Analyzing Durability of Steering Knuckle in Car’s Steering System by Finite Element Method

The steering knuckle is a part of the car’s steering system, It is made of materials that can withstand the vertical, horizontal and lateral forces acting on the suspension system when the car is in operation and can last for a long time over a longer period of time under vehicle operating conditions. So it is very easy to be damaged and will cause unsafe movement. This paper analyzes static maximum stress and fatigue cycle of steering knuckle in car’s driving system, using cast steal C45 material. The finite element method (FEM) and Ansys Workbench software simulation used. The analysis is done in 2 loading states: constant amplitude static load (CAL) and cyclic variable load (VAL). In the results: in fatigue area of 10000–14000 cycles, stress ranges from 140 to 250 MPa, which ensures safety standard, compared with maximum stress of 340.72 MPa, that exceeds allowable stress of 270 MPa by 1.26 times. The study result can be applied in designing and manufacturing of the automobile components.