-SD
L = -2.888mm
v.) Clearance 'L' at SE-SE
L = -5.997mm
Measuring the clearance vlaue'a' for Wheel Guard Requirement
i.) Clearance 'a' at 30° line SB
a = 48.642mm
ii.) Clearance 'a' at 50° line SC
a= 43.36mm
Clearance "L" obtained at sections SA, SB, SC, SD and SE
Conclusion
From the above results we can conclude that the Fender does not pass the European Regulations, as the minimum clearance L between the Fennder Wheel Arch and Wheel for vehicle and pedestrian safety is 10mm