Altair Case Studies Optimizing Structural Strength for High-performance Bikes with IoT
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Optimizing Structural Strength for High-performance Bikes with IoT

Altair
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Argon 18, a high-performance bike manufacturer, aimed to develop a bike that was stiffer, highly integrated, more aerodynamic, and provided greater efficiency. The challenge was to create a lightweight bike without compromising on structural strength and power. The weight of the product could be the defining difference in the competitive cycling industry. The team’s requirement was for the stiffest bike possible while getting the best aerodynamic results, as the rider would expend a huge amount of power during the track event. Making the bike more aerodynamic often results in making the shape thinner, hence the challenge was to make the frame stiff while at the same time balancing the structure‘s strength and the rigidity. An important aspect of the project was the development of a new aluminum stem to be used by Mr. Hansen in the Flying Lap event which is achieved by the fastest lap from the moving start. The stem would need to be seamlessly integrated to the bike frame, while being firmly fixed to the fork insert.
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Argon 18 is a bike manufacturer founded in 1989 by retired cyclist Gervais Rioux in Montreal, Quebec. The company develops and engineers high-performance bikes using state-of-the-art technology. Argon 18 is an active sponsor of professional cycling teams and has a global distributorship in over 70 countries. Argon bikes are designed for professional riders as well as the general public seeking the best performance from their bikes to provide a superior riding experience. Argon 18 recently partnered with the ÉTS Research Chair on Engineering of Processing, Materials and Structures for Additive Manufacturing to manufacture a new track bike for Lasse Norman Hansen, one of the athletes competing for the Danish team in track cycling at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
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Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was employed to understand the structure of the product, improve and optimize it. CFD analyses and virtual wind tunnel simulation helped to improve upon the aerodynamics aspect. Several iterations between FEA and CFD processes followed, trying different configurations of the components, making the blade wider, thinner, and taking it far from the wheel, bringing it closer, while keeping a close watch on the CFD and FEA data. The design improvements resulted in a significant reduction of the aerodynamic drag (CdA), a critical parameter in making faster bikes. Linear stress analysis was conducted using Altair OptiStruct for validation of the stem body and clamp design. The stress analysis demonstrated a greater stiffness, about 9%, than the typical carbon fibers stem. It also identified several dimensions to be adjusted in order to preserve the integrity of the parts, such as the thickness of the tubular section and the handlebar clamping section.
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The solution provided by Altair's OptiStruct for structural analysis and AcuSolve for CFD, along with virtual wind tunnel simulations, resulted in a bike that was not only lightweight but also maintained structural strength and power. The new aluminum stem developed for the bike was seamlessly integrated into the bike frame and firmly fixed to the fork insert. The design improvements resulted in a significant reduction in aerodynamic drag, a critical parameter in making faster bikes. The stress analysis demonstrated a greater stiffness than the typical carbon fibers stem and identified several dimensions to be adjusted in order to preserve the integrity of the parts. The final design of the personalized stem was composed of a plastic cover, the stem body, and the stem clamp. The solution ensured the reliability of the bike, with no significant loss of rigidity or cracking noticed in the final design.
16% increase in mean rigidity
6% reduction in aerodynamic drag
9% greater stiffness than the typical carbon fibers stem
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