Car Wheel Research Articles

Improved of Process Production Disc Car Whell Type PSD3K (City Car Type)

This research accelerates the production process with the aim of increasing productivity from Manufacturers engaged in the manufacture of automotive parts currently experiencing an increase in sales orders on the other hand facing problems in productivity due to cracked side dies in rim production to 1400 pcs. The cracking of the side die is due to thermal shock that occurs to accelerate the production process, as a result of which cracks occur in the side die. With the concept of conducting research in the field of direct production then analyzing the characteristics of mold materials, die characteristics, process characteristics, characteristics of finished products before and after changes by testing the results of the laboratory of measuring instruments and conducting trials of variations in machine setting parameters, variations in the production process and products produced. The experiment involved changing the standard temperature from 520 °C–545 °C to 532 °C–538 °C and reducing the immersion time from a minimum of 270–540 seconds to 332 seconds. It reduces the soaking time from 69 seconds to 46 seconds and the aging time from 190 seconds to 180 seconds, increasing the casting productivity from 194,870 Pcs/28 days to 213,311 Pcs/28 days from seven machines, thus meeting the customer's requirement of 200,000 Pcs/28 days without cracking side die. Durability testing on five product samples in accordance with TSD5605G standards confirms that the quality meets customer specifications. The results of this study prove that SKD6 matrial is much stronger than FCD550 against thermal shock. Keywords: thermal shock, die disc car wheel, manufacturing, automotive parts, casting productivity

Fabrication of Novel Polyurethane matrix-based Functional Composites with Enhanced Mechanical Performance

Thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) has gained significant interest in several fields, including automobile steering wheels, and the electronics sector due to their easier processability, abrasive resistance, and self-lubricating performances. However, their strong inherent flammability and significant smoke and heat production during burning limit their industrial applications. Therefore, its applicability can be enhanced with the addition of high-strength reinforcement and making them antibacterial and flame-retardant. This research is designed to examine the influence of zirconium phosphate (ZrP) and zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles on the novel polyurethane/glass fiber reinforced composites for flame retardant and antibacterial applications with improved mechanical performance. Three different types of novel polyurethane (PU1, PU2, PU3) matrices were prepared using different recipes, and 7% ZrP and 5% ZnO nanoparticles were added to the polyurethane matrices separately, and their corresponding composite samples were fabricated using glass reinforcement. Mechanical i.e., Charpy impact, hardness and tensile, and functional i.e., flame retardancy (FR) and antibacterial tests were performed to compare their performance. Mechanical testing results showed that PU3-based composite samples showed the highest values of impact force, hardness, and tensile strength in both ZrP and ZnO nanoparticle-based composite samples. Furthermore, 7% ZrP-PU3 composite exhibited the best performance of flame retardancy due to the presence of hexamethylene diisocyanates (HDI) content. Likewise, the 5% ZnO-PU3-based composite exhibited the highest antibacterial activity along with enhanced mechanical performance.

Experimental Investigation of Mechanical Behavior of CFRP-AA7075-T6 Composite and Finite Element Analysis for Automotive Wheel Rim Application

Lightweight with high strength material is the new requirement of the modern world and composite materials are the best option as the solution. Owing to high strength to weight ratio and corrosion resistant of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) compared to aluminum (AA7075-T6), they are well suited to fulfill the demand of modern needs. The present work investigates the mechanical behavior of CFRP-AA7075-T6 composite material experimentally. Finite element analysis (FEA) has also been conducted for the evaluation of stress, strain, and deformation for the application as automobile wheel rims. CFRP-AA7075-T6 shows superior to AA7075-T6 in terms of flexural strength. Impact test reveal that the prepared composite absorbed 11% more energy than AA7075-T6. The strength-to-weight ratio of the prepared composite is 73% higher than that of AA7075-T6. FEA of automobile wheel rim models of prepared composite gives better results than the AA7075-T6 sample. CFRP-AA7075-T6 composite exhibits the lower deformation and equivalent elastic strain of 18.11% and 17.26% respectively than AA7075-T6 at same load level.

Research and thermal comfort analysis of the air conditioning system of the Ferris wheel car based on thermoelectric cooling

To solve the problem of thermal discomfort caused by the lack of cooling facilities on the Ferris wheel and to investigate the effect of the coupling effect of thermoelectric modules on the thermoelectric cooling (TEC) system, this paper proposes a two-module thermoelectric cooling and air-conditioning system that can be applied to the Ferris wheel. Firstly, the experimental platform was established to test the performance parameters of the TEC system and reveal the influence of the thermoelectric module (TEM) coupling effect on the system performance. Then, the thermal environment inside the Ferris wheel was simulated using the CFD method and human thermal comfort was evaluated. The results show that when the voltage of TEM1 and TEM2 is 10V and 6V respectively, the thermoelectric cooling and air-conditioning system has the best working performance, and the coefficient of performance (COP) is 0.43. And the human thermal comfort deviation AEQT is 0.29, which is in a comfortable state under the action of the air-conditioning system.

The Importance and Role of Tyres on Road Vehicles: Their influence on Breaking Distance

It is considered that tyres play the primary role in terms of road safety on dry, wet, snowy or icy roads. This is due to their importance, as they are the element of support, of contact, of the car with the road (the track). This scientific paper presents concrete research carried out by the author with a view to implementing theoretical and practical concepts, in which the technical aspects of tyres fitted to road vehicles are presented. In this way, those interested can find out how tyres and wheel rims are labelled and marked; specific data are presented on summer and winter tyres; the phenomenon of of the aquaplaning of car wheels is defined, presented and explained; the forces and moments acting during braking are presented and defined; the braking distance (space) and the two second rule in road traffic are presented and explained. The paper concludes with a case study presenting the contribution of road car transmissions to braking distance reduction and an original research on braking distance, carried out using the second order active factorial experiment method, in which two cars of different classes (a Lamborghini Huracane Technica and a Dacia Logan), equipped with different tyre categories, were used. Finally, results and conclusions are presented.

Development of Automobile Wheel Smart Alignment Monitoring System

This study addresses the pressing issue of ineffective traditional methods for monitoring wheel alignment in vehicles. The motivation stems from the limitations of manual inspection and the need for a more efficient and accurate solution. The aim is to develop a Smart Alignment Monitoring System that can provide real-time monitoring of alignment parameters. The objective is to enhance vehicle safety and performance by detecting misalignment issues early. The proposed solution involves the use of advanced sensor technologies integrated with vehicles' tire position. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of the Smart Alignment Monitoring System in reducing maintenance costs, improving fuel efficiency, and enhancing vehicle safety and performance. This study highlights the significance of adopting advanced technologies like Smart Alignment Monitoring Systems in the automotive industry to ensure safer and more efficient vehicles.

Ejector pin-related high-cycle fatigue fracture of the critical die corner during automatic multistage cold forging of an automotive wheel nut

An experimental and numerical study on the ejector pin's mechanics during automatic multistage cold forging (AMSCF) of an automobile wheel nut is conducted. The traditional, decoupled die structural analysis method (DDSM) of analyzing die structures as one of the post-processing functions is criticized, which uses the tractions exerting on the die parts predicted from the forging simulation under the rigid die assumption. To cope with the matter of the DDSM, a multibody treatment scheme (MBTS) is proposed to simulate the AMSCF process, emphasizing the ejector pin's mechanics, using an implicit elastoplastic finite element method. The experiments qualitatively validate the finite element predictions. It is shown that the asymmetric sheared material in AMSCF greatly influences the ejector pin's mechanics, which is characterized by its lateral and longitudinal displacements because of its structural flexibility. It is emphasized that the detailed understanding of the ejector pin's mechanics may not only give a helpful connection towards smart manufacturing because of its mechanical flexibility and sensitivity to the excitations and responses, but it also reveals the reason for the die's high-cycle fatigue (HCF) fracture of the critical die corner (CDC) near at the end of the ejector pin.

Synthetic X-ray Image Generation for Non-Destructive Testing using Generative Adversarial Networks

Developing and optimizing a Machine Learning (ML) based Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) tool for automotive manufacturing can be challenging due to the need for a significant amount of annotated training data. Obtaining such an extent of real X-ray images of different defects can be challenging and expensive. Hence, generating synthetic images with adequate defects is a viable option to fill this gap. This contribution presents a novel approach that harnesses Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) to simulate industrial X-ray images of specific parts of a car wheel (rim and spokes) with defects and their annotations. The presented method draws inspiration from techniques used in medical healthcare radiography as well as the NDT field for simulating synthetic X-ray images. We propose a novel deep neural network architecture for generating high-resolution X-ray images of size 1024 x 512 pixels with porous defects in specified locations. These images are automatically generated from edge masks of the desired structure. We conducted separate evaluations for both, the generated images and the included defects. To assess the generated image quality, we used image properties and structural similarity metrics. The generated images achieved an MSSIM index of over 0.90. We analyzed the local gray-scale profile of synthetic images to evaluate the quality of generated defects. A state-of-the-art defect detector (ISAR, developed by Fraunhofer EZRT) was used to estimate defect detection based on various IoU thresholds. In conclusion, the presented research demonstrates the feasibility of leveraging GANs to generate synthetic 2D X- ray image data, including defects for training ML-based NDT tools. This approach opens new possibilities for developing and optimizing robust NDT solutions by overcoming the challenges of obtaining real data with defects.

Corrosion, wear and machinability studies on scrap aluminium alloy wheel based metal matrix composite

Recycled materials, especially scrap aluminum alloy wheels with reinforcement castings, are gaining applications in various fields such as aerospace, naval, military, and automobile. In this research, Honda car alloy wheels are stir-cast with 5% alumina as reinforcement and subjected to corrosion, wear, and machinability studies. Corrosion studies were conducted to evaluate the corrosion current density (ICorr), corrosion potential (ECorr), and corrosion rate for the cast aluminum metal matrix composite. The wear studies with different loads, i.e., 50 N, 60 N, 70 N, and 80 N, were performed on the specimen and investigated the coefficient of friction, frictional force, and pin temperature. The sliding load has a significant effect on wear performance, and for the sliding load of 80 N, the wear recorded was 2574.83 µm. The electrochemical machinability studies with voltage, duty cycle, and concentration of citric acid electrolyte are performed on the machining rate and surface corrosion factor. Analysis of the electrochemical machining process with PROMETHEE-II shows that 7 V, 60% duty cycle, and 30 g/L electrolyte concentration are estimated to be the best combination for a higher machining rate and a lower surface corrosion factor. KEY WORDS: Alumina, Machining rate, Nyquist plot, Electrochemical machining, PROMETHEE-II Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(4), 1163-1175. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i4.27

Static analysis of new lightweight racing wheel for Formula Society of Automotive Engineers (FSAE) race car for product innovation

A lightwheel has the potential to be widely used to enhance the safety of racing cars and improve car performance by providing an estimation of wheel width spokes quantity, and other constant variables. This study is, therefore, aimed at designing a new lightweight racing wheel. In this study, a Finite Element Model (FEA) was implemented to investigate the static analysis of the newly designed lightweight racing wheel. Since the lightweight wheel characteristics play an important role in the stability and control of the racing car under severe manoeuvres, the wheel mass, von Mises stress, deformation, and safety factor were determined. It was observed that the circumferential component is vital for estimating the lightweight design of racing car wheel design. Therefore, this parameter could be better assessed for future studies.

Modal Analysis of Automobile Wheels based on Lightweight Technology

Compared with traditional wheels, magnesium alloy wheels have the advantages of higher strength, toughness, lighter weight, beautiful appearance and so on. This paper takes magnesium alloy wheel as the research object, and uses Pro/e and ANSYS to help complete a lot of work such as 3D model construction and finite element analysis and calculation, to ensure that the magnesium alloy wheel can meet its strength requirements while being lightweight. The strength analysis and modal analysis of the designed wheel model are carried out under various working conditions. According to the analysis results, the first design model is further simplified, and then the calculation and analysis are repeated many times. It is found that the new model meets the mechanical properties requirements under multi-working conditions, ensures that the requirements of lightweight design are met, and provides relevant theories and methods for wheel design and structural optimization of other materials.

Designing optimal material selection for manufacturing car wheel rims

The selection of suitable material for manufacturing wheel rim is essential toaddress the issue of weight reduction while ensuring the load-bearing capacity of the wheelrims during vehicle movement on the road. In this study, the research team designed a 3Dmodel of the wheel rim using Solidworks software. Afterwards, a numerical simulationmodel using Ansys Workbench software was constructed to calculate the load-bearingcapacity of the wheel rim under two conditions: stationary and moving, using four differentmaterials including steel alloy, aluminum alloy, magnesium alloy, and titanium. From thecalculated results, the research team concluded that aluminum remains a suitable materialfor manufacturing wheel rims. This is due to its appropriate mechanical properties, ease offabrication, cost-effectiveness, and the significant weight reduction achieved when wheelrims are manufactured using aluminum material.

Effect of Al–5Ti–1B–La intermediate alloy on microstructure and mechanical properties of A356.2 aluminum alloy

This study delves into the effects of Al–5Ti–1B–1La intermediate alloy, a newly developed refinement agent, on the microstructure and mechanical properties of A356.2 aluminum-silicon alloy modified by Al–10Sr. The decomposition of Ti2Al20La, where La element was concentrated in the Al–5Ti–1B–1La intermediate alloy, hardly affected the conventional nucleation mechanism of TiAl3–TiB2; nonetheless, the La element significantly refined the dendritic arms of α-Al. Notably, the secondary dendrite arm spacing was reduced from 49 μm to 27 μm, when 0.025 wt% ∼0.2 wt% Al–5Ti–1B–1La intermediate alloy and 0.014 wt% Al–10Sr modifier was incorporated to the A356.2 aluminum alloy. Although the room-temperature ultimate tensile strength was increased only by 30 MPa, the elongation was remarkably improved from 10% to 26%. The hardness of the alloy was also enhanced from 75 HBW to 84 HBW. The experimental outcomes underscore the efficacy of minimal La element incorporation in enhancing the performance of Al–5Ti–1B intermediate alloy, and the findings are significant for improving the serviceability of automobile wheels made from A356.2 aluminum alloy. The method used in this study can also be employed to regulate the microstructure and enhance mechanical properties of other sub-eutectic aluminum-silicon alloys.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНЫЙ АНАЛИЗ ПРИМЕНЕНИЯ КОНТАКТНЫХ ЖИДКОСТЕЙ В ДЕФЕКТОСКОПИИ НА ПРИМЕРЕ УЛЬТРАЗВУКОВОГО КОНТРОЛЯ ПОВЕРХНОСТИ КАТАНИЯ ЦЕЛЬНОКАТАНОГО КОЛЕСА

Coupling fluids are important flaw detection materials that are used during ultrasonic testing in order to find out acoustic contact between the piezoelectric transducer and the object of control. The paper considers coupling fluids of various viscosities that can be used as a coupling medium for ultrasonic flaw detection. A comparative analysis of the effect of the studied coupling fluids on the sensitivity of the control is carried out, which is determined by the attenuation of the transmitted ultrasonic signal through the roll surface of the car wheelset wheel. The control sensitivity is assessed on the flat and inclined surfaces of the all-rolled wheel. The introduction of ultrasound into the wheel material (steel 2) is carried out by an inclined piezoelectric transducer at an angle α = 900, with an oscillation frequency f = 0.4 MHz. It is found out that by providing a reliable constant force of the ultrasonic transducer P121-90-0.4 due to the permanent magnets built into it, an increase in the viscosity of the coupling fluid can significantly affect the amplitude of the received echo signals. During the research, it is found that low-viscosity coupling fluids are characterized by stable coupling regardless of the time and clamping force of the transducer, in contrast to high-viscosity coupling media, when using them sharp fluctuations in the overall gain of the second through signal in AGC zone are observed on the flaw detector screen. Therefore, in practice, the use of high-viscosity coupling media leads to a sharp increase in signal amplification (amplitude), which may result in over reject.

A Framework for Communicating and Building a Digital Twin Model of the Electric Car

The Fourth Industrial Revolution has had a huge impact on manufacturing processes and products. With rapidly growing technology, new solutions are being implemented in the field of digital representations of a physical product. This approach can provide benefits in terms of cost and testing time savings. In order to test and reflect the operation of an electric car, a digital twin model was designed. The paper collects all the information and standards necessary to transform the idea into a real and virtual model of an electric car. The significance and impact of the study on the improvement of the project are described. The research stand, correlations of components (DC and AC motors, shaft, and wheel of the electric car), and development prospects are presented in the paper. The communication method with the research stand is also presented. The digital twin should communicate in real time, which means obtaining the correct output when the input changes; the input is the AC motor current, and the output is the rotational speed of the DC motor. The relation between inputs and outputs are tested. The kinematics of the electric car are modelled in LabVIEW. The results obtained are compared with historic racing data. The track is also modeled based on satellite data, taking into account changes in terrain height, using the SG Telemetry Viewer application. The parameters of the electric car engine model are tuned based on actual data on the car’s speed and current in the electric motor. The achieved results are presented and then discussed.

Vibration Control of Car Body and Wheel Motions for In-Wheel Motor Vehicles Using Road Type Classification

In-wheel motor vehicles are gaining attention as a new type of electric vehicle due to their efficient power units located inside each wheel hub. However, they are more susceptible to wheel resonance due to the increase in unsprung mass caused by the weight of the motor. This can result in both decreased ride comfort and driving stability. To resolve this issue, in this study, we aim to apply an optimal switching controller with a semi-active actuator—a magnetorheological (MR) damper. For the implementation of the optimal switching controller, road type classification is also carried out. An acceleration sensor is used for the road type classification, and the control logics include a ride comfort controller (the linear quadratic regulator (LQR_Paved Road)) and a wheel motion controller (LQR_Off Road) for improved driving stability. For paved roads, the LQR_Paved Road control input is applied to the MR damper. However, if a road type prone to wheel resonance is detected, the control logic switches to the LQR_Off Road. During the transition, a weighted average of both the LQR_Paved Road and LQR_Off Road control input is applied to the actuator. Computer simulations are performed to evaluate the vibration control performance, including the ride comfort and driving stability on various road profiles.

Topology optimization of wheel spoke under fatigue tests considering the rotation characteristics of automobile wheels

The topology structure of wheel spoke has a great impact on the safety and lightweight of automobile wheels. However, the rotation process of the wheels is difficult to be reflected in the design and optimization. In this paper, the topology optimization of wheel spoke under fatigue tests considering the rotation characteristics is studied. The bending fatigue test and radial fatigue test are first introduced and the corresponding computation models are presented to calculate the mechanical performances of the wheel hub. The relationship between the internal stress and the number of the wheel spokes is established, and the mechanical performances with different number of wheel spokes are analyzed to guide the selection to the number. Then, the rotation characteristics of the wheel hub are simplified as static loads at different directions or positions according to the configuration of the wheel spokes. A comprehensive evaluation function which includes the test and load levels is defined by the compromise programming method to simulate the stress during the rotation process. Two levels of topology optimization methods are determined. Next, a mathematical model of multi-objective topology optimization for the wheel spoke is established based on the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization, and a new wheel hub is obtained. Finally, the mechanical performances are compared with the original wheel hub. The obtained results show that the stiffness and strength of the wheel hub are improved under two test conditions, while the weight is reduced by 2.75%.

Effect of shearing on production stability and die life in automatic multi-stage cold forging of an automobile wheel nut

Effect of shearing on production stability and die life in automatic multi-stage cold forging of an automobile wheel nut

Finite Element Analysis of Aluminum Based R22 Car Wheel Design Modification

The wheels are one of the main parts of the vehicle. To make car wheels, manufacturers must complete several stages. Especially in the design of the wheels. This study aims to determine the comparative value of three different types of wheels with the same material using aluminum type 6061-T6 (SS). We will test the three-wheel models, namely model 1, model 2, and model 3, with a force of 3000 N and a pressure of 800 N to compare their performance. This test uses Solidworks 2019 software with the finite electronic analysis (FEA) method. The results obtained are the value of Von Misses stress, resulting displacement, equivalent strain and its deformation, and factor of safety. The dimensions of the wheels are 22 inches. The results of the best Model 3 alloy wheel research indicate that the design process is easier. These wheels have a Von Misses stress value of 11.02 MPa with a resulting displacement value of 0.021 mm, an equivalent strain of 0.000096, a safety factor of 25, and a deformation value of 1. Based on these results, model 3 alloy wheels are safe.

Microbiological Assessment of Car Doors and Steering Wheels at Benue State University, Makurdi: Public Health Implications

Microbiological assessments of car surfaces remain a fundamental approach to control hotspots of microbial contamination. This study was aimed at assessing the level microbial contaminations associated with car doors and steering wheel of cars within the faculty of science, Benue state university, Makurdi. A total of forty (40) samples were collected in duplicates. These included twenty duplicate samples from car door handles and twenty duplicate samples from car steering wheels respectively using sterile swab sticks and transported to Charis Research and Diagnostic laboratory for analysis. The samples were analysed using cultural, biochemical and morphological techniques. The results revealed that the heterotrophic bacterial count range from 1.97 x 104 to2.41 x 104 CFU/cm2 while the fungi count range from 1.9 x 103 to 3.7 x 103 CFU/cm2. Staphylococcus spp. had the highest occurrence of 14(70%) and 9(45%), Proteus spp. had an occurrence of 6(30%) and 2(10%) for car door handles and car steering wheels while there was no detection of Salmonella in all the samples assessed. The fungi occurrence rate observed was Aspergillus spp. [7(35%)] for car door handle and 3(15%) for car steering wheel while Rhizopus spp. had a prevalence rate of 4(20%) for car door handle and 1(5%) for car steering wheel. This study affirmed that car surfaces could serve as a reservoir of potential pathogens. Hence, routine disinfection of these surfaces is very important.