Digital Simulation of Rear Axle Brake Lines Articulation for Commercial Vehicles.

This paper focuses on defining the optimal length of rear axle brake lines (flexible polyamide tubes) for commercial vehicles by simulating the lines digitally by considering tube behavior and various axle articulation conditions. Currently, the length of rear axle brake lines are predominantly defined with the help of a physical mockup by articulating axle conditions in a vehicle. This approach requires actual components such as frame, axle, suspension, etc., which consumes considerable time and cost. Through technological advancements, prototyping can be reduced and convergence on digital to build can be achieved through digital simulation. This paper explores tube properties, axle configurations and definitions, and various methods of digitally simulating line articulation. Boundary conditions, space reservations and design criteria for pneumatic routing are defined for the type of line designed. Digital simulation of rear axle brake lines articulation was performed and compared with prototype. The experimented method of digitally simulating line articulation significantly reduced the design iterations. And as a case study, the findings are discussed in detail.