During the development of golf cart bodies, highly adaptable body brackets are needed to meet the installation requirements of external systems such as chassis suspension, motor controllers, battery packs, and electrical boxes. Golf cart body structures are relatively lighter than those of passenger cars, and the brackets are often made of thin steel sheet stamping or aluminum alloy profiles. Common types include U-shaped, L-shaped, and Z-shaped brackets. Among these, the U-shaped bracket is widely used for battery pack fixing, controller mounting, and suspension component connections due to its simple structure and good load-bearing capacity. This article takes the U-shaped bracket as an example to briefly describe the parametric design process of golf cart body brackets, enabling rapid adaptation of bracket dimensions to the customized needs of different vehicle models.
Step 2: Defining Core Parameters and Building the U-shaped Main Frame
1. Setting parametric variables: Combining the lightweight and compact design characteristics of golf carts, create key parametric variables, including the width of the base surface (W), the height of the bracket uprights (H), the length of the top beam (L), and the plate thickness (T). Establish the parameter correlation logic: beam length = base width – 2 × process allowance (the process allowance for golf cart brackets is recommended to be 2-3 mm).
2. Extruding the upright structure: Using the two long edges of the base surface as a reference, extrude vertically upwards to generate the two uprights of the U-shaped bracket. The extrusion height is associated with parameter H. The height of the uprights needs to be adapted to the gap between the body and the installed components to avoid interference with surrounding pipelines and the frame.
3. Generating the top beam: Extract the top edges of the two uprights, and generate the top beam through bridging/extrusion commands. The length is associated with parameter L, ensuring a seamless connection between the beam and the uprights, forming a closed U-shaped cross-section to improve the torsional rigidity of the bracket. 4. Process Optimization of Rounded Corners: Add rounded transitions at the angles between the vertical edges and the base, and between the vertical edges and the crossbeams. The radius of the rounded corners should be ≥2T (where T is the sheet metal thickness) to avoid stress concentration and meet the common stamping, bending, or welding process requirements for golf cart brackets.
Step Three: Adding Installation Features to Adapt to Golf Cart Functional Requirements
1. Positioning of Mounting Holes: Based on the installation requirements of external components, mark the hole coordinates on the base or crossbeam of the bracket, and create parameterized hole features. The hole diameter, countersink depth, and chamfer size are all set as adjustable variables. For common bolt specifications used in golf carts (such as M6, M8), match the corresponding threaded hole or plain hole sizes. The hole positions must be precisely aligned with the mounting interfaces of the chassis suspension and battery pack.
2. Design of Overlap/Welding Features: If it is a welded bracket, reserve welding grooves or positioning bosses on the overlapping base to facilitate welding and fixing to the vehicle frame; if it is a bolted bracket, add positioning pin holes to improve positional accuracy during assembly and prevent the bracket from loosening during vehicle operation.
3. Reinforcement Rib Design (Optional): For brackets with heavy loads (such as battery pack brackets, suspension component brackets), add parameterized reinforcement ribs to the vertical edges or crossbeams. The height, width, and spacing of the ribs are set as variables to improve the structural strength of the bracket while maintaining lightweight design, meeting the usage requirements of golf carts on bumpy roads.
Step Four: Parameterized Verification and Assembly Interference Check
1. Parameter-Driven Testing: Modify core parameters (such as vertical edge height H, sheet metal thickness T) to check whether the overall structure of the bracket automatically adapts, ensuring that there are no dimensional conflicts or structural deformations after parameter adjustment.
2. Process Feasibility Verification: Combine the processing techniques of golf cart brackets (stamping, bending, welding) to verify the rationality of the stamping direction, the sufficiency of welding space, and the accessibility of installation tools, and optimize unreasonable features through parameter adjustment. 3. Assembly Simulation Check: Perform an assembly simulation of the bracket model with the golf cart body frame and external mounting components to check the fit of the mounting surfaces and the alignment of the holes. The focus is on avoiding interference with the wheel steering mechanism, battery wiring, and controller harness.
Step Five: Output Non-Parametric Model and Engineering Drawings
1. Convert the parametric model to a non-parametric model, removing parameter associations, for subsequent CAE strength analysis or production data release. Key dimensions should be retained during the conversion.
2. Generate engineering drawings based on the parametric model, annotating parametric dimensions, tolerance requirements, material specifications (common materials for golf cart brackets are Q235 thin steel plate or 6061 aluminum alloy), and process instructions to ensure direct usability in the production process.
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