Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge
Wheel Arch:
Wheel arch is also known as wheel well, The wheel arch is the semi-circular part positioned above the wheel of a vehicle, Wheel arch is a part of fender and curvature in shape, While designing wheel arch it should be in mind that the wheel should be inside the fender.
As we see car from front if wheel is outside the fender, then it causes lot of damage to pedestrian and also to the car so wheel should be under the fender.
Regulations of wheel arch:
There are different regulations for different country as follow. The reguation is fixed with respec to the road region (country) by government.
1.Japan regulation.
The above figure represents the fender regulation requirements for JAPAN.
Japan requirement
To measure the clearance between tire, hub, & fender is L
The value of L should be more than 5mm if L<5 then vehicle will not pass under japan regulation
As shown in above diagram value of 'SA' At centre & 'SB', 'SC' should be more than 5mm at the line 30deg forward and 50deg reward respectively from the central vertical axis of wheel.
2. European regulation
The above figure represents the fender regulation requirements for Europe.
European requirements
To measure the clearance between tire, hub, & fender is L
The value of L should be more than 10mm if L<10 then vehicle will not pass under european regulation
As shown in above diagram value of 'SA' at centre & 'SB', 'SC' should be more than 10mm at the line 30deg forward and 50deg reward from the central vertical axis of wheel. Here we have made another 2 points to be measure that will be SD & SE is also more 10mm.
3. US Regulaion.
The above figure represents the fender regulation requirements for US
In case of US we have to do same procedure for every 10deg from -20deg to 180 deg and measure the distance and the clearance should be greater than 5mm to satisfy the regulations.
Value as a shall be more than 5mm at a line 30deg forward and 50deg rearward from the central vertical axis of wheel.
We have to calculate the wheel arc area and prove whether the car will pass the standards or not under european regulation
Given data:
First of all, we have to understand the erupoean regulations requirements
First, we define wheel center and create perpendicular line and project vertical line to top view this point will be 'A'. Then to find point B we make 30deg angle to forward and 50deg reward, at 150mm offset of horizontal line then mark SD and SE points
The value of clearance at 'SA' at center & 'SB', 'SC' should be more than 10mm at the line 30deg forward and 50deg reward from the central vertical axis of wheel. Here we have made another 2 points to be measure that will be SD & SE is also more 10mm
Below chart shows the actual value of clearance between tire and wheel arch/wheel well
| SECTION | CLEARANCE MEASURED (L in mm) | STATUS |
| SA-SA | 10 | PASS |
| SB-SB | 9.949 | PASS |
| SC-SC | 0.114 | FAIL |
| SD-SD | 2.888 | FAIL |
| SE-SE | 5.997 | FAIL |
Conclusion:
As per european regulation requirements the clearance at given point should be minimum 10mm or more than 10mm can be accepted but only at two points there is 10mm clearance and other points clearance value is less than 10mm so the car will not pass the standards, The design of fender needs to modify.