Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

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

Procedure - 

Wheel arc - Wheel arc as the name suggests is a semi-circular arc of the fender which forms the frame of the wheel well. Fender is a sheet metal enclosure housing the wheel well. While designing the fender for a car certain experimentally predetermined standards have to be met to safeguard engine components and pedestrians from debris. Due to high speed rotation of the car tyre it carries along with it all types of small debris lying on the roads. This debris like sand, mud particles, tiny gravels and water are carried along the arc of tyre and are thrown outside and inside of the car, harming both the engine components and pedestrians on the road.

For design of a fender, we are going to match the values of wheel arc gap with the European standard values to check if the fender is fit for installation in the car.

European standard values for wheel arc gap:

Horizontal gap (L) = At least 10 mm 

                                                                        

Vertical gap (a)= At least 5 mm

Gaps between the arc are measured horizontally and vertically to take into account the suspension scenario and Pedestrian safety in designing the fender of a car. The values of gaps are found out along the wheel arc at differents positions. Here, we have taken five positions SA, SB, SC, SD, SE for finding the value of wheel arc gaps.

                                                                         

Analysis of horizintal wheel arc gap (L) - 

1. Along SA -  The horizintal wheel arc gap in this position is 9.9490 mm, whic slightly less than the European standard                               value of 10 mm. At this position the fender will be considered to have failed the required criteria.

                                                                              

2. Along SB - The horizintal wheel arc gap in this position is 10, which is equal to the European standard value of 10 mm. At this position the fender will be considered to have met the required criteria.

                                                                          

3. Along SC - The horizintal wheel arc gap in this position is -0.113949 mm i.e the tyre at this fender position is outside and can be seen from above.  At this position the fender will be considered to have failed the required criteria. 

                                                                         

4. Along SD - The horizintal wheel arc gap in this position is -2.8875 mm i.e the tyre at this fender position is outside and can be seen from above.  At this position the fender will be considered to have failed the required criteria.

                                                                         

5. Along SD - The horizintal wheel arc gap in this position is -5.9973 mm i.e the tyre at this fender position is outside and can be seen from above.  At this position the fender will be considered to have failed the required criteria.

                                                                        

Analysis for vertical wheel arc gap (a) - 

1. Along SA - The gap is greater than the required european standard value of 5 mm and equals to 30.9920 mm. Fender at this position has met the criteria.                                                 

                                                                        

2. Along SB - The gap is greater than the required european standard value of 5 mm and equals to 48.6263 mm. Fender at this position has met the criteria.  

                                                                       

3. Along SC - The gap is greater than the required european standard value of 5 mm and equals to 43.3597 mm. Fender at this position has met the criteria.  

                                                                       

4. ALong SD - The gap is greater than the required european standard value of 5 mm and equals to 47.6624 mm. Fender at this position has met the criteria.  

                                                                       

5. Along SE - The gap is greater than the required european standard value of 5 mm and equals to 52.6251 mm. Fender at this position has met the criteria.  

                                                                      

Table for values analysed for wheel arc gap -   

Positions	Horizontal wheel arc gap	European standard	Results	Overall Status
SA	9.490 mm	10 mm	Fail	Fail
SB	10 mm		Pass
SC	-0.113949 mm		Fail
SD	-2.8875 mm		Fail
SE	- 5.9973 mm		Fail

Positions	Vertical wheel arc gap	Europea standard	Results	Overall Status
SA	30.9920 mm	5 mm	Pass	Pass
SB	48.6263 mm		Pass
SC	43.3597 mm		Pass
SD	47.6624 mm		Pass
SE	52.6251 mm		Pass

 Conclusion - The wheel arc gap criteria is unmet for horizintal gaps at different positions anlysed, but the vertical gap mets at all positions the required criteria. Altogether, the fender is considered to have failed to met the criteria specified under european standards.