Applications of the Finite Element Analysis for Determination of Failure Safety Margins of the Design of the Honda CTX700 Motorcycle Front Braking System

The purpose of this article was to determine the failure safety margins of the front braking system of a Honda CTX700 motorcycle and to perform a substantive stress analysis on the system, as well as to verify the stresses using FEMAP. It should be noted that in this finite element analysis (FEA), the connections between components are modeled using linear-contact connections that exert forces on adjacent surfaces and are not trivially meshed as one solid with coincident grids with two different section material properties. The first part of the work involved accurately measuring the geometry of each part and three-dimensional (3D) modeling of all components. Measurements were taken via the trivial methods of using a ruler and caliper, and then the 3D model was generated in Solidworks by digitizing the geometric parameters. Some parts of the system were simplified in the 3D model to ensure proper meshing of the model. Cavities and complex geometries, like fillets and chamfers, were simplified to avoid excessive computation times. Next, after modeling the geometry, the individual components (disk, caliper, pad, and brake bracket) were meshed and their respective material properties were assigned. A fine mesh was used for the components in order to best capture the geometry and to ensure a more accurate simulation of the parts. Most components were “Hex” meshed, except for the more complex geometry of the brake caliper and bracket. For these two components, load distribution was the main interest due to their bulk size in comparison to the other components and, as such, were “Tet” meshed with midside nodes. Material properties of the parts were determined through extensive research of the components via original equipment manufacturer (OEM) references. After meshing, the operating loads and boundary conditions were defined and applied to the model. Boundary conditions were provided while operating loads were calculated using formulas for disk braking torque and thermal temperatures. The FEA simulations were performed and the generated stresses were compared and correlated to the hand-calculated stress levels. The margins of safety (MS) were finally calculated by comparing the determined stresses against the material failure strengths. The approach was deterministic in gaining knowledge of what strength levels the braking system was designed for and accessible to the public.