A ball joint for an automobile steering system is a pivot component which is connected to knuckle and lower control arm. The\nmanufacturing process for its caulking comprises spinning and deforming. In this study, the process was simulated by flexible\nmultibody dynamics. The caulking was evaluated qualitatively through numerical analysis and inspecting a plastically deformed\nshape.The structural responses of a ball joint, namely, pull-out strength and stiffness, are commonly investigated in the development\nprocess.Thus, following the caulking analysis, the structural responses were considered. In addition, three design variables related\nto the manufacturing process were defined, and the effects of design variables with respect to pull-out strength, caulking depth, and\nmaximum stress were obtained by introducing the DOE using an L9 orthogonal array. Finally, the optimum design maximizing the\npull-out strength was suggested. For the final design, the caulking quality and the pull-out strength were investigated by making\nsix samples and their tests.
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