Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics Method

Commercial X-EPS steering gears are characterized by high torque output, torque—with increasing capabilities, high reliability, and excellent handling precision. Among them, the screw–nut pair in the steering gear is subjected to complex working loads, and its raceways are prone to fatigue failure....

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Main Authors: Feng Chen, Zhiquan Fu, Baoxiang Qiu, Chenfeng Si, Qizhang Zhu, Chenli Feng, Xiaoqing Sun, Huafang Liang, Lai Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Machines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/3/218
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author Feng Chen
Zhiquan Fu
Baoxiang Qiu
Chenfeng Si
Qizhang Zhu
Chenli Feng
Xiaoqing Sun
Huafang Liang
Lai Yang
author_facet Feng Chen
Zhiquan Fu
Baoxiang Qiu
Chenfeng Si
Qizhang Zhu
Chenli Feng
Xiaoqing Sun
Huafang Liang
Lai Yang
author_sort Feng Chen
collection DOAJ
description Commercial X-EPS steering gears are characterized by high torque output, torque—with increasing capabilities, high reliability, and excellent handling precision. Among them, the screw–nut pair in the steering gear is subjected to complex working loads, and its raceways are prone to fatigue failure. To more accurately and effectively predict the fatigue life of the screw–nut pair in the steering gear, a method for dynamic simulation and fatigue life prediction of commercial X-EPS steering gears is proposed based on virtual prototyping technology and finite element theory. That is, a rigid–flexible coupling dynamic model of the X-EPS steering gear is established to obtain the load spectra of the screw and nut, and a finite-element static model is also established. Then, combined with the material S-N curve, the fatigue life is predicted through the NOCDE fatigue “five-block diagram”. The research results show that the screw and nut raceways are the key components prone to fatigue failure in the steering gear. The minimum numbers of fatigue life cycles are 1.028 × 10<sup>5</sup> times and 2.9695 × 10<sup>5</sup> times, respectively. Subsequently, a fatigue life bench test was conducted for verification. The results show that the error between the fatigue life analysis model of the XEPS recirculating ball steering gear and the test is less than 5%, meeting the requirements of the fatigue life test standard and design standard.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-03-01
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spelling doaj-art-f1b326b5272b45cab8d11b0fcfce72ce2025-08-20T03:43:34ZengMDPI AGMachines2075-17022025-03-0113321810.3390/machines13030218Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics MethodFeng Chen0Zhiquan Fu1Baoxiang Qiu2Chenfeng Si3Qizhang Zhu4Chenli Feng5Xiaoqing Sun6Huafang Liang7Lai Yang8Zhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 311835, ChinaZhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 311835, ChinaZhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 311835, ChinaZhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 311835, ChinaZhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 311835, ChinaZhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 311835, ChinaCollege of Mechanical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, ChinaZhejiang VIE Science & Technology Co., Ltd., Shaoxing 311835, ChinaCollege of Mechanical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201620, ChinaCommercial X-EPS steering gears are characterized by high torque output, torque—with increasing capabilities, high reliability, and excellent handling precision. Among them, the screw–nut pair in the steering gear is subjected to complex working loads, and its raceways are prone to fatigue failure. To more accurately and effectively predict the fatigue life of the screw–nut pair in the steering gear, a method for dynamic simulation and fatigue life prediction of commercial X-EPS steering gears is proposed based on virtual prototyping technology and finite element theory. That is, a rigid–flexible coupling dynamic model of the X-EPS steering gear is established to obtain the load spectra of the screw and nut, and a finite-element static model is also established. Then, combined with the material S-N curve, the fatigue life is predicted through the NOCDE fatigue “five-block diagram”. The research results show that the screw and nut raceways are the key components prone to fatigue failure in the steering gear. The minimum numbers of fatigue life cycles are 1.028 × 10<sup>5</sup> times and 2.9695 × 10<sup>5</sup> times, respectively. Subsequently, a fatigue life bench test was conducted for verification. The results show that the error between the fatigue life analysis model of the XEPS recirculating ball steering gear and the test is less than 5%, meeting the requirements of the fatigue life test standard and design standard.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/3/218X-EPS steering geardynamic calculationrigid–flexible coupling modelbench testfatigue life prediction
spellingShingle Feng Chen
Zhiquan Fu
Baoxiang Qiu
Chenfeng Si
Qizhang Zhu
Chenli Feng
Xiaoqing Sun
Huafang Liang
Lai Yang
Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics Method
Machines
X-EPS steering gear
dynamic calculation
rigid–flexible coupling model
bench test
fatigue life prediction
title Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics Method
title_full Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics Method
title_fullStr Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics Method
title_full_unstemmed Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics Method
title_short Predicting the Fatigue Life of a Commercial Vehicle X-EPS Steering Gear with a Rigid–Flexible Coupling Dynamics Method
title_sort predicting the fatigue life of a commercial vehicle x eps steering gear with a rigid flexible coupling dynamics method
topic X-EPS steering gear
dynamic calculation
rigid–flexible coupling model
bench test
fatigue life prediction
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1702/13/3/218
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