Engine mount brackets are a primary structural components of passenger vehicles that supports the powertrain to the chassis via engine mounts. These brackets are important to control vibrations and the transmission of noise into the cabin as well as vehicle stability. Since they support the engine mounts, these brackets play a role in determining ride comfort and load distribution on the mounts and the engine. While traditionally made from steel, cast iron and aluminum, we are trying to redesign engine mount brackets with recyclable engineering plastics to fit current demands of light-weighting, cost efficiency, and sustainability.
The present work is concerned with the design of a plastic engine mount bracket, which aims to hit specified natural frequency targets in order to avoid resonance and fulfill strict NVH (Noise, Vibration, and Harshness) requirements. Because of the superior mechanical strength, thermal stability, and vibration-dampening properties, PPS, glass-fiber reinforced polyamide (PA66-GF50), PEEK (polyether ether ketone), and other high-performance reinforced plastics like polyphenylene sulfide were taken into consideration. These materials can be used in structural automotive applications in place of metals.
Through the Finite Element Analysis, modal analysis, CAE based durability simulations and vehicle-level testing the optimized bracket proven to meet structural and dynamic performance specifications. The findings confirm that, in the form of plastic bracket, recyclable designs can be technically feasible and sustainable alternatives to metal designs, which help reduce vehicle weight, increase fuel efficiency and vehicle manufacturability without sacrificing durability and safety.