Fender Design - Wheel Arch Challenge

WHEEL ARCH STUDY

Calculate the Wheel Arc area using the European standards.

DEFINITION-

An arch-shaped cavity in the body of a vehicle, which houses a wheel is termed as wheel arch. So the design of fender wheel arch should be in a manner which can protect pedestrian from tyre projections.

Different countries have different regulations for wheel arch.

EUROPEAN REGULATIONS-

• Measure clearance L at section SA-SA, SB-SB, SC-SC, SD-SD & SE-SE and prepare clearance check chart to validate.
• At all five sections the clearance value should be more Greater than 10mm to satisfythe european standards.
• Wheel guard reqirment: The value of 'a' shall be more than 5mm at a line 30degree forward and 50 degree rearward from the centeral vertical axis of axis of wheel.

CALCULATING THE WHEEL ARCh AREA IN NX CAD-

CLEARANCE 'L' CHECK

1. Create the fender surface for wheel arch study.

2. Create sketch as per european standards.

3. Project the sketch on the fender surface to get SA, SB, SC, SD, SE sections.

4. Plot points on fender surface SA, SB, SC, SD, SE lines.

5. Calculate clearance 'L' -distance from plotted points to wheel's outer most surface.

CLEARANCE CHART-

CLEARANCE 'a' CHECK

1. Draw clearance 'a' line between fender and wheel at SB 30 degrees forward and SC 50 degrees rearward.

2. Measure this clearance 'a' and prepare clearance check chart.

CLEARANCE 'a' CHART-

So clearance L was not as per the requirement of 10 mm minimum at SA, SB, SC, SD, SE. Thus, this fender model failed to satisfy the European standards.