International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 04 Issue: 09 | Sep -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF COMPOSITE LEAF SPRING BY USING CATIA

AND ANSYS
Bandi Manasa1,R.Lokanadham2
1
PG Scholar, Mechanical Engineering, Chadalawada Ramanamma Engineering College, Tirupati,
Andhra Pradesh, India.
2
Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Chadalawada Ramanamma Engineering College, Tirupati,
Andhra Pradesh, India.
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Abstract -Leaf spring is a simple form of suspension 2.1 Parts of Leaf Spring
spring used to absorb vibrations induced during the motion
of a vehicle. The automobile industry has shown increased
interest in the replacement of steel leaf spring (55 si 7) with
composite leaf spring (e-glass/epoxy) due to high strength,
reduction of weight ratio, higher stiffness, high impact
energy absorption and lesser stresses.

The design of leaf springs are prepared in catia V5R20 and

imported in statis structural analysis work bench of ansys
12.1 where finite element analysis (FEA) is performed with
different loads.the design constraints are stresses, strains
and deflection of different materials steel leaf spring,e- Figure 1: Leaf spring of Automobiles
glass/epoxy and jute/e-glass/epoxy leaf spring and also
comparing the weights of the materials. 1. Master Leaf
The longest leaf known as main leaf or master leaf has its
KeyWords:CATIA,ANSYS,Steel,E-Glass/Epoxy,Jute/E- ends formed in the shape of an eye through which the
Glass/Epoxy. bolts are passed to secure the spring to its supports

1.INTRODUCTION 2. Graduated Leaves

The other leaves of the springs are known as graduated
A spring is defined as an elastic body,whose function is to leaves. In order to prevent digging in the adjacent leaves.It
distort when loaded and recover its original shape when is usual to provide two full length leaves and the rest
the load is removed.Tp apply forces as in brakes,clutches graduated leaves.
and spring-loaded valve.
3.Eye
2.PRINCIPLES OF LEAF SPRING Usually the eyes, through which the spring is attached to
the hanger or shackle, are provided with of bushing of
The leaf spring arrangements mounted the a single leaf set
some antifriction of material such as bronze or rubber.
running parallel to a live axle, but used it both as a
suspension link and a spring element in a similar manner
4.Center Bolt
to the traditional arrangement. In vehicles with
The leaves are held together by means of a band shrunk
independent suspension and a transverse leaf spring
around them at the centre or by a bolt passing through the
arrangement the leaf is not used to control the wheel's
centre.
location and acts only as a spring element. In this
arrangement double wishbones act to locate the wheel,
5.Rebound Clip
while a single leaf or leaf set connected to the front or rear
Rebound clips are placed intermediate positions of the leaf
sub-frame in the middle of the vehicle and the lower
spring. These are joints the master leaf and graduated
wishbone on each side provides the spring element. In
leaves of the leaf spring.
some applications two transverse leaf springs are used on
a single axle with each providing separate springing action
to each wheel. In the past most transverse leaf springs 3. LITERATURE REVIEW
arrangements used multiple steel elements in a set similar
to their traditional longitudinal counterparts, but most Many early vehicles such as the ford model it used
modern applications uses a composite (generally transverse leaf springs on both the front and rear
fiberglass) mono leaf element. suspension in conjunction with a live axle. In the early
1930s, Dante giocoso developed the fiat tapeline which

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 04 Issue: 09 | Sep -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

used transverse steel leaf springs and double wishbones in the material properties. There we find that the
an independent front suspension. The triumph motorcar componentcan withstand for given loads during operation.
company also developed a independent rear suspension
with a transverse leaf spring arrangement for their line of 4.1 STANDARD SEMI ELLIPTICAL LEAF SPRING
small cars in the 1950s. The triumph arrangement, first
seen on the 1959 herald was developed in an effort to We have already discussed that the stress in the full length
introduce a inexpensive independent rear suspension. leaves is 50% greater than the stress in the graduated
Results were mixed with considerable safety issues leaves. In order to utilize the material to the best advantage
surrounding the vehicles tendency to snap into over steer. all the leaves should be equally stress.

Manas patnaik, l.p. Koushik and manoj Mathew [6] By giving a greater radius of curvature to the full length
has been carried out on a parabolic leaf spring of a mini leaves than graduated leaves before the leaves are
loader truck. The spring has been analyzed by applying assembled to form a spring by doing so a gap or clearance
a load of 3800 N and the corresponding values of stress will be left between the leaves.
and displacement are computed. In this work, design of
experiments has been applied under various has been is
configurations of the spring (i.e by varying camber & eye
distance). Camber and leaf span of a parabolic leaf spring
was found for optimized stress and displacement value
using artificial neural networks. Various networks with
different architecture were trained and the network giving
the best performance was used for optimization.

Bhushan, Deshmukh, Dr. Santosh and B. Jaju int j

[2] engg techsci.weight reduction is now the main issue in
automobile industries. The paper gives the brief look on
the suitability of composite leaf spring on vehicles and Figure 2: Standard semi elliptical leaf spring
their advantages. The objective of the present work is
design, analysis and fabrication of mono composite leaf Distance between eyes = 1100 mm
spring. The design constraints are stress and deflections. Camber = 96.8 mm
The finite element analysis is done using ansys software. Height = 167.64 mm
The attempt has been made to fabricate the explian leaf For the leaf spring in original form,
spring economically than that of conventional leaf spring. Free Camber = 3.60” (factory specification)
Spring eye = 1-1/4”diameter(0.625”-radius)
4. METHODOLOGY Leaf thickness = 7/32”
Number of functional leaves = 6
Present work is related to the comparative study of “55 si
7 steel and composite leaf spring” component details. The 5. DESIGN OF LEAF SPRING IN CATIA V5R20
component details is studied and prepared 3-d model in
catiya V5R20 software. The component is studied for the Start the catia V5R20 software by giving double click on
operation required to convey the different types of loads the catia V5R20 icon on the desktop. click the start menu
on it. Design the component in the required shape and in the menu bar, select mechanical design and click sub
dimensions and analyzed. menu sketcher. Click the xy plane. Draw the horizontal
and vertical axis lines by selecting the infinite line option
Design calculations are carried for the component leaf in the profile tool box. Draw the two lines parallel to the
spring with the help of material properties which are vertical axis line by the infinite line option. Give the
specified by the previous project. Analysis work is carried distance between the two line according to length of the
by importing 3-d model into ansys software. A fem model leaf spring (1050 mm) and arc height at axel seat (170
of leaf spring, only one leaf is created by using ansys mm) of the leaf spring requirement by the constraint
processor. The material properties loads and boundary option in the constraint tool box.
conditions are also specified in the ansys processor. Draw the inner (44 mm) and outer (55 mm) circles at
both sides for required diameter of leaf spring by using
Analysis work is done by applying loads on the leaf point circle in the profile tool box. Join the inner and outer
spring then the results such as stress, strain, total circles of both sides by using three point arc starting with
deformation are obtained. The results are compared with limit in the profile tool box. Arise the excess lines by quick
material properties of the material used for the component. trim option in the operation tool box. The 2D sketcher
Then we find that results obtained by using fem are within diagram converted into 3D diagram by click the exit

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 04 Issue: 09 | Sep -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

workbench option in the workbench tool box.click the pad

6. MODAL ANALYSIS
option in the sketcher tool box and enter the required
length of the leaf spring (56 mm) and finally click ok.
6.1 Steel Leaf spring (55Si 7)
5.1 Design Parameters of Leaf Spring
Young’s modulus = 190-210 mpa
Poisson’s ratio = 0.27-0.30
Total length of leaf spring (eye to eye) 1050 mm
Tensile strength = 572.3 mpa
Arc height at axle seat 170 mm Density = 1000 kg/m3
Thickness of leaf spring 6 mm
Width of leaf spring 56 mm
Outer diameter of eye 50 mm
Inner diameter of eye 44 mm

Table 1: Design parameters of leaf spring

Figure 5: Total Deformation

Figure 3: Leaf spring designed in catia V5R20

5.2 Design Parameters of composite Leaf Spring

Figure 6: Equivalent Stress
Table 2: Design Parameters of composite leaf spring

Figure 7: Equivalent Elastic Strain

6.2 E-Glass/Epoxy Leaf spring

Young’s modulus = 24000 mpa

Poisson’s ratio = 0.30
Tensile strength = 205 mpa
Density = 1520 kg/mm3

Figure 4: Composite leaf spring designed in catia V5R20

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 04 Issue: 09 | Sep -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Figure 8: Total Deformation

Figure 12: Equivalent Stress

Figure 9: Equivalent Stress

Figure 13: Equivalent Elastic Strain

Figure 10: Equivalent Elastic Strain
7. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
6.3 Jute/E-Glass/Epoxy Leaf spring
7.1 Comparison Of 55 Si 7 Steels With Theoretical And
Young’s modulus = 21000 mpa Simulation Results
Poisson’s ratio = 0.22
Tensile strength = 185 mpa
Density = 1460 kg/mm3

19.456 16.705

38.912 33.411

58.368 50.116

77.825 66.821

97.281 83.526

Table 3: Comparison between theoretical and simulation

results of 55si7
Figure 11: Total Deformation

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 04 Issue: 09 | Sep -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Graph 1: Comparison of different loads with deformation

Graph 4: Comparison of different loads with deformation

Graph: 5 Comparison of different loads with Stresses

Graph 2: Comparison of different loads with Stresses

Graph 6: Comparison of different loads with Strain energy

Graph 3: Comparison of different loads with Strain energy
7.3 Comparison of weights
7.2 Comparison Between [A](E-Glass/Epoxy) Leaf
Spring And [B](Jute/E-Glass/Epoxy)

Table 4: Comparison between E-Glass/epoxy and Jute/

E-Glass/epoxy results

Graph 7: Comparison of different weights of materials

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 International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056
Volume: 04 Issue: 09 | Sep -2017 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

7.4 Comparison of Cost 2) Bhushan, b. Deshmukh and dr. Santosh b. Jaju “

design and analysis of fiber reinforce polymer
(frp) leaf spring”. - a review int j engg techsci vol
2(4) 2011,289-291
3) Gulur siddaramanna, shiva shankar and
sambagam, “mono composite leaf spring for light
weight vehicle – design end joint analysis and
testing” issn 1392–1320 materials science
(medžiagotyra). Vol. 12, no. 3. 2006.
4) Jadhav mahesh v, zoman digambar b, y r kharde
and r r kharde, “performance analysis of two
mono leaf spring used for maruti 800 vehicle”.
International journal of innovative technology and
exploring engineering (ijitee) issn: 2278-3075,
volume-2, issue-1, december 2012.
Graph 8: Comparison of different cost of materials 5) Kumarkrishna and aggarwal m.l, “a finite element
approach for analysis of a multi leaf spring using
CONCLUSIONS cae tools” research journal of recent sciences issn
2277-2502 vol. 1(2), 92-96, feb. (2012)
The 3-D modeling of both steel and hybrid composite res.j.recent sci.
materials of leaf spring is done and analyzed a 6) Shishay and amare gebremeskel, “design,
comparative study has been made between composite and simulation, and prototyping of single composite
steel leaf spring with respect to deflection , strain energy leaf spring for light weight vehicle”.global journal
and stresses. of researches in engineering mechanical and
This project work provides optimum output for design mechanics engineering volume 12 issue 7 version
parameters (leaf spring thickness and width) of hybrid 1.0 year 2012 type: double blind peer reviewed
composite leaf spring by using finite element analysis. international research journal publisher: global
Weight can be reduced from in kgs to 2kg if steel leaf journals inc. (usa) online issn: 2249-4596 print
spring is replaced by jute/e-Glass/epoxy hybrid composite issn:0975-5861.
leaf spring. Weight reduction reduces the fuel
consumption of the vehicle.

At various loading conditions, hybrid composite leaf

spring is found to have lesser stresses and deflections as
compared to conventional steel leaf spring. Jute/e-
glass/epoxy hybrid composite has higher elastic strain
energy storage capacity than both steel and e-glass/epoxy
composite because it has lower young’s modulus and
lower density as compared to both. Hence hybrid
composite leaf spring can absorb more energy which leads
to good comfortable riding.

Jute/e-glass/epoxy hybrid composite leaf spring is found

to be more economical than e-glass/epoxy composite leaf
spring as the cost of jute fiber is very much less as
compared to e-glass fiber and it is abundantly available in
nature.

REFERENCES

1) Baviskar a. C., bhamre v. And g., sarode s. S, “

design and analysis of a leaf spring for automobile
suspension system”. A review international
journal of emerging technology and advanced
engineering website: www.ijetae.com (issn 2250-
2459, iso 9001:2008 certified journal, volume 3,
issue 6, june 2013) pp 407-410.

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