Projeto de melhoria de atenuador de impacto de veículo fórmula sae utilizando o método de elementos finitos

Abstract

Due to the constant evolution of technologies and innovations in the automotive world, it is noted that improvement must be continuous, and science must always be dynamic. Equally, Formula SAE vehicle's impact attenuators can also present innovative proposals as long as they are proven to be validated and accepted in accordance with technical regulation. Thus, given the vast application of thermoplastics in the automotive industry, one of the objectives of this dissertation is to optimize an aluminum impact attenuator model through a new geometry using polypropylene as a manufacturing material, taking as an example the application of the polymer at the bumpers of conventional vehicles. This use of a plastic material aims to reduce the weight of the structure and increase efficiency. The next objective is to apply the finite element methodology through static analyses on the two impact attenuator models to verify the behavior of the structures in different materials when subjected to external loading. In view of this, the polypropylene impact attenuator was designed and during the analysis phase it was concluded that, when aluminum was replaced by polypropylene, weight reduction was achieved resulting in a reduction of 95.53% and in a structure with greater resilience, thus becoming a project with a lightweight design and comparable performance. In this way, contributing to the possibility of applying thermoplastic materials and alternative manufacturing processes in the context of the high-performance automobile industry.