Design and Fabrication of Simple Vehicle Body Panel

This report discussed the research and work done of the chosen topic which is design
and fabrication of simple vehicle body panel. A body panel is designed and fabricated
for the use of a single seat vehicle (simple vehicle) that promotes fuel efficiencies. In
conjunction with the vehicle promotes, the body panel should have the criteria that
support the vehicle purpose which is fuel efficiencies.
In related to the issues above, the criteria that being considered in order to build the body
panel is the body panel shape itself which related to its aerodynamic properties, the body
panel material which related to the body panel usage safety and its weight, and the way
the it is fabricated in order to achieved optimum result for the final product.
Firstly, the existed body panel is studied and made benchmark to obtain the frrst idea of
the body panel design. The design is then finalized and adjusted to its optimum level in
accordance to its suitability to be fubricated here in Universiti Teknologi Petronas. To
ensure that the finalized design is good in term of its aerodynamic characteristic, some
adjustment is made on the basic model and a wind tunnel test is done on all of the scaled
models for its drag and lift force values. As a result, a design with drag forces of 0.08N
and lift force of0.16N at the speed of approximately 35kmph is obtained.
Lastly, the final design based on the wind tunnel result is fabricated. The material
chosen to fabricate the body panel is fiber glass and it is fabricated by using resin
infusion method which found to be optimum in term of cost needed and final product
result reliability. The fiber glass materials helps in weight reduction issue and the resin
infusion process helps in cost reduction and fmal product solidarity.
As the result, the body panel is nicely done at the drag force of0.08N, lift force of0.16N
at the vehicle optimum speed which is 35kmph and the resultant weight of the body
panel is 12kg. All objective of this project achieved and the body panel is successfully
tried and used on the vehicle.