Projeto e análise numérica computacional das molas helicoidais de suspensão de um veículo tipo jipe

Abstract

In order to improve the dynamics of their vehicles, companies are investing more and more in technology to optimize their designs to assure more comfort and safety coupled with a greater velocity. The development of computers with faster processors contributes significantly to this advance, allowing to create virtual prototypes subject to simulations close to real conditions. In this context, the suspension is getting more importance in this sector, once it influences directly on vehicle performance. Spring is one of the main components that suffer a rapid evolution, mainly in its composition and failures propensities to avoid accidents. In this work is made an approach as for the characterization and performance of helical compression springs, rear and front, in a jeep, from the design restriction and specifications. The analysis had considered the static and fatigue load, and the real condition simulations it was made by software ANSYS®. Therefore, it was structured parameters to the helical compression spring and the software particularities. By the Equations, it was possible to gain the analytic results for many parameters with the variation of spring wire diameter, this had been made on Microsoft Excel. From the gained data it was built two helical compression springs on ANSYS® and after submitted to a virtual simulation. The outlet data showed a discrepancy in the results, once the analytic data to the helical compression springs attend the requirements of safety and does not fail. However, the simulation data demonstrates a different behavior to the stress applied to the spring, resulting in fatigue failure. These divergences may have been caused by factors related to material specifications, refinement of the mesh applied over the geometric model, force application, among others, which ended up opening discussions and respect for the study. The difficulties founded on design optimization are explained along with the work, take to a knowledge increasing and procedures to be followed to minimize the problems.