A sliding door system is used in commercial vehicles and passenger cars to allow a larger unobstructed access to the interior for loading and unloading. The movement of a sliding door on vehicle body is ensured by mechanisms and tracks having special cross-section which is manufactured by rollforming and strech bending process. There are three tracks and three mechanisms which are called upper, central and lower on a sliding door system. There are static requirements as strenght on different directions, rigidity for mechanisms, door drop off, door sag; dynamic requirements as high energy slam opening-closing and durability requirement to validate these products. In addition, there is a kinematic requirement to find out force values from door handle during manuel operating. In this study, finite element analysis and physical test results which are realized for sliding door systems will be shared comparatively. Speakers Caner Güven, Analysis Engineer, Rollmech Automotive

1. Experimental Verification and Finite Element Analysis
of a Sliding Door System Used in Automotive Industry
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Caner GÜVEN
Mustafa TÜFEKÇİ

2. 2
Agenda
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
1. About Rollmech Automotive 4
2. Sliding Door Systems 11
3. Design Verification 16
4. Summary 33

3. 3
Agenda
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
1. About Rollmech Automotive 4
2. Sliding Door Systems 11
3. Design Verification 16
4. Summary 33

4. 4
Rollmech Automotive
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Land Area : 26.000 m²
Production Covered Area : 17.000 m²
Administrative & Test Area : 6.500 m²
Headcount
Total 912 persons
Blue collars 748 persons
White collars 164 persons
R&D STAFF 55 persons
Sales Turn Over - 2015 90 Million €
(Budgetted)

5. 5
Product Portfolio
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Bumpers
Beams:
Ford (Transit)
Trunk & Lift
Gate Hinge:
Renault
Mercedes
(C292)Hood latch:
PSA (all vehicles),
RSA
SLD Tracks:
Fiat (Doblo)
Ford (all cars)
SLD Mech:
Fiat (Doblo)
Ford (all cars)
Door check:
Ford
Renault
Door frames:
Renault
Fiat
Hood Hinge:
RSA
Fuel Filler stop:
Fiat (Doblo),
RSA (X61),
VW (Caddy),
Ford (C- & B-Max),
PSA (B9)
Seat Latch:
Faurecia,
JCI ,
Treves
Door Hinges:
Fiat (Doblo),
Ford (all LCV)
Mercedes (LKN)

6. 6
Engineering Capabilities
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Analysis Capabilities
• FE Modelling
• Nonlinear Static Analysis
• Nonlinear Dynamic Analysis
• Kinematic Analysis
• Optimization Anaylsis
• Rollform Process Analysis
• Correlation with Physical Tests

7. 7
Engineering Capabilities
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Test Capabilities
• Climatic Test Chamber (-40 °C,+90 °C)
• Durability
• Linear Motion Systems
• Material Testing
• Coordinate Measuring
• Data acquisition

8. 8
Footprint Over the World
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Turkey:
• ROLLMECH AUTOMOTIVE A.S.
Production Plant and R&D Engineering Center in Bursa
• PRESSMECH Progressive A.S.
ROLLMECH Group Stamping Company in Bursa
Germany:
• ROLLMECH Engineering GmbH (Engineering and
Commercials) Ossendorf – Cologne
• Resident Engineering Office in Stuttgart
China:
• Commercial Representation Office in Suzhou
Russia:
• Local Facility Investment Project in
Alexandrov, Vladimir Oblast by 2017-18
North America:
• Allience Partner Company (Gill Industries MI, USA) for
commercial and local production

9. 9
References
2015 European Altair Technology Conference

10. 10
Agenda
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
1. About Rollmech Automotive 4
2. Sliding Door Systems 11
3. Design Verification 16
4. Summary 33

11. 11
Sliding Door System
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
• A sliding door system is used in commercial vehicles and passenger cars to allow a larger unobstructed access to the
interior for loading and unloading.

12. 12
Sliding Door System
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
• First sliding door used in vehicles, Wilbur W. Ellis, patented in 1913
• Similiar with current systems
• Mechanisms carry door by the tracks.

13. 13
Sliding Door System
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
• The movement of a sliding door on vehicle body is ensured by mechanisms and tracks.
• There are three tracks and three mechanisms which are called upper, central and lower on a sliding door system.

14. 14
Sliding Door System
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
• Sliding door systems include steel, plastic and rubber parts which are manufactured by cold and hot forming processes.

15. 15
Agenda
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
1. About Rollmech Automotive 4
2. Sliding Door Systems 11
3. Design Verification 16
4. Summary 33

16. 16
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
• Figured process is the verificaiton method for design of
sliding door system in our company.
• A sliding door system’s design is verificated with a lot of
requirements. Some of these requirements listed below.
- Manual Operating Effort
- High Energy Slam
- Door Drop Off
- Door Stiffness
- Mechanism Stiffness
- Durability
- Packaging
Design Verification
CAE ANALYSES
FINAL DESIGN
PHYSICAL TESTS
FINAL PRODUCT

17. 17
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Manual Operating Effort
• The maximum manual operating efforts of the sliding door must be less than the efforts profile shown below.
Design Verification
Maximum Opening Effort
On Curved Section : 40 N
On Linear Section : 20 N
On Door Stop : 100 N
Maximum Closing Effort
On Curved Section : 40 N
On Linear Section : 20 N
On Door Stop : 80 N

18. 18
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Manual Operating Effort
Design Verification
Center of
Gravity
Handle
Velocity (x direction)
• Kinematic model is prepared at MotionView.
• All parts of sliding door system are imported to MotionView with their mass, center of gravity and inertia information.
• DOFs of mechanisms are ensured by joints.
• Center of gravity and handle point of door are determined for analysis.
• Door is opened with the constant velocity.
• Final model has been solved MotionSolve.
• Effort results are calculated for door handle.

19. 19
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Manual Operating Effort
Design Verification
Results
Curve Section
Opening Effort(N)
Linear Section
Opening Effort(N)
Linear Section
Closing Effort(N)
Curve Section
Closing Effort(N)
Analysis 37,00 20,00 4,00 -19,00
Test
33,08 14,9 0,00 -13,09

20. 20
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
High Energy Slam
• This requirement simulates motion of sliding door under gravity on an incline of 30% grade .
• For slamming the door open, the door must be allowed to free fall from a position from full closed to full open by
unlatching.
• For slamming the door close, the door must be allowed to free fall from the full open to full close position.
• After completion of the test, the door must still pass other functional requirements.
Design Verification
17°

21. 21
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
High Energy Slam
Design Verification
High Energy Slam Opening
High Energy Slam Closing

22. 22
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
High Energy Slam
• FEA model is prepared as the sliding door is nearly to complete its motion. For high energy slam opening analysis, it is
modeled at the end of the track as figured below.
• Analysis starts from beginning of impact with initial velocity which is calculated from conservation of energy or
measured with physical test.
• Mechanisms crash the bumpers at the end of the track. Stress and strain values are obtained as the results of the
analysis to observe damage of the parts.
Design Verification
V

23. 23
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
High Energy Slam
• Door velocity, depends on the tracks length, arrives 10 km/h. Therefore, high energy slam is one of the most difficult
requirement for sliding door system. Damage examples are shown below about high enegry slam requirement
comperatively from test and analysis.
Design Verification

24. 24
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
High Energy Slam
Design Verification
Corresponded
plastic deformation
Critical region

25. 25
Design Verification
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Door Drop Off
• The drop-off of the full trimmed sliding door, must not exceed 2.0 mm under the door's own weight.
Displacement
Results
Ajar Position Disp.
(mm)
Full Open Position
Disp. (mm)
Result
Analysis 1,291 1,360 OK
Test
1,800 1,920 OK

26. 26
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Door Stiffness
• For door stiffness requirements, test and analysis are realized at fully opened position and partially opened position.
• There are 14 different situations about stiffness requirement with ;
- different door positions
- different force values
- different force direction
- different applied points.
• The door shall not disangage from the tracks when the load is removed door must remain functional.
• Disangagement and functionality are evulated with stress and strain results of the finite element analysis.
Design Verification
COG
F

27. 27
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Mechanism Stiffness
• Door weight effect directly mechanisms over the contact between carrying rollers and tracks.
• This requirement is an easy way to find out robustness of the mechanisms.
• Force is applied to carrying roller. Stress, strain and displacement results are obtained with stiffness analysis.
Design Verification
F
F

28. 28
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Mechanism Stiffness
• Physical test is realized for this requirement. Displacement results of stiffness analysis which is realized for an upper
mechanism, is shared below comparetively.
Design Verification
Results Load
Displacement from
Test
Displacement from
CAE
Specimen No 1 300 N 2.90 mm 2.97 mm
Specimen No 2 300 N 3.38 mm 2.97 mm
Specimen No 3 300 N 3,55 mm 2.97 mm

29. 29
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Durability
Design Verification
• Durability is a very important requirement about performance of a sliding door.
• This requirement realized as a physical test in a climatic chamber with variable conditions which are depends on
sliding door type.
• Requirement variables are ;
- cycle,
- opening speed,
- closing speed,
- temperature,
- moisture.
• After completion of the test, the door must still pass the fit & finish requirement, the opening effort requirement, the
closing effort requirement, the squeak & rattle requirement, and the door closing sound quality requirement. In
addition, there shall be no sheet metal cracks, signs of discoloration, fracturing, or loosening of attachments.

30. 30
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Design Verification
• Some parts after climatic durability test;
Torque loss
Crack
Deformation
due to door sag

31. 31
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Packaging
• Minimum clearances are checked with kinematic analysis during the motion of the sliding door.
Design Verification

32. 32
Agenda
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
1. About Rollmech Automotive 4
2. Sliding Door Systems 11
3. Design Verification 16
4. Summary 33

33. 33
2015 European Altair Technology Conference
Summary
• Experimantal verification and finite element analysis of a sliding door system used in automotive industry is presented
with requirement information.
• Sliding door system has an important role about vehicle safety.
• Our aim is to design a sliding door system without a mistake with succesfull FEA simulations, first time.
• Finite element analyses and physical tests are realized according to customer requirements and our instructions.
• We hope that these studies will set ground for standarts about sliding door system.
Next Step;
• Fatigue and durability of sliding door system
• New material technologies
• Design of future trends door

34. 2015 European Altair Technology Conference
CONTACTS:
• Caner GÜVEN
caner.guven@rollmech.com
• Mustafa TÜFEKÇİ
mustafa.tufekci@rollmech.com
• Engineering Service
engineering@rollmech.com
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION