Light Weight Composite Structure Approach of Automotive Soft Top Construction 2023-01-0876
In an off-road vehicle, Vehicle Structure plays a major role in passenger safety, Aesthetics, Durability, through a validated construction of canopy structure. This structure is to maintain the shape of the vehicle and to support various loads acting on the vehicle. In present market a safe, Durable, Robust, Waterproof, Noise less, Light weight and cost-effective off-road vehicle will always be a delight for any customer. However, the current conventional way of Soft top vehicle structure use metal brackets and formed sheet parts to create a structure to retain the canopy shape in place.
These conventional structures are often heavier and would have many demerits such as heavy weight, Corrosion, Risk of canopy tear due to metallic structure edges and inappropriate draining, water management. Considering this we replaced the heavy metal brackets in to blow molded plastic parts. The plastic parts helped us in significantly reduce weight yet retaining the structural integrity and strength. This also helped us in addressing the concerns posed by the conventional canopy structure and resulted in aesthetically superior and a well-groomed look of the shell from exterior.
This paper briefs about light weight, aesthetic construction of blow molded canopy structure with good strength and less part cost & investment cost. By blow molded plastic parts total weight of vehicle gets reduces and this improves efficiency of vehicle.
