Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

Question :

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

Solution :

1. Fender :

• Fender covers a wheel, traditionally to prevent water and mud spray, but also for aerodynamic purposes. When the vehicle is moving tyre picks up stones & others and hurl them in all direction thus in order to prevent pedestrians from these stones fenders are used.

2. Wheel arch/wheel well:

• The wheel arc is an integrated part of a fender assembly. It is a semi-circular part which is positioned above the wheel of a vehicle. In some countries, it is also called as an inner fender.

3. Design of wheel arc:

• The important parameter which is considered in the designing of wheel arch or wheel is the clearance between wheel and fender during the vehicle bump conditions.

4. vehicle Regulations :

• Vehicle regulations are requirements that automobiles must satisfy in order to be approved for sale or use in a particular country or region. There are various regulations that are available depending upon different countries. Some of the regulations that are used by Indian automotive industries are ARAI, SAE.
• Some of wheel arch regulations are Japan regulations, European Regulations and U.S Regulations.

5.Japan Regulations :

• Measure clearance L in three different positions A,B,C and produce clearance chat to validate.
• Clearance must be greater than 5mm in all the three positions.
• 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.

6. European Regulations :

• Measure clearance L in five different positions SA,SB,SC,SD & SE and produce clearance chat to validate.
• Clearance must be greater than 10mm in all the five positions to satisfy European regulations.
• 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.

7. U.S Regulations :

• Measure clearance L on all positions from -20˚ to 180˚ and produce clearance chat to validate.The sections must be for every 10˚
• Clearance must be greater than 5mm in all the all positions to satisfy U.S regulations.
• 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.

These are the different types of wheel arch regulations, to satisfy all these regulations European Regualtions are in common for every regulations. If we are able to satisfy european regulations the other regualtions will be satify automatically.

Here we are going to check the celarance between wheel arch area and wheel from the given data. And check if that satisfies the european regulations are not.

• Here I have made section lines as per european regualtions shown in below fig. and tabulated the Clearances.

For Reference here I'm attachinf some fig.

Section A : showing 'L' clearance & 'a' clearance

'L' Clearance :

'a' Clearance :

Section B : showing 'L' clearance

Section C : showing 'L' clearance & 'a' clearance

'L' Clearance :

'a' Clearance :

Section D : showing 'L' clearance

Section E : showing 'L' clearance

Conclusion :

Hence after checking the required wheel arch gaps at required gaps as per European regulations it FAILS.