Analytical and experimental fatigue life assessment of automotive tensioner

Abstract

Front end accessory drive (FEAD) systems are subjected to a significant range of dynamic loads due to engine pulsations. FEAD components subjected to excessive dynamic loads, such as tensioners, are vulnerable to premature failure due to fatigue. It is challenging to analytically investigate the fatigue life for powertrain components given the parameters involved. In this paper, the fatigue life assessment of a tensioner is studied through three main steps, namely stress analysis, fatigue properties estimation, and fatigue life prediction. A series of finite element (FE) analyses are carried out to investigate stress distribution in the tensioner spindle and pinpoint the critical areas. In addition, the fatigue properties of the tensioner are estimated using the experimental data. Finally, tensioner fatigue life is predicted through strain-life approach. This paper presents an in-depth quantitative modelling approach to estimate the fatigue life of the automotive tensioner. The developed modelling approach is applicable for evaluating any cases involving powertrain mechanical components.