Optimization of Caliper Housing Using FEM

In automobile design, structural analysis is the most important engineering process in developing a high quality vehicle where the computer simulations have greatly enhanced safety, reliability and comfort of today’s automobiles. Optimization has become critically important area of application in the automotive industry. Structural optimization coupled with analysis is instrumental in driving the design process so that the design targets are met in a timely fashion where the design targets include minimization of vehicle weight.

In this present work a disc brake caliper has been analyzed and the regions of material removal have been identified using FEA. The regions with least stress and deflection are identified and taken off from the component iteratively and analyzed using CATIA. The modified caliper with weight optimization by % has been validated for real working condition by standard validation. By virtue of this redesign, material saving and hence cost savings have been achieved.