Design, analysis and optimization of steering knuckle for all terrain vehicles

The vehicle consists of various physical components which support smooth operation and ensure the safety running during off road conditions. Steering knuckle is one such component with an unconventional shape and it not only act as the connecting entity between steering, brake and suspension system, but also links chassis and wheel hub. Even it is the high stress bearing and critical component of an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV). The component of knuckle experiences greater magnitude of forces amidst the automotive suspension elements such as shock absorber. Reduction of mass reduction is given a primordial focus in automotive manufacturing sector due to its direct influence on the overall performance and fuel efficiency of the vehicle. Minimization of mass renders least vertical and longitudinal roll motion of ATVs. It plays a crucial role in minimizing the vertical and roll motion of the vehicle. Current work focuses in designing and modifying the knuckle for achieving the same magnitude of forces with reduced mass and without compromising the strength as the component is primarily responsible for reduced fuel consumption and enhanced vehicle efficiency. Hence, the optimization in design of knuckleis to be carried out to render maximum performance coupled withhigh necessity of weight reduction. Shape optimization was carried over in ANSYS Workbench, whose objective function is to reduce weight, in order to save the material resource.