AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN
heavy-duty truck and motor trade is becoming ever more competitive. This is why manufacturers are striving to reduce vehicle weight and maximise reliability – so their customers can profi t from every extra mile. Fortunately, suppliers are discovering innovations on seemingly simple components to give the manufacturers an edge. Broken down into its simplest terms,
the success of any commercial vehicle (no matter what industry or application it serves) can be defi ned by three key performance indicators (KPIs): payload; fuel effi ciency; and maintenance costs. If a vehicle is able to carry a greater load further than its rivals with a reduced burden of maintenance, then it’s going to be a long-term success no matter what’s happening to the global economy.
RACE TO SUCCESS For this reason, despite the huge size of many trucks, there is currently
DESIGNED A
s emissions regulations become stricter and the price of oil continues to rise, there’s no hiding from the fact that the
Durable locknut
It takes a tough nut to survive life on the road
an ‘arms race’ under way to develop lighter, greener vehicles that can endure the shock loading and high miles of long-haul routes. It was the pursuit of payload that led a global truck manufacturer to approach Optimas with a locknut weight reduction challenge. Optimas operates a smart business
model that involves investment – both in terms of resources and personnel – in all aspects of logistics, component supply, engineering, forecasting demand, quality control and even manufacturing. This means that a unique service that off ers distinct benefi ts is devised for each partner. It was this insight and expertise that the truck manufacturer was relying on when it approached the fi rm with the challenge of fi nding a single, lightweight locknut to replace the multiple nylon inserts and platings previously specifi ed. Although reducing weight was the main goal of the project, the manufacturer also had an eye on improving the overall performance of the part – thus boosting durability and reliability. The locknuts would be used on the chassis of the trucks so they were expected to be resistant to corrosion,
hold improved torque tensions and were also required to have an environmentally friendly coating.
DESIGNING WITH THE CLIENT Optimas engineers were stationed at the manufacturer’s R&D centre and worked directly with the design team to produce a collaborative engineering eff ort. This stage included a battery of tests, including the use of an RS Torque Tension Unit to calculate friction and load capacity to identify the right locknut. Once the design was fi nalised, further testing of the plate material was carried out to ensure paint adhesion and lasting torque tension. The fi nal result is a single metal
fastener that replaces the variety of heavier, more complex nylon parts that were previously available to the manufacturer’s design department. This piece reduces the parts inventory, lowers costs and creates a 10% reduction in weight – as well as increasing durability in operation. The solution has resulted in measurable improvements in each of the three KPI areas. ●
If a vehicle can carry a greater load further than its rivals with a reduced burden of maintenance, then it’s sure to be successful
8
www.engineerlive.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
