Glass Run Channel

1
Glass Run Channel
What is a Glass Run Channel? A glass run channel
is a seal that enables movable door glass to
slide freely in a confined flocked or coated
channel. When in a fully sealed position, the
glass run channel protects the vehicle from the
outside environment water, dust, and noise
pollution. The channel also stabilizes the
window during glass movement, door closing, and
vehicle operation. Glass runs are generally
constructed of metal casings, dense rubber or
thermoplastic vulcanizates, and flock,
strategically designed to fit the door
environment.
FE Analysis Results
Fully Sealed Stress Plots
Manufacturing Position
Problem Statement Design a low cost glass run
channel with superior performance in sealing,
noise, and cost. It should aim to perform better
or as effective as the current GM glass run
channel.
ME 481 Design Projects Team Members Wesley
Fan Keith Pigeon Matt Radley Chris
Stevens Faculty Advisor Dr. Koochesfahani Indust
rial Advisors Matthew Ply Jon Masini
Assumptions Before any modeling of the glass run
channel began, a few assumptions had to be made.
First, since automotive seal extrusions have a
uniform cross section, its sufficient to analyze
the system in 2-D. Also, the type of analysis
would be contact, where the seal sections are
deformable and the environment is a rigid body.
Finally, material properties and boundary
conditions are assigned only to the deformable
boundaries.
Research The research for this project consisted
of determining which material was best suited for
a new glass run channel. The two materials in
question were thermoplastic vulcanizates, TPVs,
and ethylene propylene diene monomer rubbers,
EPDM. From the beginning of the project, it was
known that EPDM has long dominated the glass-run
channel industry. However, through careful
research it was discovered that TPV is slowly
becoming the material of choice in the weather
sealing industry for many reasons. These reasons
include recycling of process scrap and
end-products, weight reduction, better
dimensional tolerances, and a simplified
manufacturing process. These qualities were
crucial in the decision to choose TPV over EPDM
as they all lead to one important conclusion, a
reduced cost of the glass run channel.
Company Background General Motors is a large
manufacturing company that produces many
different models of cars, trucks, and SUVs. The
company was founded in 1908 and have been the
global industry sales leader for 76 years. They
currently employ approximately 284,000 people and
manufactures cars and trucks in 33 countries.

• Modeling
• The model used in the finite element analysis was
  a 2nd order strain energy potential of polynomial
  form.
• The equation that represents the material
  properties for this model is