Car parts, body and interior elements. Vehicle device

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

The automotive industry is developing rapidly: new technologies are emerging, the speed and patency of cars is increasing, their harm to the environment is decreasing, the level of safety is increasing, thanks to electronics, fewer functions are assigned to the driver. At the same time, the fundamental structure of the car remains unchanged. Many, operating the machine, do not really even know what it consists of and how it works. Yes, this is such a paradox. Today we will consider the main details of the car, or rather, its main components and assemblies.

There are three design schemes for cars, the defining feature of which is the drive. It is front, rear and full. The car consists of the following parts:

1. Body.
2. Chassis.
3. Motor.
4. Transmission.
5. Steering.
6. Brake system.
7. Electrical equipment.

Sometimes the parts of a car are classified a little differently, for example, by combining the chassis, transmission, steering and braking system into one group of mechanisms called the "chassis". But the essence of this does not change. Let's consider each of the elements in more detail.

Body

The body is not only a beautiful shell of the car, but also its load-bearing part. Almost all parts are attached to the body of modern cars. On some SUVs and trucks, the role of the frame is performed by a special frame. In passenger cars, it has long been abandoned for reasons of weight reduction. Car body parts:

• spars (front and rear);
• roof;
• engine compartment;
• mounted elements.

This division is very conditional, because all parts of the body are interconnected. Spars, as a rule, are combined into one part with the bottom or welded to it. They play the role of suspension supports. Hinged elements of the car body are represented by doors, hood, trunk lid and fenders. In this case, the rear fenders are usually welded to the frame, and the front fenders are removable. On the body you can find glossy, matte or chrome parts of the car (handles, emblems, decorative elements, etc.).

Chassis

The undercarriage consists of rear and front suspension, drive axles and wheels. Most modern cars are equipped with MacPherson front independent suspension. It allows you to make the movement in the car as comfortable as possible. Independent suspension means that each wheel is attached to the body separately. As for the dependent, it has long been outdated. However, on many cars, it is still placed on the rear. Dependent suspension can be made in the form of a rigid beam or - in the case of a rear-wheel drive car -in the form of a drive axle.

Motor

The engine is a source of mechanical energy. It, in turn, creates a torque on the shaft, which moves the wheels. Usually the motor is located at the front of the car, but sometimes it is placed at the back. In addition to the internal combustion engine (ICE), there are also electric and hybrid motors.

In the internal combustion engine, the chemical energy obtained in the process of fuel combustion is converted into mechanical energy. ICE is piston, gas turbine and rotary piston. Today, the piston engine is mainly used.

Cars that are driven by an electric motor are called electric vehicles. In this case, batteries are used to generate energy.

Hybrid combines internal combustion engine and electric. Their contact occurs with the help of a generator. This type is the most promising, since, on the one hand, it does less harm to the environment than an internal combustion engine, and on the other hand, it does not require frequent recharging, like an electric motor.

Transmission

We continue to superficially study the details of the car and move on to the transmission. The main purpose of this element is to transfer torque from the motor shaft to the wheels of the car. Transmission consists of:

1. Clutch.
2. Gearboxes (Gearboxes).
3. Drive axle.
4. CV joints (constant velocity joints) or driveline.

The clutch is designed to connect the motor shaft to the gearbox shaft and smoothly transfer torque between them. The gearbox, in turn, reduces the load on the motor by selecting a suitable gear ratio. In the case of front-wheel drive, the drive axle is mounted in the gearbox housing. If the car has rear-wheel drive, then it is located at the rear and additionally plays the role of a beam. CV joints or cardan gear are needed in order to transfer torque from the gearbox to the wheels.

Steering

The angle of rotation of the wheels depends on the position of the steering wheel. The steering system is responsible for this process. If something is wrong with it, the car becomes uncontrollable, which can lead to irreversible consequences. The steering consists of a drive and a mechanism. When the steering wheel turns, special rods set the wheel at the appropriate angle. To date, three types of steering mechanisms are common: "worm-roller", "rail-sector" and "screw-nut". Major automotive concerns are seriously working on replacing mechanical steering systems with electronic ones. Instead of drives and rods, there will be a control unit that will turn the wheels with the help of electric motors.

Brake system

As you can see, there are no unimportant parts in the car. Nevertheless, some of them, when broken, bring only inconvenience, while others can cost lives. The latter are brakes. They are a system consisting of a number of parts and components, which together are aimed at slowing down and stopping the machine.

Fundamentally, the brake system is divided into two: working and parking. As the name implies, the first is used to reduce speed and completely stop the car. The parking system keeps the car in the parking lot. Parts of the brake system are represented by such elements: discs, drums, cylinders, pads and drives.

The lion's share of modern cars is equipped with friction brakes, which work based on the use of friction. For example, fixed pads rub against moving discs. Power is transferred from the pedal to the pads via a hydraulic system.

Electrical Equipment

This includes the following car parts:

1. Battery.
2. Generator.
3. Wiring.
4. Electricity consumers.
5. The system that controls the motor.

A battery is a renewable source of electricity that is primarily used to start a motor. When this procedure is completed, the instruments are powered from the engine through a generator that converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. When the engine is running, the battery powers all appliances on its own.

The generator maintains a constant voltage in the on-board network and charges the battery while the engine is running. Electrical wiring is represented by many wires, which, like blood vessels in our body, are distributed throughout the car. They hide under the plastic parts of the car interior.

The motor control system consists of a blockcontrol and many different sensors. Energy consumers are headlights, ignition, windshield wipers and other appliances.

Car interiors

Behind the wheel of a car, a person contemplates a lot of switches, indicators, levers, buttons and other things. Let's analyze the main internal controls of the machine, which are present on almost all car models.

Dashboard

Here you can see information about the status of the main systems of your car. Depending on the price of the car on the dashboard, in addition to information about speed (everyone has a speedometer), you can see: at what speed the engine is running, what gear is currently active, what is the temperature of the coolant, how much fuel is in the fuel tank and so on. If the model is equipped with an on-board computer, then the following data can also be displayed on the instrument panel: instantaneous fuel consumption, daily mileage, approximate mileage to refueling, etc.

Steering wheel

As you already know, turning the steering wheel causes the wheels to turn. But for a modern car, this is far from all the functions of this element. Now buttons are installed on the steering wheel to control the audio system, climate control and other devices. It all depends on the manufacturer's imagination.

Steering paddles

In almost all cars they are the same and perform the function of activating: lighting, turn signals, wipers and windshield washers. Often under the steering wheel you can also find gearshift paddles. Here, again, it all depends on the concept of the manufacturer.

Pedal assembly

It's simple here. If the car has a manual transmission, then there are three pedals: clutch, brake and accelerator (“gas”). In the case of automatic transmission, there is no clutch pedal.

Center console

Roughly speaking, this is the space between the front seats. Here is the gear lever (sometimes it is a washer), its lining panel, the parking brake lever (“handbrake”), all kinds of auxiliary switches, cup holders, ashtrays and more.

Central panel

Here you can find regulators and switches for the heating / ventilation system (air conditioning on expensive cars). Another element of the central panel, which can be found on all machines, is the audio system. There is also a multimedia system, if one is provided in the package.

Conclusion

Today we have examined the fundamental structure of a car and once again made sure that a car is a complex system. Nevertheless, in order to get to know her on a philistine level, it is enough to have only a little perseverance. Well, to thoroughly study the main parts of the car and learn how to repair them, it will take years.