Weight Optimization of Front Coil Spring Suspension Using Composite Material for Bajaj by FEM
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2018-06
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AAU
Abstract
The main objective of this research is to minimize the weight of the helical coil spring of Bajaj
without reducing the strain energy and keeping good the stiffness of the spring. This is done by
comparing the existing conventional steel spring with composite materials. Two composite
materials (Carbon/Epoxy and Carbon/Carbon Nanotube/Epoxy) are selected by their advanced
mechanical, and physical properties. Properties of each composite components are taken from
previously experimental and analytical done literature reviews. Using rule of mixtures and HalpinTsai
equations for unidirectional ply, mechanical properties of both composite are determined.
From literature reviews composite mixture has good properties for 60% of fiber. So the volume
fraction of carbon fiber for Carbon/Epoxy is 60%, and for the hybrid composite
Carbon/CNT/Epoxy the volume fraction is 1% Carbon Nanotube fiber is added, 59% carbon fiber
and the remaining 40% is Matrix (Epoxy Risen). Three dimensional helical coil spring is modeled
using CATIA V5R19 and analyzed using ANSYS Workbench17.2.to compare the parameters
(Shear stress, Fatigue life, Strain Energy and Deformation) of existing steel spring with
Carbon/Epoxy and Carbon/ Carbon Nanotube /Epoxy composites. As a result for the same
dimension of coil spring, the weight of Carbon/ Carbon Nanotube /Epoxy, Carbon/Epoxy coil
spring is 81% and 80.5% lighter than steel coil spring. But the deflection of both composite coil
springs is increased, so to increase the deflection of composite coil spring the dimension of the
coil spring is modified. For the modified coil spring, Shear stress is reduced, Strain energy is still
better than the steel one. And the result shows Carbon/Carbon Nanotube/Epoxy composite better
satisfies the objective of the research than the steel and Carbon/Epoxy composite. Therefore,
Carbon/ Carbon Nanotube /Epoxy composite is selected as coil spring material.
Description
Keywords
Coil spring, Carbon Nanotube, Carbon/CNT/Epoxy, Carbon/Epoxy, deformation, ANSYS