Design & Analysis of Composite Leaf Spring for Prescribed Stiffness

The Automotive Industry faces many challenges, Including increased global competition,The need for higher performance vehicles. A reduction in cost and tighter environmental and safety requirements. The materials used in Automotive play key roles in overcoming these issues, ultimately lighter materials means lighter vehicles and lower emissions. Thus Composite Materials are being considered to make lighter,safer and more fuel efficient vehicles. A composite is composed of a high performance fiber (such as Carbon or Glass) in a matrix material(Epoxy Polymer)that when combined provides enhanced properties compared with individual materials by themselves.The present work deals with optimal design and analysis of composite material leaf spring made up from E-Glass fiber. In this work the four-leaf steel spring used in the rear suspension system of light vehicle having vehicle weight 2.4 ton was studied. The objective of the present work was weight reduction of the suspension system of a vehicle for prescribed stiffness which results in better fuel economy at present fuel crises environment, As the conventional energy resources used in the vehicles are costly and decreasing gradually.