Finite Element Analysis And Optimum Design Of Aluminum Alloy Wheel's Forced State

Aluminum alloy wheel is not only the important structural components of motorcycle, but also the appearance of parts, safety parts. Excepting from requirement of its light weight, beautiful and strong are necessarily. it is difficult to find the best balance by the traditional design method, but this problem is solved through using the effective methods of computer-aided engineering CAE design. Based on the request the performance and use of the wheel, to reduce the wheel weight, shorten product development cycles, lower production costs have become a urgently question required to solve in the design of China's motorcycle industry.In this study, aluminum alloy wheel was designed on modeling, finite element analyzed, the fatigue life predicted and the optimized design by using modem design methods. First of all, the UG software was used to make parametric modeling of aluminum alloy wheels. Subsequently, combining with theory of fatigue failure, beard load of motorcycle aluminum alloy wheel, the safe life design was determined to analyse aluminum alloy wheels on the stress fatigue and the nominal stress method was used to predict fatigue life of aluminum alloy wheels. Based on the S-N curve of A356 aluminum alloy and factors of wheel fatigue life, parts of S-N curve was drawn., Secondly, according to wheel fatigue test method of motorcycle industry standards, the finite element analysis model was established for the test of wheel dynamic cornering fatigue test and the torsional fatigue test. Under the action of bending load, the stress concentration areas are located mainly in the spokes and core transition arc, the maximum stress was 84.061 MPa. Moreover, The bending fatigue life was predicted that is 3.847 million cycles, the design requirements was met, the potential optimized was existing. Under the action of torque load, The stress concentration was seated the core of the wheel spokes near arc transition and the fillet of spokes rims. the maximum stress was 42.319 MPa. The torsional fatigue life was predicted that is 23.86 million cycles, this result was not only meeting design requirements but also existing more optimized potential. Thirdly, Basing on the finite element analyzed of above two experiments and combining with casting technology level of domestic reality, the final optimization design scheme of wheel structure was found. As follows, Spokes thickness was decreased uniformly 0.5 mm, rim thickness was reduced to 4.8 mm from the original 5.2 mm, fillet radius of near the wheel spokes at core transition was increased from 30 mm to 60 mm. After the final optimizing, stress distribution of hub was more uniform. weight of wheel was lighted from 4.75 Kg to 4.49 Kg, reduced by 5.5% than the original design, Bending fatigue life of optimized wheel was 0.4971 million cycles, decreased by 87.1% than the initial design, the torsional fatigue life was 4.283 million cycles, reduced by 82.1% than the former. But wheel life value still meet the design requirements, In the period of using, the fatigue destruction was't take place. Finally, the optimization results are reliable.