Learning Forum

[sebastian2180285]

Hello fellow patners! 

My friend and I are currently doing an optimization on a lower control arm of an independent suspension.

To do that, we thought about two cases with different forces acting on them (braking and cornering). I have calculated aproximately the longitudinal forces using Pacejka formula. But I don't know if the forces on the spherical joint should be going into that direction (doesn't seems to be ok) 

What suggestion do you have about the joints/boundary conditions on this assembly?

[dlooman]

For moment equilibrium, the line of action of the force in the spherical joint must pass through the center of the cylindrical joint since the moment about that point must be zero.  Perhaps the direction of the force is OK?

[sebastian2180285]

Hello, Thank you for your answer! I have made some changes on the model, at it seems it is correct the direction of the force, but what I want to know is, in a MacPherson suspension, what part should be the one that reduces the braking forces? I know that the shock absorber should take care about the majority of the vertical forces (weight and any anomaly of the road, because the control makes just a small angle), and the control arm about the lateral ones (since the arm is almost horizontal) but who takes care about the braking one? since in the model it seems as there isn´t any reaction of the arm in the braking direction (y) 

 

 

[sebastian2180285]

 

 

To add, with the changes I have made, it seems the force goes to the two parts (a small contribution of the control arm and the rest on the joint/base of the shock absorber). While I think the force should be distributed, shouldn´t the contribution be the other way around? By the way sorry for asking such question that aren´t about the functions of ansys!

(The force direction at the first photo is backwards, since I changed the reference and movile parts)

 

 

 

[dlooman]

I like answering engineering questions if I know the answer, but in this case I don't.  I have heard of MacPherson struts, but that's about it.