Strength Analysis And Optimum Design Of Aluminum Alloy Road Wheel

In this paper, the development and actuality of motor vehicles product at home and aboard are reviewed and the market requisition of road wheel at present is analyzed first. On the basis of profound analysis of steel road wheel, according to the tenet of reducing the consumption of petrol, decreasing the weight of material, enhancing the age of road wheel, the reasonableness and feasibility of using aluminum alloy road wheel were investigated.Then, the basic idea, calculation step, mechanical foundation of finite-element method and its use in motor vehicles are expatiated in detail. The function and open style structure of the finite-element analysis software, MSC.NASTRAN, and the main features of MSC.PATRAN are concretely explained. Furthermore, the theory section of MSC.NASTRAN is showed. The processes using MSC.NASTRAN to carry through strength analysis and optimum design are introduced as a focal point.Road wheel in this paper is created according to GB/T 3487-1996 and application of load is simulated the actual situation. MSC.PATRAN finished is used to build model of road wheel, divide finite element graticule, apply boundary load, and define material properties, which are submitted to MSC.NASTRAN to analyze strength. The result shows the maximal stress value in original design is much less than the breaking point of aluminum alloy, which make material wasted. So it is necessary to optimize structure of road wheel. Using MSC.NASTRAN to define design variable, determine design object and restrict constraint upper limit to optimize design. We find that the maximal stress value in road wheel approaches its breaking point. Therefore, this design makes material sufficiently used, the weight of road wheel effectively lightened. At the same time, stress distribution is more reasonable.Through this study, we can find the function and significance of MAC.NASTRAN is showed in strength analysis and optimum design. The intent of this paper is to introduce akind of method, using MSC.NASTRAN to analyze and optimize road wheel, which is fit to any road wheel.