Injection Molded Rocker Panel With Transverse Ribs
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Solution Overview
Problem
The automotive industry faces challenges in creating rocker panels that balance aesthetic appeal with enhanced structural support and aerodynamic performance, particularly with newer designs that extend outwardly from the vehicle body, requiring innovative construction methods using alternative materials like plastics.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves an injection molded rocker panel with intermittent transverse ribs positioned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, providing structural support while maintaining a Class "A" surface aesthetic, and incorporating a foamed core for improved performance-to-weight ratio, along with anti-rotation features and varied wall thickness for enhanced load resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If rocker panels are designed to extend outwardly from the vehicle body to improve aerodynamics and aesthetics, then aerodynamic performance and visual appeal are enhanced, but structural strength and load-bearing capacity deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The rocker panel is divided into multiple functional zones: an outwardly extending aerodynamic shell and an internal reinforcement structure with transverse ribs and foam core. This segmentation allows the exterior to maintain aerodynamic shape while the interior provides structural strength independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The rocker panel combines multiple materials including polymeric resin, foam core material, and reinforcement ribs to create a composite structure. This composite approach enables the panel to achieve both aerodynamic外形 and structural integrity that single materials cannot provide alone.
2Ease of manufacture
If rocker panels use alternative polymeric materials to reduce manufacturing costs, then production expenses are reduced, but structural integrity and load resistance worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The reinforcement ribs are strategically positioned at specific locations within the rocker panel where structural support is most needed. This localized reinforcement approach provides maximum strength enhancement while minimizing the amount of additional material required, maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The foam core density and rib dimensions are optimized to achieve the required structural performance. By carefully controlling these parameters, the design achieves adequate load resistance with minimal material usage, maintaining manufacturing cost efficiency.
3Strength
If transverse ribs are added to the inside surface to improve structural support, then load-bearing capacity is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity and tooling requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The transverse ribs, foam core, and skin layers are combined into a single integrated injection molding process. This merging of multiple structural elements into one manufacturing step reduces overall complexity compared to assembling separate components, despite the sophisticated mold design required.
4Shape
If the rocker panel extends outwardly with larger overall configuration, then aerodynamic performance is improved, but material quantity and manufacturing complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The rocker panel uses a thin-walled polymeric shell structure that extends outwardly for aerodynamic benefits. The thin-walled design minimizes material usage while the external shape provides the aerodynamic performance, avoiding the need for thick solid sections.
Data Source
AI summary
A rocker panel assembly for attachment to a vehicle, comprising a rocker panel body, a first end feature situated on a first end of the rocker panel body, and a second end feature situated on a second end of the rocker panel body. The rocked panel body has an outside surface generally presented in the form of a convex surface, and an inside surface generally presented in the form of a concave surface. The outside surface of the rocker panel body extends outwardly of the vehicle, to present an outboard section having a predetermined profile based on targeted aesthetic/performance characteristics. The inside surface of the rocker panel body has at least one transverse rib positioned therein, the transverse rib being arranged generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the rocker panel body.