Title: Optimal design of an automotive diaphragm spring with high fatigue resistance

Authors: Necmettin Kaya

Addresses: Uludag University, Mechanical Engineering Department, Bursa 16059, Turkey

Abstract: In this paper, shape optimisation of an automobile clutch diaphragm spring is performed using a genetic algorithm. In order to have high fatigue resistance, optimum window profile is determined and concentrated stress at the window region is decreased. A genetic algorithm based approach is developed to optimise the diaphragm spring window profile which has concentrated stress, through integrating a finite element code running in batch mode to compute the objective function values for each generation. Finally, a hill climbing local search algorithm is employed to tune the window profile parameters.

Keywords: automotive clutch; diaphragm spring; genetic algorithms; hill climbing; shape optimisation; optimal design; vehicle design; fatigue resistance; stress distributions; modelling; stress analysis; FEA; finite element analysis.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2006.008457

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2006 Vol.40 No.1/2/3, pp.126 - 143

Published online: 21 Dec 2005 *

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