Analysis Effect of Modifications Motorcycle Swing Arm on Mechanical Characteristics Using Finite Element Method

Abstract

Reducing the mass of a motorcycle swing arm through perforated structures is a common lightweight design strategy, but introducing perforations may alter the stress distribution and reduce structural safety. This study analyzes the mechanical characteristics of a solid swing arm and two perforated swing arm configurations, Model A and Model B, made of Aluminum 6061-T6 under a static load of 1000 N using three-dimensional finite element simulation. Equivalent stress, total deformation, factor of safety, and structural mass were compared among the three models after the numerical model was verified through a mesh independence study. The results show that perforation increases the maximum equivalent stress and total deformation while reducing the factor of safety and structural mass relative to the solid model. Nevertheless, the maximum stress in every configuration remained well below the material yield strength, confirming that all three designs remain structurally safe under the applied load.