STEERING REPORT - 2020

1.INTRODUCTION

Formula Bharat is a student-based design and fabrication project of a single seater

formula styled car. The steering system is involved in the control of the car and hence
the steering is to be in such a way that the effort by the driver is to be less and should
help in easy manoeuvrability. The steering system of this car is a rack and pinion based
steering mechanism that converts the rotational motion generated at the steering wheel
into a linear motion at the end of the rack. The design is based on the rule book for
FORMULA BHARAT 2020, according to which drive by wire is forbidden and hence
we have selected a simple rack and pinion system with no additional electrical or
hydraulic help.

2.DESIGN PROCEDURE

The steering system is a front wheel based steering unit. The approach in designing is a
follow,
1. Vehicle measurements
2.Steering mechanism
3.Reason for choosing the respective mechanism
4. Calculation
5. Simulation

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Car no: #32
 2.1 VEHICLE MEASUREMENTS

The requirements are according to the Formula Bharat rulebook, but are also made sure
to be satisfactory to the driver comfort and also to ensure the safety of the driver.

1. Front wheel track-1310 mm

2. Rear wheel track-1345 mm
3. Wheel base-1621 mm
4. Pivot point distance- 1010 mm

2.2 STEERING MECHANISM

The Ackerman steering geometry is selected for the vehicle because this geometry
enables the vehicle to turn about the common centre i.e. without skidding of the tires
and also the Ackerman geometry is favoured for the slow speed vehicle as it provides
excellent control at low-speed.

In Ackerman geometry the inside wheel turns more than the outside wheel. In this
geometry, the rack is placed behind the front axle and if we extend the steering arms

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 then they will meet at the extension of rear axle during turning, the point is the
instantaneous centre about which the whole vehicle turns without skidding.

2.3 REASON FOR CHOOSING ACKERMAN

MECHANISM

1. Reduce the weight of steering column or steering shaft because in Anti-Ackerman

system the positioning of rack will be frontal portion of wheel centreline which
directly increases the shaft length.

2. A parallel or reverse Ackerman system would be difficult to steer at low speeds,

such as during a low speed run or moving the vehicle through the pits

3. Avoids front tire slippage.

4.Easy to fabricate

2.4 CALCULATION

2.41 INNER AND OUTER ANGLE

As the requirement for our vehicle is to keep turning radius low so it is decided that the
outside turning radius of our vehicle should be 2.75 meters. By using the above-
mentioned dimensions, inner and outer angle of the car has been calculated.

(A) Inner angle formula - Tan(θ) = wheelbase = 1621/2750-(1310/2)

2750- (front track/2)

Tan(θ) = 1621/2750-655
Tan(θ) = 1621/2095= 0.773747016

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 θ = Tan^-1(0.773747016)
θ = 37.73080545 degree ~ 38 degree

(B) Outer angle formula - Tan(ϕ) = wheelbase = 1621/2750+(1310/2)

2750 + (front track/2)

Tan(ϕ) = 1621/2750+655
Tan(ϕ) = 1621/3405
ϕ = Tan^-1(0.47606461)
ϕ = 25.45746623 degrees ~ 25 degree

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 2.42 TURNING RADIUS

1.Inner front wheel = wheelbase - (front track – pivot point distance/2)

Sin θ
= 1621 - (1310-1010/2)
sin38

= 1621 - (300/2)
0.615661475

= 2632.94 - 150

= 2482.94 = 2483 mm

2.Outer front wheel = wheelbase + (front track – pivot point distance/2)

Sin ϕ
= 1621 + (1310-1010/2)
sin25

= 1621 + (300/2)
0.422618261

= 3835.61 + 150

= 3985.61 = 3986 mm

3.Inner rear wheel = wheelbase - (rear track – pivot point distance/2)

Tan θ
= 1621 - (1345-1010/2)
tan 38

= 1621 - (335/2)
0.781285626

= 2074.78 - 167.5

= 1907.28 = 1907 mm

4.Outer rear wheel = wheelbase + (rear track – pivot point distance/2)

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 Tan ϕ
= 1621 + (1345-1010/2)
tan25

= 1621 + (335/2)
0.466307658

= 3476.24 + 167.5

= 3643.74 = 3644 mm

2.43 ACKERMAN ANGLE AND ACKERMAN PERCENTAGE

(A) Formulae used:

1. L = Wheelbase * 100
%Ackerman
2. α= Tan^-1 (distance between pivot points/2)
L
3. Sin(α-ϕ) = 2sinα - sin(α+θ)

(B) Percentage Ackerman iteration

%Ackerman L α θ Sin(α+θ) 2sinα Sin(α-ϕ) ϕ

100 1621 17.3036963 38 0.82218076 0.59487293 -0.227307829 31.65103107
125 1296.8 21.2769391 38 0.85964671 0.72575241 -0.133894301 29.78656754
150 1080.66666 25.0468786 38 0.89137767 0.84671929 -0.044658377 27.90571905
160 1013.125 26.4943156 38 0.90254256 0.89221804 -0.01032452 27.157209
165 982.424242 27.2047296 38 0.9078121 0.91434269 0.006530589 26.78480159
170 953.529411 27.9062023 38 0.91287837 0.93605096 0.023172586 26.41392736
175 926.285714 28.5986951 38 0.91774558 0.95734372 0.039598144 26.04479565
180 900.555555 29.282181 38 0.92241802 0.97822242 0.055804401 25.67760265
185 876.216216 29.9566437 38 0.92690012 0.99868905 0.071788935 25.31253168
190 853.157894 30.6220777 38 0.93116344 1.01874609 0.0875975 24.9497535

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 2.44 CENTRIFUGAL FORCE

The speed at which the vehicle takes a turn is taken about 45 Kmph
The mass of the vehicle is taken as 280 kg
The turning radius is taken as 2750 mm

Force = mv^2/r
= (280 * 45^2)/2750
= 206 N

2.45 STEERING EFFORT CALCULATION

Diameter of the steering wheel = 220mm = 0.220m

Total weight of the car = 280kg

Weight distribution ratio between front and rear axle = 47:53

Weight acting in front axle= 131.6 kg

Weight acting in front axle (in newton) = 131.6*9.81 = 1290.996 N

Pitch circle radius = 24mm = 0.024m

Co-efficient of friction = 0.9

Torque on pinion = weight acting in front axle *radius of the pinion*

coefficient of friction
= 1290.996*0.024*0.9 = 27.8Nm

Force on the steering wheel = Torque on the pinion/Radius of the steering

wheel
= 27.8/0.110 = 252.72N

Since the steering force is greater than the centrifugal force, the vehicle will be stable
during taking the turn.

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 2.46 RACK FORCE

Torque on pinion = Rack force * Radius of pinion

27.8= Rack force * 0.024

Rack force = 27.8/0.024

Rack force = 1158N

2.47 STEERING RATIO

Steering ratio = Steering angle/maximum steering range

= 180/ (38*2)

= 180/76

=2.36

2.48 STEERING ARM

According to Ackerman mechanism the rack must be placed behind the front axle. The
position of the rack was decided based on driver’s ergonomics while satisfying the
steering compliances.

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 So, we chose a vertical height of 50 mm for the steering arm. Then we need to find the
force transferred from the rack to the steering arm. We know that the force produced
by the rack is of 1158 N. The tie rod and steering arm makes an angle of 6.06 degree.
By simple resolving we found that the force acting on steering arm is of 1164 N.

2.49 TIE ROD

We chose a circular tie rod with outer diameter of 16 mm and inner diameter of 8.5 mm
due to availability constraints. In order to check the chosen tie rod is sufficient to
withstand the load occurred during dynamic conditions force calculations were done.

The first step was to find the maximum compressive and tensile force that can be
withstood by the tie rod.

(A)MAXIMUM COMPRESSIVE FORCE

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 INPUT

SYMBOL EXPANSION VALUE

E Elastic modulus (Mild steel) 190 GPa
K Column effective length factor (pinned 1
condition)
I Area moment of inertia 2960.75 mm^4
L Length of the column 410

1. Area moment of inertia = π (D^4 – d^4)

64
= π (16^4 – 8.5^4)
64
= 2960.75 mm^4

OUTPUT

Critical load for buckling (Pcr) = π^2 * E * I

(KL)^2

= π^2*190*10^9*10^-6 *2960.75
(1*410) ^2
= π^2*190*10^3*2960.75
(410) ^2
= 33028.38 N ~ 33029 N

(B)MAXIMUM TENSILE FORCE

INPUT

SYMBOL EXPANSION VALUE

σ Yield strength (MS steel) 240 MPa

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 A Area 144 mm^2

Area = π (D^2 – d^2) = π (D^2 – d^2) = 144 mm^2

4 4

OUTPUT
σ = Force
Area

240*10^6*10^-6 = Force
144

Force = 240*144 = 34560 N

After finding the maximum compressive and tensile force which can be withstood by
the tie rod, we found out the compressive and tensile load acting on the tie rod under
different conditions.

We took the highest value of the compressive and tensile force under the five
conditions. The values were obtained by using force matrix calculation.

Highest compressive force occurred during lateral acceleration = 287 N

Highest tensile force occurred during braking with steady state = 5496 N
cornering

(C)THEORETICAL FOS VALUE

1. FOS (Compressive force) = Maximum compressive force

Compressive force at linear acceleration

FOS (Compressive force) = 33029 N = 115

287

2. FOS (Tensile force) = Maximum tensile force

Tensile force at braking with steady state cornering

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 FOS (Tensile force) = 34560 N = 6.3
5496 N

2.5 SIMULATION

2.51 TIE ROD

Simulations for the compressive and tensile force acting on the tie rod is done using
SOLIDWORKS.

COMPRESSIVE FORCE

SIMULATED FOS VALUE - 120

THEORETICAL VALUE – 115

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 TENSILE FORCE

SIMULATED FOS VALUE – 6.5

THEORETICAL VALUE – 6.3

2.52 STEERING ARM

FACTOR OF SAEFTY

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 Factor of safety = 6, for the force acting on the steering arm (1164 N)

STRAIN

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 The above picture shows negligible deformation on the steering arms for the force of
1164 N.

3.CONCLUSION
The steering system was calculated, designed and simulated to make it reliable and
responsive during driving.
APPENDIX

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