Application Of Finite Element Analysis Automotive Industry Design

Finite Element Analysis is now a vital tool when designing components, particularly within the automotive industry. Similarly to CFD, FEA allows product designers to test and research designs prior to physical prototyping, thus allowing a significant saving in cost. FEA works simply by dividing a 3D model into small nodes, then connecting them into a scaffold-like structure of the 3D model, made up of very small rectangles and triangles. The smaller then nodes are, the more accurate the resulting stress analysis is. By segmenting the parts of a model into rectangles and triangles and entering in the properties of the material used for the product, the FEA simulation can begin. Where an engineer wishes to understand the stress on a component in a specific area, a point load can be applied to see how the product reacts to the force and where any dangerous internal stresses may lie.

The ability to simulate any force that an object may encounter is of great benefit to any engineer, as a larger portion of the testing phase can be carried out on computer rather than spending budget on costly design prototypes to undergo similar stress testing. In the case of building a truck bonnet, FEA can of use when used in conjunction with CFD. By understanding the forces placed on the wide, flat surfaces of the truck body, the design and construction of the bonnet can be enhanced to add reinforcement or remove excess material where needed in order to create a lighter and more refined product. Through the use of FEA, the correct fiberglass/resin combination can be selected. This part is however quite difficult to properly predict due to the manufacturing method utilising the use of a spray gun, making every part unique, causing minor differences in the strength of every product made. The properties of different types of chopped strand fiberglass/resin combinations can still be entered into the FEA in order to identify the optimum ratio to ensure the stiffness and strength required for the product, despite the variances in manufacturing. With this, engineers and designers can know with certainty that a design will be capable of lasting years on the road.

FEA is also now heavily used in more dynamic events such as simulating automotive crashes. In the same way an engineer can know that a truck bonnet will be able to survive years on the road, FEA can simulate crashes on the road to predict the damage to the car and more importantly, the occupants. This simulation will assists even during the design of the truck body to ensure that the fiberglass will have ‘crumple’ effectively in the event of a crash, dissipating as much energy as possible for a variety of potential incidents.