Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

• ABOUT WHEEL ARCH -

Wheel arc is the part of fender and semicircular part positioned above the wheel. It protects wheel from unwanted particles and entering of those particles into the engine compartment and even provides saftey for pedestrain.

Requirements have been proposed by vehicle and road safety community to the minimum requirements of wheel arc distance from the wheel for safety.

Followings are some standards that are followed by automobile industries.

• Japaness Standards -

1) Clearance must be greater than 5mm in all the three positions.

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

• European Standards -

1) At all 5 sections the clearance value should be greater than 10mm.

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

• US Standards -

1) Make clearnace check details on all positions from -100˚ to 100˚.

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

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

• WHEEL ARCH CALCULATIONS -

1) This calculation will be done by using European Standards.

2) Create the datum plane on the outer edge of the wheel.

3) A horizontal and vertical axis is drawn from the center of the wheel.

4) The vertical axis intersection point is labelled as A.

5) Similar references are drawn at 30˚ to the left and 50˚ to the right and named it as B and C respectively.

6) Draw the line which is horizontal at 150mm from horizontal wheel axis. This line make intersection with the arc at the right hand side and then draw the normal from the centre of the axis which goes through the this itersection point and abelled as point E.

7) Create new section D, at the mid point between section C and E.

8) Measured the clearance value at sections SA, SB, SC, SD and SE.

CONSTRUCTION OF WHEEL ARCH

• Obtaining the clearance value 'L' at section SA, SB, SC, SD and SE.

At section SB clearance value 'L' -

At section SA clearance value 'L' -

At section SC clearance value 'L' -

At section SD clearance value 'L' -

At section SE clearance value 'L' -

• OBSERVATION TABLE -

SR NO	SECTIONS	OBTAIN CLEARANCE VALUE 'L'	REQUIRED MINIMUM CLEARANCE VALUE 'L'	TEST RESULT
1	SA	9.9490	10	FAIL
2	SB	10.0000	10	PASS
3	SC	0.1139	10	FAIL
4	SD	2.9288	10	FAIL
5	SE	5.9973	10	FAIL

• CONCLUSION -

1) Only section SB have 'L' value 10mm, remaining all sections dont have 'L' value at least 10mm.

2) Therefore the wheel arch does not satisfy the requirements as per the European Standards.

3) So the styling team needs to work at the section of SA, SC, SD and SE.

4) For the safety purpose the wheel arc should be outside the wheel and the value greater than 10mm.