[Turninconcepts.com]

Any further updates? I'm dying to see broken, and mangled parts.

[MGizzle]

No broken parts yet, sorry. I mostly have time on weekends due to grad school and work hence I will try to break them this weekend sometime. I will keep everybody posted for sure.

[Turninconcepts.com]

Just bumping this up so folks don't forget about it.

[MGizzle]

Bump! Sorry guys, didn't get back for a while. I feel really bad not having anything posted yet because I don't want people thinking that I am trying to screw TiC over for some braces. They are still on my desk. I got shipped out to arizona for some customer issues and testing for over a week. I will jump on this again next week.

CAD model is 95% complete (TiC braces). We tried runing a test with an instron but we started bending the instron due to the rotation around the fixture. We are making a new one.

Again, my apologies for not getting back for a while, I feel really bad. However, it will get done, sooner or later.

[Turninconcepts.com]

Originally Posted by MGizzle

Bump! Sorry guys, didn't get back for a while. I feel really bad not having anything posted yet because I don't want people thinking that I am trying to screw TiC over for some braces. They are still on my desk. I got shipped out to arizona for some customer issues and testing for over a week. I will jump on this again next week.

CAD model is 95% complete (TiC braces). We tried runing a test with an instron but we started bending the instron due to the rotation around the fixture. We are making a new one.

Again, my apologies for not getting back for a while, I feel really bad. However, it will get done, sooner or later.

No worries from us. Just dying of curiousity.

I do have to giggle that at least they're strong enough to start to break the machine at least when in a bad fixture. Granted I shouldn't as I'm betting the bigger bill would be the machine.

[MGizzle]

The problem is that the instron work only in one axis (vertical). Since this is a link, it will rotate around the point in the fixture and result in a side force on the instron. It screws up all the readings and the frame isn't made to handle side forces. I think we have it figured out, we'll just update the fixture a bit.

Anyhow, the one thing I forgot to ask you guys is why are the bolt holes sooo much bigger on the stock braces??

[Turninconcepts.com]

Originally Posted by MGizzle

The problem is that the instron work only in one axis (vertical). Since this is a link, it will rotate around the point in the fixture and result in a side force on the instron. It screws up all the readings and the frame isn't made to handle side forces. I think we have it figured out, we'll just update the fixture a bit.

Anyhow, the one thing I forgot to ask you guys is why are the bolt holes sooo much bigger on the stock braces??

Not sure why they're so much larger on the stockers. There certainly isn't any NEED for them to be. When we did our first version we did the holes clearanced for just the bolts, but folks ran into issues on older cars or between models by 1-2mm. We opened up the holes to take care of that, and with each batch have been slowly shrinking them back to size for best fit.

I think we're at the smallest we can go at this time.

[MGizzle]

I finished modeling the TiC brace in CAD and if anybody is intersted in an IGES file let me know. Send me a PM or so with an email address and I can forward the IGES file to you.

However, the stock brace is a PITA to draw. I have been trying for ever and I am not even half way done. This thing sucks to model. I am still working on this and in the meantime we are still trying to figure the physical testing part out. The instron working area is so small that trying to fit a rigid enough fixture in ther is pretty tough right now.

Anyhow, here is a pic of the TiC brace model.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...5/ticbrace.jpg

[Turninconcepts.com]

Originally Posted by MGizzle

I finished modeling the TiC brace in CAD and if anybody is intersted in an IGES file let me know. Send me a PM or so with an email address and I can forward the IGES file to you.

However, the stock brace is a PITA to draw. I have been trying for ever and I am not even half way done. This thing sucks to model. I am still working on this and in the meantime we are still trying to figure the physical testing part out. The instron working area is so small that trying to fit a rigid enough fixture in ther is pretty tough right now.

Anyhow, here is a pic of the TiC brace model.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...5/ticbrace.jpg

You're missing the cutout at the top. That's actually important as there is a blob of welding fill there, and if you don't have the cutout the flange won't sit flat on the frame rail.

[Kevin]

This is an impressive thread. Wow...definitely made me wish I had majored in engineering as well!

[mtskibum16]

MGizzle - could you please send me the iges file? I'd like to play with it a bit.

jdm.ej25@gmail.com

[MGizzle]

Mt, I will hit you up tomorrow when I get back to work. I don't have access to the files at home. I will send you the stock one but I am having a heck of a time with the TiC brace.

The reason is I am trying to model the welds. No matter what I do to that brace it points every single time that the welds will break before anything else. I sort of expected that by just looking at them but no matter how I model the weld I can not get the stresses distributed into the other components.

Anyhow, I guess I am just going to hide the stress results from the welds since they are 10-100 times higher then anywhere else on the brace.

[MGizzle]

Originally Posted by Turninconcepts.com

You're missing the cutout at the top. That's actually important as there is a blob of welding fill there, and if you don't have the cutout the flange won't sit flat on the frame rail.

Yeah I saw that too but for what I am trying to do in FEA it doesn't matter at all. Like stated in the above post, the welds are what I am having a hard time with. I will post some pictures tomorrow of the FEA on these brace and you will see why the welds are killin me.

[MGizzle]

Originally Posted by mtskibum16

MGizzle - could you please send me the iges file? I'd like to play with it a bit.

jdm.ej25@gmail.com

I just sent you two files, stock brace and TiC brace. Enjoy.

PS: email is from mgrebovic@gmail.com, just so you know.

[MGizzle]

Alright, here are the results from the study. Everybody can make their own mind up but the results are very consistent with what you would expect. Don't pay too much attention to the numbers and also notice that all the stress concentrations usually can be neglected if close to the mounting bolts. However, this is everybodies judgement and I am sure you get the point.

Anyhow, attached is a table with the results and some other info.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...aceResults.jpg

Note that the TiC brace was a PITA to do because modeling welds is almost impossible. They are the perfect candidate for cracks and I will post back some actuall pictures to show why welds are dangerous and how these results COULD imitate what the TiC brace would do.

Anyhow, pictures. The first two pictures are just showing the force applied. The force looks like it is applied to only one hole but it is not. The same force is acting on both. The visuals are just fd up. Then, pictures are in the same order as the table in the results. Moment Force first starting with the flat brace.

Moment Force: http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...omentForce.png

Stretch Force: http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...retchForce.png

The other forces have the same as above but an added 100 N side force.

Flat Brace:
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...mentStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...etchStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eStresspng.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...SideStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png

Stock:
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ntStress-3.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-3.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...chStress-2.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-3.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...SideStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-1.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...deStress-2.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-2.png


Sti Replica:
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ntStress-1.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-1.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...chStress-1.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-1.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...SideStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-1.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...SideStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png

TiC with Welds: (this one has more photos of close ups and refined stresses, read the file name and it will make sense)
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ntStress-2.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...essRefined.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ed_closeUp.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-2.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...essRefined.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ned_Bottom.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-2.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ed_CloseUp.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...essRefined.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...deStress-1.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-1.png

TiC Brace NO Welds:
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ntStress-4.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-4.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...chStress-3.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-4.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...deStress-1.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ss_CloseUp.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-2.png

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...deStress-3.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...ormation-3.png

GT Spec: Just the top flange to prove why I don't like this brace. Too much money for good material to find out that the flanges are crap.
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...etchStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...orceStress.png
http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...eformation.png

So, I hope people understand this and if not we can discuss it. However, I have two exams next week hence I apologize if I don't reply soon but my mind will be somewhere else for a week.

Also, I will try to brake the stock and TiC braces at my University since at work the instron is too small to fit the fixture and the brace together properly.

In the meantime, I will take actual photos of the braces I have and show some areas of concern with the welds on the TiC brace. Another thing I kind of disliked on the TiC brace is that the powder coat was TOO thick. The strength of the part would depend on this until the powder coat starts shearing or buckling. Since it is so thick it will allow significant deformation or displacement before the material starts being stressed. Now I am not certain this is the case but am sure it can not help.

The stock brace is weak. Very weak as we can see. Hopefully I can verify this with the physical test. However, notice that the STi replica is the best and in my opinion this is mostly because it doesn't use welds, creating sharp corners that are perfect for stress raisers and crack initiation. Also, that midle portion of it takes up quiet a bit of stress hence you can visualize how that sections improves a lot as compared to the GT Spec or the TiC.

Now, the TiC is better in one case of deformation but this is mostly because it is 1/4'' thick vs. 1/8'' thickness of the replica. The deformation here depends mostly on the thickness of the flanges, not the middle portion.

Anyhow, time for me to bust out of work and we can discuss this further. Talk to you guys soon.