Design and analysis of front lower control arm using lattice structure optimization process

Amir, Muhammad Aiman (2024) Design and analysis of front lower control arm using lattice structure optimization process. Project Report. Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia. (Submitted)

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to analysis and optimise a new concept design of vehicle lower control arm (LCA) using. This research addressing the problem of automotive manufacturer to build a light-weight vehicle. This is because vehicle’s weight affects the fuel efficiency of the vehicle itself. A mixed method of optimizations will be employed such as topology and lattice structure optimization with the help of Finite Element Analysis in between all the optimization process. But all of that will be started with selection of base design. In this first part of the thesis, a clear result from four (4) load cases has been gathered from analysing the base design. The load cases are 20,321N, -12,133N, 21,883N and -16,000N with different directions of axis applied. The base design passed all of it without exceeding the yield strength of the material, steel which is 205 MPa. Topology optimization removed the low-stress areas and reduced the mass of the base design from 34.057 kg to 12.761 kg, while maintaining a good structural integrity. Lattice Structure Optimization (LSO) further reduced the material from the optimized design. Yet, after the analysis, there is still more room for optimization. Thus, final design iterations have been done and one of it has been selected to be the final design. The final design has two area that has been optimized using LSO which is top and the bottom. The left and right side of the LCA have been reduces its thickness to also reduce the mass. The final design has an outstanding mass of 8.129kg which is a total of 76% of the mass has been reduced. This was achieved while still maintaining a minimum of Factor of Safety (FoS) of 1.3 under the most critical loading conditions. The results show that by combining topology and LSO can effectively reduce the material usage while meeting performance standards. This research opens a new path for designing automotive components to achieve the light-weight vehicle. Future improvements include exploring alternative materials, conducting a real-world dynamic test, and verifying the industry capability of producing the design.

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