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Application of topology optimization to design an electric bicycle main frame

  • Industrial Application
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Abstract

Electric bicycle main frame is the most principal structure, connecting and supporting other various components, while bearing a variety of forces and moments. In this paper the topology optimization technology is applied to generate robust electric bicycle main frame by optimizing the material distribution subject to the constraints and dynamic loads. Geometric, mechanical and finite element models, as well as a flexible coupling dynamic model are constructed. Validity and accuracy of these models are investigated through real-life testing. By applying typical road excitation, dynamic loads of all key points are extracted. A set of forces data is extracted every 0.5 s during the whole simulation, including peak values of these forces. In order to obtain appropriate topology optimization results, the values of two crucial parameters, volume fraction and minimum member size, are discussed respectively. Then the topology optimization of multi-load case is implemented with the objective of minimizing the set of weighted compliances resulting from individual load cases. Results illustrate that element density distribution of the model is optimized with manufacturing constraints of minimum member size control and extrusion constraint. Consequently, the better frame form design of the electric bicycle is obtained. Modal analysis for the original and refined models is performed respectively to evaluate the structure stiffness. The results indicate that this optimization program is effective enough to develop a new electric bicycle frame as a reference for manufacturers.

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Acknowledgments

This research project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50875010) and the National Youth Science Foundation of China (No. 51105018). Special thanks are due to the editor and reviewers of this article for many essential remarks with respect to the article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Transportation Science & Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Denghong Xiao, Xiandong Liu & Tian He

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering & Automation, North University of China, Taiyuan, 030051, China

    Wenhua Du & Junyuan Wang

Authors
  1. Denghong Xiao
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  2. Xiandong Liu
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  3. Wenhua Du
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  4. Junyuan Wang
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  5. Tian He
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Denghong Xiao.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 50875010) and the National Youth Science Foundation of China (No. 51105018).

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Xiao, D., Liu, X., Du, W. et al. Application of topology optimization to design an electric bicycle main frame. Struct Multidisc Optim 46, 913–929 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-012-0803-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-012-0803-7

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