Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

Mayur Vispute

Project Report - Wheel Arch Calculation

1. Objective:

To examine the given fender design to verify if the wheel arch of the fender meets the European Standards.

2. Abstract:

Fender is the part of a vehicle that surrounds the wheel. Apart from being the exterior aesthetic part of the vehicle, its important function is to prevent debris such as mud, gravel, rocks, fluids and other street particles from entering the engine compartment or being tossed into the air by the high-speed rotating wheel as this can cause damage to the engine components, nearby vehicles, or pedestrian nearby the moving vehicle.

Fig 1. Front Fender of an automobile

There are two types of fenders, full bumper type, and half bumper type.

Fig 2. Fender types

There are many factors that need to be considered during designing the fenders of the vehicle. One of them is the wheel arch area.

In a fender, the wheel arch is the semicircular part that is positioned above the wheel of the vehicle. While designing the fender care must be taken that the wheel arch of the fender meets the required standards.

Fig 3. Wheel arch area considerations in a fender design

In this report, we will study about:

1. Different standards of the front wheel arch area requirements.
   1. Japanese Standards
   2. European Standards
   3. American Standards
2. Examining the given part considering the European Standards.
3. Checking whether the front fender wheel arch meets the standards.

1. Japanese Standards:-

Measure clearance L of the tire, hub, cap, and fender in three different positions within area K and produce a clearance check chart to validate.

Clearance must be greater than 5 mm in all the three positions (i.e., at A, B, C from fender curvature)

Wheel guard requirement: The value of 'a' shall be more than 5 mm at line 30* forward and 50* rearward from the central vertical axis of the wheel.

Fig 4. Japanese Standards

2. European Standards for Wheel Arch:-

Measure Clearance L at sections SA-SA, SB-SB, SC-SC, SD-SD, SE-SE and produce CL check chart to validate.

In all five sections, the Clearance L value should be greater than 10 mm to satisfy the European regulations.

Wheel guard requirement: The value of 'a' shall be more than 5 mm at line 30* forward and 50* rearward from the central vertical axis of the wheel.

Fig 5. European Standards

3. American Standards:-

Make clearance check details on all positions from -100* to 100* and make the clearance check table.

All values should be greater than 5 mm to satisfy the regulations.

The value of 'a' shall be more than 5 mm at line 30* forward and 50* rearward from the central vertical axis of the wheel.

Fig 5. American Standards

4. Examining the given part considering the European Standards

We will start by constructing the points of measurements for the wheel arch area.

A) 1st we calculate the clearance values "L" :-

a) Clearance for SA = 9.9490mm

b) Clearance for SB = 10mm

c) Clearance for SC = 0.1139mm

d) Clearance for SD = 2.8875mm

e) Clearance for SE = 5.9973mm

Checking whether the front fender wheel arch meets the standards of "L" Value

Comparing the above-observed values with the required values:

Table-A

B) Now we calculate the clearance value "a" for Wheel Guard Requirement:

a) Finding the value of "a" at line 30° forward from centre vertical axis of the wheel.

The value of "a" at line 30° forward from centre vertical axis of the wheel = 49.6439 mm

b) Finding the value of "a" at line 50° rearward from centre vertical axis of the wheel.

The value of "a" at line 50° rearward from centre vertical axis of the wheel = 43.3599 mm

Checking whether the front fender wheel arch meets the standards of "a" Value

Comparing the above-observed values with the required values:

Table-B

From table B, the given fender passes the European standards for wheel arch area only in the case of clearance \"a\".

5. Conclusion:

Hence from the above observations, since the positions SA, SC, SD, and SE have a clearance of less than 10mm which is the minimum requirement for the European regulations, it is clear that the front fender's wheel arch area does not pass the European Regulations.

6. Suggestions to Styling Team:

The styling team is required to modify the styling surface of the fender such that the clearance "L" at sections SA, SC, SD and SE is equal to or greater than 10 mm by increasing the curvature at those sections towards outside.