Fibre Composite Wheel Rim Connecting Element Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
The production of multi-part lightweight wheels, particularly for motor vehicles, faces challenges in achieving operational reliability due to complex manufacturing processes and residual stresses caused by differing material properties and thermal expansion between the wheel rim and wheel disc, leading to inaccurate fits and increased production costs.
Innovation Solution
A connecting element is integrated into the rim well during manufacturing, allowing for a separate and flexible attachment of the wheel disc using standard joining technologies, which reduces thermal and mechanical stresses and simplifies the design process by using materials with similar thermal expansion coefficients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the wheel disc is positively connected to the rim base during manufacture, then the connection achieves material bonding, but the wheel disc is subjected to high thermal stress and residual stresses arise
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel assembly is divided into three separate components: the rim base, the connecting element, and the wheel disc. The connecting element acts as an intermediary that is bonded to the rim base during manufacturing, while the wheel disc is attached separately later. This segmentation allows the wheel disc to be excluded from the high-temperature consolidation process, eliminating thermal stress exposure while maintaining strong connections through the connecting element.
2Ease of manufacture
If the wheel disc is integrated into the mold for rim well production, then the manufacturing process is simplified, but design flexibility is reduced and production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel disc is extracted from the mold integration process and handled as a separate component. Only the connecting element is integrated into the rim base manufacturing, while the wheel disc is attached in a subsequent step using standard joining technologies. This extraction allows the mold design to remain simple and flexible, as it only needs to accommodate the connecting element rather than the entire wheel assembly, enabling easier adaptation to different wheel disc designs.
3Device complexity
If the wheel disc is directly connected to the rim base, then the structure is simplified, but inaccurate fit and residual stresses occur due to different elongation properties
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting element serves as an intermediary component between the rim base and the wheel disc. It is bonded to the rim base during the consolidation process and provides a stable mounting surface for the wheel disc. This intermediary absorbs the differences in thermal expansion and elongation properties between the fiber composite rim base and the metal wheel disc, ensuring accurate fit and eliminating residual stresses while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the reliability and accuracy of wheel constructions, reduces production costs, and minimizes stresses in the wheel rim by allowing the wheel disc to be mounted independently, with the connecting element absorbing thermal expansion phenomena, thus improving stress distribution and reducing wear.
Implementation Method 1
the rim bed is hardened in the subsequent consolidation process with heat treatment in the hot tool and is glued to the connecting element and firmly bonded
Implementation Method 2
the connecting element absorbing thermal expansion phenomena, thus improving stress distribution
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a wheel rim, having a rim base, from a fibre composite. The problem to be solved by the invention is that of improving the production of the wheel rim, and especially to ensure a reliably functioning wheel structure which can be achieved with little financial and technical outlay. The problem is solved in that during the production of the rim base (2) a connection element (3, 13, 21, 31, 42, 51) is joined to the rim base (2), said connection element (3, 13, 21, 31, 42, 51) being designed and arranged in such a way that a wheel disk (4, 14, 22, 36, 45) can be connected to said connection element (3, 13, 21, 31, 42, 51).