Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge
Wheelarch:
A wheel arch is the curved part of a vehicle's bodywork that surrounds the wheel and provides clearance for the wheel to move up and down while maintaining a protected space for the wheel within the body of the vehicle. The wheel arch typically consists of a metal or plastic panel that is bolted or welded to the body of the vehicle and covers the area between the tire and the bodywork. The wheel arch can vary in size and shape depending on the make and model of the vehicle, and can have a significant impact on the appearance and performance of the vehicle.
Wheelarch Regulations:
Wheel arch regulations are in place to ensure the safety of the vehicle's occupants and other road users, as well as to maintain the integrity and stability of the vehicle's structure.
In many jurisdictions, regulations specify the maximum size of the wheel arches and the amount of clearance between the tire and the bodywork. This is to prevent the tire from rubbing against the bodywork or other parts of the vehicle, which can cause damage or even a dangerous situation.
- Japan Regulations:
The Clearance length (L) at each locations marked on the above points should be greater than 5 mm for the three points lying in the region K.
- European Regulations:
The Clearance length (L) at each of the sections namely SA-SA, SB-SB, SC-SC, SD-SD & SE-SE should be more than 10mm.
- USA Regulations:
The Clearance length (L) at each point should be more than 5mm where each of the points are created by equally dividing sections (10 degrees each) starting from -20 to 180 degrees (counter-clockwise).
Section SB:
Section SA:
Section SC:
Section SD:
Section SE:
| S.No. | Section | Required Measure | Acquired Measure | Status |
| 1 | SB | >=10mm | 10mm | Pass |
| 2 | SA | >=10mm | 9.949mm | Fail |
| 3 | SC | >=10mm | -0.114mm | Fail |
| 4 | SD | >=10mm | -2.8875mm | Fail |
| 5 | SE | >=10mm | -5.9973mm | Fail |
*The negative sign indicates that the wheel is outside the bounds of the wheelarch
Hence, from the given result it is clear that the wheelarch regulations forthe given CAD model in accordace to the european standard is not met as it only passes for one of the five required sections.