Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

Scope:

We have going to evaluate the Wheel Arch gap at required points for the given Wheel Arch Part file bodys with respect to European standard then confirming wthether the provided fender getting pass or fail.

Wheel Arch:

The wheel arch is an arch-shaped cavity in the body of a vehicle, which houses a wheel. It has two important functions. It serves for the safety of pedestrians and other cars because the wheel is situated in the body of a vehicle. The second function is to protect the car from the sticky materials, such as mud, may adhere to the smooth outer tire surface, while smooth loose objects, such as stones, can become temporarily embedded in the tread grooves as the tire rolls over the ground. These materials can be ejected from the surface of the tire at high velocity as the tire imparts kinetic energy to the attached objects. For a vehicle moving forward, the top of the tire is rotating upward and forward and can throw objects into the air at other vehicles or pedestrians in front of the vehicle.

The Design of arch wheel be different from countries and the main goal in designing of fender wheel arch should satisfy the regulation and standards as per the countries.

Fender Wheel Arch Calculation:

There are certain standards to design the wheel arch of the fender based on global location.

Japan Requirements:

• Measure Clearance "L" of the tire, hub, cap and fender in three different positions within area "K" and produce clearance part to validate.
• clearance must be greater than 5mm in all three positions.
• Wheel guard requirement: The value of "A" must be more than 5mm at a line 30 forward and 50 rearward from the central vertical axis of the wheel.

European Regulations:

• Measure clearance "L" Sections SA-SA, SB-SB, SC-SC, SD-SD, SE-SE and produce clearance check chart to validate.
• At all five sections the clearance "L" value should be greater than 10mm to satisfy the European regulations.
• Wheel guard requirements: The value of "a" shal be more than 5mm at a line 30 forward and 50 rearward from the central vertical axis of wheel.
  
  

US Regulations:

• Make clearance check details on all positions from 100 to 100 and make the clearance check table.
• All values should be greater than 5mm to satisfy the regulations.
• The value of "a" shall be morethan 5mm at a line 30 forward and 50 rearward from the central vertical axis of wheel.

Evaluation of our part:

Now I decided to evaluate the given part file wheel arch by the European Standard and then will conclude the Car Will Pass the Standards or Not.

Front View with Measurment data:

Top View with Measurment data:

The following spec Vs Actual found with evaluating by inputs of european standards of regulations,

• Spec "L" required SA is 10mm but in actual SA is 9.95mm and the result about SA is fail.
• Spec "L" required SB is 10mm but in actual SB is 10mm and the result about SB is Pass.
• Spec "L" required SC is 10mm but in actual SA is -0.11mm and the result about SC is fail.
• Spec "L" required SD is 10mm but in actual SA is -2.8mm and the result about SD is fail.
• Spec "L" required SE is 10mm but in actual SA is -5.9mm and the result about SDEis fail.

From the above observations the positions SA SC SD SE are less than 10mm which is necessary to pass the European standards. Hence, the front fender wheel arch does not pass the European standard.

I would share my feedback/report to styling team and asking to that, you required to modify the styling surface of the fender such that the clearance "L" at sections SA, SC, SD and SE is equal to are greater than 10 mm by increasing the curvature at those sections towards outside.