Life modelling of a plastic automotive component

Abstract

This paper presents a framework for life prediction modelling and illustrates it with a case study of a plastic automotive component subjected to competing failure mechanisms: wear, leading to a soft failure-degradation of functional performance, and fatigue, leading to loss of function through fracture of a main sub-component. The paper focuses on developing a life prediction model for the fatigue failure mechanism. Structural and kinematic analysis of the component was conducted to identify a suitable substitute load characteristic for the failure mechanism. The aim is to develop an approximate model using limited testing data and when a baseline stress-life model is not available. The issues highlighted by the case study are generic to development of life models for non-critical automotive components, thus providing potentially wide scope for practical application of the approach.