Design and analysis of the wheel hub for an all- terrain vehicle with the plastic polymer: Nylon- 6,6

Abstract

Wheel assemblies used in automobiles consist of Hub, Knuckle, Bearings and Wheel usually integrated as unibody or part components. The materials used for these components are mainly cast iron, mild steel, aluminum alloys, ductile iron, and steel spokes. Usage of an alternate material like the Nylon-6,6 has been proposed in this work which is intended to reduce the overall weight of the wheel assembly. Lightweight hub and wheel assembly would reduce the inertia, the work done to move or stop the vehicle. In this work, Nylon-6,6 has been proposed to be used for the wheel hub by conducting engineering analysis with suitable design yielding reliable FOS with reduction in weight thereby, making Nylon-6,6 a usable material for the wheel hubs. The characteristics of Nylon-6,6 like good mechanical strength, stiffness and mechanical damping ability with good fatigue resistance and ease of manufacturing gives the material an upper hand over other plastic polymers in reducing the unsprung mass without compromising on strength and safety.