14th World Congress in Computational Mechanics (WCCM) ECCOMAS Congress 2020 Virtual Congress: 11 – 15 January 2021 F. Chinesta, R. Abgrall, O. Allix and M. Kaliske (Eds) SELECTED PROBLEMS REGARDING CONSTRUCTION OF LIGHTWEIGHT MOTORCYCLE SWINGARM WOJCIECH NOSKO¹, MIROSŁAW W. MRZYGŁÓD² ¹ Opole University of Technology Mikołajczyka 5, 45-271 Opole, Poland wojciechnosko@gmail.com ² Opole University of Technology Mikołajczyka 5, 45-271 Opole, Poland m.mrzyglod@po.edu.pl Key words: Composite materials, CFRP, FEM, Structural analysis, Racing motorcycle, Swingarm, Abstract. Manufacturers of light motorcycles have always sought the use of more and more advanced materials. The application of carbon fiber in motorcycle parts design can bring high strength, stiffness, and low weight in a manner previously unavailable. This article contains selected problems regarding the construction of a swingarm made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP). The swingarm was made specifically for Honda NSF 100. For the analysis, series of tests such as geometry, FEM, and structural analysis was chosen. The analysis concludes that the swingarm shape that was adopted from the original steel made part is not suitable for CFRP use. The analysis showed manufacturing errors, like the inconsistent thickness of laminate and poor quality of assembling. The full potential of the CFRP material was not used. 1 INTRODUCTION The use of carbon fiber in motorcycle parts design can bring high strength, stiffness, and low weight in a manner previously unavailable [1]. Composite materials offer freedom in material properties modification with such ease that cannot be compared to any other material [2]. The current evaluation will concern a swingarm prototype made of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) and will be based on series of tests to provide a wide analysis of examined prototype. The swingarm design was adopted from the original part produced by Honda HRC company. The swingarm is a part of Honda NSF 100, the smallest production racer motorcycle offered by Honda. The swingarm (Fig. 1) fabrication starts with the lamination of carbon fiber fabrics pre- impregnated with epoxy resin (prepreg) into molds. The next step is to wrap it into a vacuum bag and place it in an autoclave where computer-controlled pressure and temperature allow to achieve the best possible composite properties. When the process of curing is finished swing arm halves are glued together with aluminum inserts in the special jig (Fig. 2). Such a