Virtual simulation method based reliability analyses on vehicular driving axle

The aim of vehicular reliability experiment is assessing its reliability, measuring its reliability index and serving for vehicular design, manufacturing and development. In this paper, we present product virtual reliability analysis method, which is based on Virtual Reality and Virtual Prototype technology. It is a software platform that integrates various engineering software and simulated algorithms, and it includes three modules: virtual analysis module, reliability analysis module, and visualization module in a virtual environment. Every functional module is depicted. At the same time, we describe Monte Carlo simulation method and perform procedure in virtual reliability analysis. Moreover, taking vehicular driving axle as an application example for the proposed method; we use finite element method to perform stochastic vibration and fatigue reliability analysis on the virtual prototype of driving axle housing, and then perform Monte Carlo reliability test, which verify the product virtual reliability analysis idea. This study has revealed the rapid potential of virtual simulation methods in facilitating higher reliability product in rapid time and at lower cost.