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Service-Life Determinations of Vehicle Steering Columns By Programmed Experiments
Technical Paper
785121
Sector:
Language:
German
Abstract
Implementation of a three-component steering column required
investigations of its service-life. Accordingly, performance data
of the column and associated vehicle parameters was first recorded
during actual street operation. Computer processing of the data
provided collective loading specifications for simulation of the
entire loading spectra. Laboratory tests were conducted on the
basis of these loading specifications. The testing method may be
expanded to other studies.
All five tested steering-columns fractured under fatigue trials
involving maximum torques at specified rotations. Generally, these
failures occurred at the locking screw hole on the splined column
section. The tests showed that stresses appear in components of
limited service-life under operational conditions. However, all
five columns failed under conditions corresponding to service-lives
of over 500,000 km.
Such test-stand experiments provide a great deal of data
concerning loading characteristics of components. The testing
methods are particularly significant for safety design of vehicle
prototypes.