Fatigue life testing of automobile forgings, How to test? Please give an actual production example and write an article.
As an important part of the vehicle body, the safety performance and life of automobile forgings are crucial. In the process of automobile manufacturing, fatigue testing is essential to ensure that automobile forgings have sufficient life time. The purpose of fatigue life testing is to evaluate the life time of automobile forgings and predict possible failures under normal conditions.
The main purpose of fatigue life testing is to simulate the stress level of automobile forgings under normal operating conditions, repeat loading and unloading, and cycle within a determined time period. It can also evaluate the fatigue life of components by changing the stress amplitude, frequency, and load direction. This kind of testing is essential for verifying whether automobile forgings comply with international standards and industry requirements.
Let’s take the aluminum alloy steering wheel skeleton as an example to illustrate the fatigue life testing method of automobile forgings. This automobile forging was manufactured by an auto parts supplier for Volkswagen’s steering wheel. The company used appropriate professional equipment to test the product’s fatigue life, including:
- Fatigue Testing Machine: The main function of the fatigue testing machine is to cycle-load and record the fatigue life data of the automobile forging. Determine the fatigue life by testing the number of uses required by the product in actual use.
- Metal wear tester: The main function of the metal wear tester is to detect the surface wear and damage of the forging. Through this testing method, fatigue problems caused by the influence of airflow or other external factors on the component can be evaluated.
- Metallographic analysis instrument: The main function of the metallographic analysis instrument is to inspect the structure and the relationship between metallographic structure and properties of the forging. It mainly analyzes the chemical composition, structure, and metallographic organization characteristics of automobile forgings to judge their fatigue life and quality.
In the fatigue life testing, the automotive component was ultimately evaluated as reliable and obtained the certification of Volkswagen.
In conclusion, fatigue life testing of automobile forgings is an essential task to ensure that auto manufacturers produce components with enough life time to meet safety and durability requirements. The above-mentioned three testing methods are equally important, and the quality and accuracy of each also need to be guaranteed and should comply with international standards and industry requirements.
