Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

                                                                Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

Introduction-: To study the wheel arch gap by plotting the lines from centre of the wheel as per European regulations.

Objective-: To calculate the value of clearance” L” from wheel arch area and study whether the car passes European standards or not.

Fender-: The fender is a part or component that covers the wheel well and provides aesthetic appearance to the vehicle. The fender main function is to guard off the pedestrians from splash of debris, rock, mud, water, dust etc. The fender fends off these particles before they gets splashed out and causes damage as well as injury.

Generally, fender is also known as housing of wheels, as they cover the wheel with the help of wheel arch and prevents the pedestrians and other vehicles from debris, mud etc.

                                                

Types of fenders-:

There are two types of fenders-: 

1. Full Bumper type.
2. Half Bumper type.

Now a days half bumper type is more often used as there is convenience in manufacturing them and they help us reduce scrap that reduces the wastage and manufacturing costs.

                                              

Wheel Arch-: This is the portion of fender that pokes out outwards such that it covers the wheel outer edge so that it protects pedestrian from mud, stone, water etc. The wheel arch is semi-circular in shape and stand outwards from the wheel outermost edge.

In regard to the wheel arch, we have some regulations in regard to the passenger safety according to the road conditions in different regions. These regulations are designed according to the road conditions in different regions and according to the other factors. Some of these regulations are mentioned below, today we will be performing the case study as per the European standards-:

 Japan Regulation-:

                                                   

As per the Japanese regulations, we have to draw two lines at 30 degrees in left of the wheel and 50 degrees in right section of the wheel. Then these lines need to be projected on to the wheel arch for the “L” value calculation, the value of clearance “L” should be more than 5 mm when lines projected on to the wheel arch.

 

US Regulations-: As per the US regulations, we have to draw lines from -20 degrees to the 180 degrees from the centre of the wheel at interval of 10 degrees. Then these lines need to be projected on to the wheel arch for the “L” value calculation, the all values of clearance should be more than 5 mm when lines projected on to the wheel arch.

 

European Regulations-: As per the European Regulations, we have to draw the lines at 30 degrees to the left from the centre of wheel and 50 degrees right to the centre of the wheel and also a line at 150mm from the wheel origin. Then we calculate the value of clearance “L” that should be greater than 10 mm.

                                          

Case Study-: Calculate the Wheel Arch gap at required points and check whether the car passes the European standard?

                                             

We have been provided with the following styling surface and wheel to perform the study on wheel arch clearance that it passes the European standards or not.

Procedure-:

1. To create a datum plane on the outermost edge of the wheel.
2. Create the sketch on the plane and draw the horizontal and vertical line from the wheel centre.
3. Now, as per the standard we need to draw the lines at 30° to the left of the wheel from centre and respectively at 50° towards the right of the wheel, an additional line at 150 mm from datum needs to be drawn from centre.
4. Now take the centre of 50° line and 150mm line and draw the line such that it passes through that centre point.

                                                 

 5. Now project the line at the wheel arch and calculate the value of clearance “L” from outermost edge of wheel and wheel arch.

1. Measuring SA -

                

2. Measuring SB-

       

               

3. Measuring SC-

               

4. Measuring SD-

               

5. Measuring SE-

                

Results-:

                                 

Conclusion-:

As per the above case study the calculations for wheel arch as per European standard is derived. Hence, we derived that only the SB value passes the European standards and at all other sections its fails.

The above wheel arch does not pass the European standard and thus this data needs to be shared with styling team for increasing the curvature of the fender and wheel arch such that it passes the required criteria of European standards.