Approach to Vehicle Body Weight Reduction by Fatigue Strength Analysis

By utilizing the FEW analysis and the data statistically treated, we developed an analytical method, by which we can estimate accurately the fatigue life of each part of the vehicle body during the design stage By this method, which we call “S-L (Stress-Life) analysis”, a 10% reduction of body weight has been made possible through structural changes, i.e, the reduction of sheet metal thickness and the increase in number of lightening holes. In order to realize the lighter body we have introduced so-called optimum method into the above-stated analytical method and have developed this new analytical method for the research of body weight reduction with design modifications.