Determination of the service life of automotive ball joint components by finite element analysis and experimental lifetime testing

The automotive industry has become a cornerstone of the economic development of industrializing and developing countries. Continuous technological advancements in the sector and the diversification of customer demands necessitate innovation and continuous improvement activities. The primary purpose of suspension systems is to enhance driving safety by improving roadholding and providing a comfortable ride. Ball joint components, which provide steering functions within the system, are safety components that operate under high loads and are critical to structural safety. The necessary testing of such components before integration into the vehicle system is essential for reliability and performance. Ball pins, which provide the mechanical connection between the wheel and the chassis, are critical for both safety and driving comfort. These components are subject to mechanical loads and wear due to forces and directional changes under the vehicle. One of the key wear parameters affecting ball joint performance is the amount of clearance between the plastic bearing and the ball joint. If this clearance is below the design limits, rapid loss of function and component deformation are observed; if it is excessive, noise and impact-induced vibration problems are observed. In the new product development process, design validation and endurance testing constitute critical steps in the system for optimal performance. In current practices, after each new design prototype is completed, it undergoes testing and approval, and suitable parts are incorporated into the production process. However, if the design is inadequate, significant cost increases are encountered in terms of mold preparation, material usage, labor, and time. In this study, both experimental tests and numerical simulation methods were used to evaluate the performance of ball joint ball joint components and optimize the design validation process. First, radial clearance static tests were performed on physical prototypes, and finite element analysis (FEA) was applied simultaneously. The analyses revealed a high level of correlation between the experimental data and numerical modeling results, confirming the interoperability of the two methods. In this respect, it was demonstrated that finite element analysis, applied before physical testing, allows for the pre-production identification of unforeseen design errors, thus significantly reducing testing times and manufacturing costs. Additionally, the spherical joint ball joint specimens used in the study were subjected to fatigue tests to verify the strength and performance of the bearing design. Integrating laboratory testing with FEA analyses is an effective engineering approach for increasing product reliability, reducing the number of prototyping runs, and shortening the product development cycle.stands out as an effective engineering approach for increasing product reliability, reducing the number of prototyping runs, and shortening the product development cycle.