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Front end accessory drive (FEAD) system explained in this paper is a sub-system of an engine. In FEAD system, a poly-v belt is used to drive the alternator and water pump by transmitting power from crankshaft pulley. In a new vehicle development program, durability targets of FEAD system are based on required life of poly-v belt, its static tension readjustment interval and replacement frequency. To meet these durability targets following methodology is applied in design stage:- 1 Simulation of FEAD system to calculate the theoretical life of belt 2 Part level testing of belt as per SAE J2432 These methods give sufficient information on belt durability. However in actual usage, certain failures are prone to happen and enormous difference is always observed between theoretical and actual life of belt. This paper describes the traditional stair-case approach followed to optimize the FEAD system based on the outcome of durability tests.

In automotive Front End Accessory Drives (FEAD), the crankshaft supplies power to accessories like alternators, pumps, etc. FEAD undergoes forced vibration due to crankshaft excitation, dynamic tension fluctuations can cause the belt to slip on the accessory pulleys. By considering the criticality of the system, when engine mounting is longitudinally to the vehicle which makes it directly exposed to the air flow containing foreign particles which may cause the damage to the FEAD system and deteriorate the intended functionality. FEAD cover is introduced in the system to enhance belt-pully system functionality by restricting the entry of foreign particles during engine operation. This paper contains a study of FEAD cover failure and provides the stepwise approach to capture such issue during novel model development for 4 cylinder naturally aspirated engine during engine bench testing.