Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
3. INTERNATIONAL MARMARA SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CONGRESS, İstanbul, Türkiye, 19 - 20 Kasım 2022, cilt.1, ss.2
In the automotive sector, the main
targets are increasing energy efficiency and reducing COx emissions by reducing
fuel consumption. In line with these goals, reducing vehicle weight is the best
solution. In recent years, materials with low cost and high load-carrying
capacity have played an important role in addition to low weight. In addition
to providing all these goals, when recyclability is taken into account,
thermoplastic matrix continuous fiber reinforced composite materials have
become one of the frequently preferred materials in the aerospace, machinery,
and automotive industries due to their high specific rigidity and low weight
advantages. In this study, the production of the torque rod, which is
responsible for transmitting the forces coming from the road to the axle body,
using continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic materials and its performance
compared with the existing steel material. The torque rod finite element model
was created in the Abaqus program, and its behavior under tensile, compression,
and buckling loads was investigated. The engineering constants of the 70%
E-glass and carbon fiber reinforced polypropylene matrix composite materials
used in the model were obtained using the Digimat program. Thanks to the carbon
fibers used, the desired strength values of the torque rod are provided, while
it is aimed to produce parts with lower costs with the glass fibers supporting
the carbon fiber. Composite materials with different layer arrays, created
using glass and carbon fiber-reinforced polypropylene materials, were subjected
to a virtual test cycle. As a result of the studies, ideal
results were obtained in the hybrid composite design with a total of 12 plies
with [90G/02C/03G]s stacking sequence, four plies
of carbon/PP, and eight plies of glass/PP. Thanks to this stacking sequence,
the weight of the torque rod made of steel material was 7.98 kg, while the
weight of the torque rod made of composite material was reduced to 2.19 kg. As
a result, the product's weight was reduced by 72.55% when compared to the
weight of the torque rod made of steel material in the model, without any loss
of functionality.
Keywords: Thermoplastic Composite
Materials, Continuous Fibers, Finite Element Analysis, Lightweighting
Acknowledgment: This study is supported by
TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) via
TEYDEB-1505 PROGRAM Project No: 5220011.