MECH3100

Mechanical Systems
Design

Structural Design
Functions of the Structure
• Provides mounting points for
suspensions, the steering mechanism,
the engine and the gearbox, the final
drive, the fuel tank and the seats for
the occupants;
• Provides rigidity for accurate handling;
• Protects occupants against impacts;
• Provides deformation zones to absorb
the kinetic energy of a car crash.
Disappearing chassis

• Chassis is the structural

form of a horse carriage
• All new cars use
“integral” or
“monocoque” design
• The shell is the
structure
• Trucks still have chassis
How to start your design ?

• Stick-pin-and-putty structures
• Sketches on paper
• Start with all four views
– front
– rear
– side; and
– plan view
How to start your design ?
• Mark wheel axles and suspension points
• Develop the body around these points
• Identify zones
– Engine
– Cabin front
– Driver’s seat
• Determine vertical travel for your suspensions
How to start your design ?
• Draw your wheels and the road line
• Draw the undertray line at a height to
maintain adequate clearance at full bump
• Draw stick diagrams of the driver and the
driver's seat
• Determine the positions of the foot pedals and
hand control positions
How to start your design ?
• The engine and the gearbox, the transmission
and the fuel tank must fit in the remaining
space
• Start with tentative mounting points and
finalise after your team mates finalise their
parts
• The whole team should contribute
• Go ahead and do it ! Do not procrastinate.
 Chassis for an
experimental car

Mitsubishi All-Wheel Control

 Bulkheads

Engine

Driver’s legs Seat

 Frame Types

Triangulated Frame Rectangular frame

(acts like a pin-jointed frame) (Joints carry moments)

 The stiffness
• Suspension and steering design relies on a
perfectly rigid chassis
• Compliant chassis is difficult to handle
• Flexing points on a compliant points develop
early cracks
• Stiffness is usually the critical constraint
(relative to strength)
Bending Stiffness

Mid-span deflection < 2 mm

Torsional Stiffness

Twist should be less than

0.2 degrees per kN-m of torque
 Torsional Stiffness
• Add diagonals to the roll cage
• Add additional cross members
where you can
 STATIC LOAD CASES
• Bending
• Torsional 1
• Torsional 2
• Lateral
• Longitudinal
• B+T1+Lat+Long.
• B+T2+Lat+Long.
BENDING
TORSION #1
TORSION #2
LATERAL
LONGITUDINAL
FATIGUE LOAD CASES

60 kph for 40% of the time

100 kph for 60% of the time
 FATIGUE LOAD CASES
• Vertical +/-a
• Lateral +/- 0.5a
• V+L
 Relevant Standards
• SAA HB6-1999
– Design Standards for mechanical
engineering students: handbook
• AS3990
– Steel Work for Engineering
Applications
• AS1163
– Structural Steel Hollow Sections
• BS7608
– Code of Practice for Fatigue Design
 FATIGUE CONSIDERATIONS
• Mostly concerned with welded
joints
• Weld quality should conform with
Category SP as defined in
– AS/NZ 1554.1
• You should establish quality
control to ensure this
 VARIABLE LOAD
• Consider intended terrain
• Apply Article 11.8.2 of SAA HB6 to
deal with multiple stress ranges.
• Alternative: “rainfall counting” as
outlined in various ASTM
publications
BOOM POINT
DRAGLINE
BOOM
TUBE ENDS
WELDING