Topology optimization of automobile suspension system with ANSYS

In recent years, technological advancements have significantly affected the automotive industry. Especially, with the increasing competition among companies, automotive manufacturers are continuously striving to expand their market share and establish dominance. This heightened competition and demand have led companies to reduce costs and labor requirements. Reducing the weight of vehicles in production enhances both fuel efficiency and performance, while also enabling manufacturers to produce more economical vehicles. Consequently, this provides a competitive advantage over other firms. In this thesis, structural analysis and topology optimization studies were conducted on suspension system components of passenger vehicles, specifically control arm, steering knuckle, and Tie rod, using the ANSYS software package. These analyses aimed to achieve weight reduction without compromising the strength and performance of the parts. The analyzed components were designed using Aluminum 6082 T6 and Steel EN8 materials, with their properties utilized in all structural analyses. The parts were modeled with CATIA V5 software and then transferred to ANSYS for analysis. After topology optimization, the weight-reduced models were prepared for manufacturing using conventional fabrication methods. Keywords: Topology optimization, Structural analysis, Control arm, Steering knuckle, Tie rod,