Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

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

Fender Arch :

• Wheel arch is the semi circular part of the fender positioned above the wheel of the vehicle .
• The design of the wheel arch of the fender should be such that it must shield wheels and protect both passanger and padestrian from the projection of stone and mud.
• For the vehicle to has different permit in different countries , the wheel arch of fender must be compliant with the standard and regulation set by respective countries .

Different fender regulation by different countries are as follow :

European standard :

• The european regulation requires a pre- determined clearance or a minimum distance of 10 mmm to be maintained between the fender and respective tyre at particular points, along the tyre profile as shown below .
• Wheel guard requirement : The value of 'a' should be more than 5 mm at line 30 degree forward and 50 degree reward from the central vertical axis of the wheel .

US Regulations :

• Clearance 'L' is to be checked at all positions from -100 to 100 degree and create clearance check chart to validate .
• The value of L should be greater than 5 mm to satisfy the regulations.
• Wheel guard requirement : The value of a should be more than 5 mm at line 30 degree forward and 50 degree reward from the central vertical axis of the wheel .

Japan Regulations :

• The clearance 'L' for is to be measured within area K and create clearance check chart to validate .
• The value of L should be greater than 5 mm at all point .
• Wheel guard requirement : The value of a should be more than 5 mm at line 30 degree forward and 50 degree reward from the central vertical axis of the wheel .

Calculation of Wheel arch area according to European Regulations :

• A Datom plane is created at the outermost face fo the wheel .
• Horizontal and vertical line is created from the center of wheel and make it  reference.
• Create 30 degree and 50 degree line with respect to vertical line .
• Now take ofset of 150mm from the horizontal line .
• Now create 5 point on plane and project it into the fender.
• Now measure the clearance 'L'.

Calculating clearance at different points :

1) clearance 'L' at SA-SA :

L = 9.94 mm

2) clearance 'L' at SB-SB :

 L=10 mm

3) clearance 'L' at SC-SC :

L= -0.1127 mm

4) clearance 'L' at SD-SD :

L= -2.86 mm

5) clearance 'L' at SE-SE :

L = -5.98 mm

Measuring the clearance value 'a' for wheel guard requirement :

Clearance 'a' at 30 degree line :

a = 44.75 mm

Clearance 'a' at 50 degree line :

a = 38.35 mm

standards :

• "a" should be more than 5mm at line 30degree forward and 50degree.
• "L" should be greater than 10mm

From the measuing for clearence are given below

for "a" values

                                      SB = 44.75 mm

                                      SC = 38.35 mm

for "L" values

                                    SB-SB = +10.0 mm

                                    SA-SA = + 9.94 mm

                                    SC-SC = - 0.11 mm

                                    SD-SD = -2.86 mm

                                    SE-SE  = -5.98 mm

And the results are tabulated which is given below

SECTION	L(> 10 MM)	RESULTS	a(>5MM)	RESULTS
SA-SA	+9.94	FAIL
SB-SB	+10.0	PASS	44.75	pass
SC-SC	-0.11	FAIL	38.35	pass
SD-SD	-2.86	FAIL
SE-SE	-5.98	FAIL

Conclusion :

        From the above results we can conclude that the Fender does not pass the European Regulations as the minimum clearance between the fender arch wheel to the outer most wheel  is 10 mm and this design does not meet the this minimum clearance so this fender design is fail for the European Regulation standard.