Finite-Elemente-Methode für Fahrzeugbremsen

Abstract

The Finite Element Method for Automotive Brake Systems. The finite element method is established as a solid part in the development of automotive brake systems. The main aspects regarding the construction of components by structural analysis are focused on lightweight design, stiffness and service loading fatigue. Normally, brake system components like the presented housing of the floating caliper of a disc brake are meshed on the basis of CAD models containing 10-node tetrahedron elements. Usually, from the calculation of variants important quantities are derived from the analysis data such as mass, stiffness and stress and compared and assessed to predefined limits. The choice of the variants is mostly founded on experience which may rapidly lead to a solution in favour of a specific variant. But, the disadvantage is that a variant which is suitable to an optimum solution may generally not be found. Therefore, in an example of brake housing design a model was developed by trial and error which represented well the needs regarding stiffness and weight. This was done on the basis of a predecessor production-line brake caliper which had to be stiffened by customer request. A comparison between analysis and experiment showed a good agreement so that the results were adequately validated. Under use of topology optimization within the scope of the development of a new housing it was tried to improve the design with respect to new constructive boundary conditions. For that purpose different mass distributions were assumed and varied during the optimization process in a way that led to a design which followed the requested predefined values concerning stiffness and mass. The analysis and investigation of different variants finally led to a version which had 122% of the stiffness and 115% of the mass of the predecessor model and was chosen for mass-production.