Search Results

One of the primary objectives of building an automotive engine is to produce sufficient power throughout its most common operating range. The objective of this study is to determine how maximum engine speed may be increased through rocker arm modification. Current knowledge suggests that there are two primary factors in the design of rocker arms that will effect the engine's operating speed: the mass moment of inertia and the stiffness. Experimental and computational methods were used to investigate the influence of these two factors on valve train performance. The ANSYS Finite Element package Design Optimization Routine was used to optimize the design of a typical Chevrolet NASCAR rocker arm and one used in the Buick V6 Indy Engine. Also investigated was the use of various materials for rocker arm construction.