Design of Light Weight Polymer Bin for Hopper Tipper Application

Abstract

The automobile industry is facing challenges to develop fuel efficient,strict emission norms compiling and durable vehicles. The best solution to meet these challenges isto replace conventional steel by lightweight material in manufacturing various components of a vehicle. There are number of lightweight material available (AHSS, composites, polymers) but polymers are thebest choice because of their good mechanical and physical properties. Application of polymer offers design freedom, which is significantly important for the aesthetics of the vehicle. The presentedwork focuses on investigationof the use of such polymers in manufacturing a hopper for commercial tipper trucks. Investing and testing of a possible solution to the problem stated above is the main objective of this work. This is accomplished by demonstrating, what can be achieved with a polymer-metal stuffed structure of Dicyclopentadiene (DCPD). For this, the hopper tipper of TATA vehicle was used as an object of study. Design, prototyping, mechanical simulation and validation, and environmental impact are herein documented. The design phase counts on the creation of a hopper tipper models through computer-aided design and engineering software that enabled achieving the optimum required targets in terms of strength, stiffness and weight. Its structural validation was done by a finite element method at the end of each model. The use of DCPD hopper allows reducing weight and tooling. DCPD hopper with stiffener and metal support structure model shows an adequate strength for tipping application. The modal analysis shows a higher frequency for the conversion of mode shape for final designed hopper. The hopper was then fabricated using reaction injection moulding and then fixing on a metallic frame. Hopper and metal supporting structure assembly are completed using fasteners and adhesive bonding.