WorldWideScience

Sample records for plastic automotive structure

  1. Application of fibre reinforced plastic sandwich structures for automotive crashworthiness applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lukaszewicz, D.; Blok, L.G.; Kratz, J.; Ward, C.; Kassapoglou, C.; Elmarakbi, A.; Araújo, A.L.

    2016-01-01

    In this work the application of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) sandwich
    structures, with particular focus on aramid fibre tufted sandwiches is being studied for
    automotive crashworthiness applications using impact testing and numerical simulation.

  2. 75 FR 34170 - Plastic Omnium Automotive Exteriors, LLC, Anderson, SC; Plastic Omnium Automotive Exteriors, LLC...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-06-16

    ... Omnium Automotive Exteriors, LLC, Anderson, SC; Plastic Omnium Automotive Exteriors, LLC, Troy, MI... the Anderson, South Carolina location of Plastic Omnium Automotive Exteriors, LLC, working out of Troy... certification to include workers in support of the Anderson, South Carolina facility working out of Troy...

  3. Environmental sustainability: plastic's evolving role in the automotive life cycle

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jekel, L.; Tam, E.K.L.

    2002-01-01

    One method of assessing the sustainability of manufactured products involves performing a life cycle analysis for a product and comparing it to alternative ones, or else examining if individual stages of the product can be modified. LCA applications are being used more extensively, especially in the automotive and related industries. Automotive plastics in particular are being scrutinized with much greater care. Plastic components have replaced metal ones in vehicle manufacturing to improve vehicle fuel efficiency and aesthetics. However, at the end of a vehicle's life, recycling rates for plastic are negligible when compared to those of steel. In order to gain the full environmental benefits of using plastic as a vehicle material, plastics must be recycled at the end of a vehicle's life, especially given their increasing use. While a variety of processes have been developed for the recycling of automotive plastics, the challenges of sorting, processing, and finally recycling a heterogeneous mixture of used plastics have yet to be effectively solved. A preliminary life cycle assessment of a plastic automotive fascia demonstrates the usefulness of this eco-balance technique in evaluating potential improvements to manufacturing and end-of-life processes. Improving the manufacturing process may reduce environmental burdens to a larger extent than just recycling the plastic. (author)

  4. Challenges and Alternatives to Plastics Recycling in the Automotive Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lindsay Miller

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Plastics are increasingly a preferred material choice in designing and developing complex, consumer products, such as automobiles, because they are mouldable, lightweight, and are often perceived to be highly recyclable materials. However, actually recycling the heterogeneous plastics used in such durable items is challenging, and presents very different scenarios to how simple products, such as water bottles, are recovered via curbside or container recycling initiatives. While the technology exists to recycle plastics, their feasibility to do so from high level consumer or industrial applications is bounded by technological and economical restraints. Obstacles include the lack of market for recyclates, and the lack of cost efficient recovery infrastructures or processes. Furthermore, there is a knowledge gap between manufacturers, consumers, and end-of-life facility operators. For these reasons, end-of-life plastics are more likely to end up down-cycled, or as shredder residue and then landfilled. This paper reviews these challenges and several alternatives to recycling plastics in order to broaden the mindset surrounding plastics recycling to improve their sustainability. The paper focuses on the automotive sector for examples, but discussion can be applied to a wide range of plastic components from similarly complex products.

  5. Challenges and Alternatives to Plastics Recycling in the Automotive Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Lindsay; Soulliere, Katie; Sawyer-Beaulieu, Susan; Tseng, Simon; Tam, Edwin

    2014-01-01

    Plastics are increasingly a preferred material choice in designing and developing complex, consumer products, such as automobiles, because they are mouldable, lightweight, and are often perceived to be highly recyclable materials. However, actually recycling the heterogeneous plastics used in such durable items is challenging, and presents very different scenarios to how simple products, such as water bottles, are recovered via curbside or container recycling initiatives. While the technology exists to recycle plastics, their feasibility to do so from high level consumer or industrial applications is bounded by technological and economical restraints. Obstacles include the lack of market for recyclates, and the lack of cost efficient recovery infrastructures or processes. Furthermore, there is a knowledge gap between manufacturers, consumers, and end-of-life facility operators. For these reasons, end-of-life plastics are more likely to end up down-cycled, or as shredder residue and then landfilled. This paper reviews these challenges and several alternatives to recycling plastics in order to broaden the mindset surrounding plastics recycling to improve their sustainability. The paper focuses on the automotive sector for examples, but discussion can be applied to a wide range of plastic components from similarly complex products. PMID:28788167

  6. Radiation cross-linked plastics: a versatile material solution for packaging, automotive, Electrotechnic and Electronics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rouif, Sophie

    2004-01-01

    Used since the beginning of the 1970s for the production of halogen-free and heat-resistant cables and wires, for conditioning polyethylene hot-water pipes or for the manufacture of heat shrinkable tubes and of tyres, radiation cross-linking is developing fastly today on the scale of plastic-moulded parts, and not only by the mean of EB, but also under gamma rays. Indeed, it improves considerably the performances of a great number of plastics among thermoplastics, elastomers and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE). Radiation cross-linking reinforces the dimensional stability of polymers in chemically aggressive and high-temperature conditions. Radiation cross-linked-based engineering plastics offers OEM and end users in many branches of industry both technical and economical advantages in comparison with high-performances plastics. They constitute a technical and economical compromise between engineering plastics that failed and high-performances plastic, often over-tailored and expensive. This modern industrial technology gives way to new applications and perspectives in various sectors (packaging, automotive, electrotechnic and electronics, including connectors, surface-mounted devices, integrated circuits, 3D-MID, etc.) that are described in the paper

  7. Polymer matrix nanocomposites for automotive structural components

    Science.gov (United States)

    Naskar, Amit K.; Keum, Jong K.; Boeman, Raymond G.

    2016-12-01

    Over the past several decades, the automotive industry has expended significant effort to develop lightweight parts from new easy-to-process polymeric nanocomposites. These materials have been particularly attractive because they can increase fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. However, attempts to reinforce soft matrices by nanoscale reinforcing agents at commercially deployable scales have been only sporadically successful to date. This situation is due primarily to the lack of fundamental understanding of how multiscale interfacial interactions and the resultant structures affect the properties of polymer nanocomposites. In this Perspective, we critically evaluate the state of the art in the field and propose a possible path that may help to overcome these barriers. Only once we achieve a deeper understanding of the structure-properties relationship of polymer matrix nanocomposites will we be able to develop novel structural nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties for automotive applications.

  8. Steel skin - SMC laminate structures for lightweight automotive manufacturing

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quagliato, Luca; Jang, Changsoon; Murugesan, Mohanraj; Kim, Naksoo

    2017-09-01

    In the present research work an innovative material, made of steel skin and sheet molding compound core, is presented and is aimed to be utilized for the production of automotive body frames. For a precise description of the laminate structure, the material properties of all the components, including the adhesive utilized as an interlayer, have been carried out, along with the simple tension test of the composite material. The result have shown that the proposed laminate structure has a specific yield strength 114% higher than 6061 T6 aluminum, 34% higher than 7075 T6 aluminum, 186% higher than AISI 304 stainless steel (30HRC) and 42% than SK5 high-strength steel (52HRC), showing its reliability and convenience for the realization of automotive components. After calibrating the material properties of the laminate structure, and utilizing as reference the simple tension results of the laminate structure, the derived material properties have been utilized for the simulation of the mechanical behavior of an automotive B-pillar. The results have been compared with those of a standard B-pillar made of steel, showing that the MS-SMC laminate structure manifests load and impact carry capacity comparable with those of high strength steel, while granting, at least, an 11% weight reduction.

  9. Advancing Material Models for Automotive Forming Simulations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vegter, H.; An, Y.; Horn, C.H.L.J. ten; Atzema, E.H.; Roelofsen, M.E.

    2005-01-01

    Simulations in automotive industry need more advanced material models to achieve highly reliable forming and springback predictions. Conventional material models implemented in the FEM-simulation models are not capable to describe the plastic material behaviour during monotonic strain paths with sufficient accuracy. Recently, ESI and Corus co-operate on the implementation of an advanced material model in the FEM-code PAMSTAMP 2G. This applies to the strain hardening model, the influence of strain rate, and the description of the yield locus in these models. A subsequent challenge is the description of the material after a change of strain path.The use of advanced high strength steels in the automotive industry requires a description of plastic material behaviour of multiphase steels. The simplest variant is dual phase steel consisting of a ferritic and a martensitic phase. Multiphase materials also contain a bainitic phase in addition to the ferritic and martensitic phase. More physical descriptions of strain hardening than simple fitted Ludwik/Nadai curves are necessary.Methods to predict plastic behaviour of single-phase materials use a simple dislocation interaction model based on the formed cells structures only. At Corus, a new method is proposed to predict plastic behaviour of multiphase materials have to take hard phases into account, which deform less easily. The resulting deformation gradients create geometrically necessary dislocations. Additional micro-structural information such as morphology and size of hard phase particles or grains is necessary to derive the strain hardening models for this type of materials.Measurements available from the Numisheet benchmarks allow these models to be validated. At Corus, additional measured values are available from cross-die tests. This laboratory test can attain critical deformations by large variations in blank size and processing conditions. The tests are a powerful tool in optimising forming simulations prior

  10. Durability-Based Design Criteria for a Chopped-Glass-Fiber Automotive Structural Composite; TOPICAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Battiste, R.L.; Corum, J.M.; Ren, W.; Ruggles, M.B.

    1999-01-01

    This report provides recommended durability-based design criteria for a chopped-glass-fiber reinforced polymeric composite for automotive structural applications. The criteria closely follow the framework of an earlier criteria document for a continuous-strand-mat (CSM) glass-fiber reference composite. Together these design criteria demonstrate a framework that can be adapted for future random-glass-fiber composites for automotive structural applications

  11. Novel ferrite–austenite duplex lightweight steel with 77% ductility by transformation induced plasticity and twinning induced plasticity mechanisms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sohn, Seok Su; Choi, Kayoung; Kwak, Jai-Hyun; Kim, Nack J.; Lee, Sunghak

    2014-01-01

    The need for lightweight materials has been an important issue in automotive industries to reduce greenhouse gas emission and to improve fuel efficiency. In addition, automotive steels require an excellent combination of strength and ductility to sustain automotive structures and to achieve complex shapes, but the traditional approach to obtain a reduction in weight from down-gauged steels with high strength has many limitations. Here, we present a new ferrite–austenite duplex lightweight steel containing a low-density element, Al; this steel exhibits tensile elongation up to 77% as well as high tensile strength (734 MPa). The enhanced properties are attributed to the simultaneous formation of deformation-induced martensites and deformation twins and the additional plasticity due to deformation twinning in austenite grains having optimal mechanical stability. The present work gives a promise for automotive applications requiring excellent properties as well as reduced specific weight

  12. Numerical Prediction of Elastic Springback in An Automotive Complex Structural Part

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fratini, Livan; Ingarao, Giuseppe; Micari, Fabrizio

    2007-01-01

    The occurrence of elastic springback phenomena in sheet metal processing operations determines a relevant issue in the automotive industry. The routing and production of 3D complex parts for automotive applications is characterized by springback phenomena affecting the final geometry of the components both after the stamping operations and the trimming ones. In the present paper the full routing of a automotive structural part is considered and the springback phenomena occurring after forming and trimming are investigated through FE analyses utilizing an explicit implicit approach. In particular a sensitivity analysis on process parameter influencing springback occurrence is developed: blank holder force, draw bead penetration and blank shape

  13. Diode-laser-illuminated automotive lamp systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marinelli, Michael A.; Remillard, Jeffrey T.

    1998-05-01

    We have utilized the high brightness of state-of-the-art diode laser sources, and a variety of emerging optical technologies to develop a new class of thin, uniquely styled automotive brake and signal lamps. Using optics based on thin (5 mm) plastic sheets, these lamps provide appearance and functional advantages not attainable with traditional automotive lighting systems. The light is coupled into the sheets using a 1 mm diameter glass fiber, and manipulated using refraction and reflection from edges, surfaces, and shaped cut-outs. Light can be extracted with an efficiency of approximately 50% and formed into a luminance distribution that meets the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) photometric requirements. Prototype lamps using these optics have been constructed and are less than one inch in thickness. Thin lamps reduce sheet metal costs, complexity, material usage, weight, and allow for increased trunk volume. In addition, these optics enhance lamp design flexibility. When the lamps are not energized, they can appear body colored, and when lighted, the brightness distribution across the lamp can be uniform or structured. A diode laser based brake lamp consumes seven times less electrical power than one using an incandescent source and has instant on capability. Also, diode lasers have the potential to be 10-year/150,000 mile light sources.

  14. Durability of polymer matrix composites for automotive structural applications: A state-of-the-art review

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Corum, J.M.; Simpson, W.A. Jr.; Sun, C.T.; Talreja, R.; Weitsman, Y.J.

    1995-07-01

    A key unanswered question that must be addressed before polymeric composites will be widely used in automotive structural components is their known durability. Major durability issues are the effects that cyclic loadings, creep, automotive fluid environments, and low-energy impacts have on dimensional stability, strength, and stiffness throughout the required life of a composite component. This report reviews the current state of understanding in each of these areas. It also discusses the limited information that exists on one of the prime candidate materials for automotive structural applications--an isocyanurate reinforced with a continuous strand, swirl mat. Because of the key role that nondestructive evaluations must play in understanding damage development and progression, a chapter is included on ultrasonic techniques. A final chapter then gives conclusions and recommendations for research needed to resolve the various durability issues. These recommendations will help provide a sound basis for program planning for the Durability of Lightweight Composite Structures Project sponsored by the US Department of Energy in cooperation with the Automotive Composites Consortium of Chrysler, Ford, and General Motors.

  15. PLASTIC ANALYSIS OF STEEL FRAME STRUCTURE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Rogac

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents the plastic analysis of steel frame structure loaded by gravity loads. By applying the cinematic theorem of ultimate analysis, the ultimate load for the case of elastic - ideally plastic material is calculated. The identical structure was treated in the computer program SAP2000 where the zone of material reinforcement in the plastic area was covered. Keywords: Steel frame structure, plastic analysis, ultimate gravity load, material reinforcement.

  16. MSc degree in color technology for the automotive sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martinez-Verdu, F.; Perales, E.; Chorro, E.; Viqueira, V.; Gilabert, E.

    2014-07-01

    Nowadays, the measurement and management of color quality of the gonio-apparent materials is complex, but highly demanded in many industrial sectors, as automotive, cosmetics, plastics for consumer electronics, printing inks, architectural coatings, etc. It is necessary to control complex instrumentation and to do visual assessments of texture and color differences to get, for instance, a visual harmony in car bodies; and a profound knowledge of physics and chemistry of special-effect pigments for their optical formulation to obtain attractive visual effects in coatings, plastics, etc, combining among them and with solid pigments. From University of Alicante, for the academic year 2013-14, we are organizing the first MSc degree in Color Technology for the Automotive Sector, with a design of contents embracing CIE colorimetry and visual perception, included the AUDI2000 color difference formula, instrumentation and color management software, fundamentals of coatings and plastics in the automotive sector, and, optical formulation of pigments. The MSc syllabus, with 60 ECTS, is designed to be taught in two semesters: from September to February with on classroom theoretical and practical activities, and, from March to June at virtual level, with internships of training in some companies. Therefore, the MSc Thesis would be the performance report during the internship in companies or research institutions. Some multinational companies, both as car makers and coatings and plastics providers, from European and non-European countries have already shown their support and interest in welcoming students for specific training, even some job offers when the first MSc edition finishes.

  17. Plastic Deformation Characteristics Of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy Sheets At Elevated Temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Jingee; Lee, Jongshin; You, Bongsun; Choi, Seogou; Kim, Youngsuk

    2007-01-01

    Using lightweight materials is the emerging need in order to reduce the vehicle's energy consumption and pollutant emissions. Being a lightweight material, magnesium alloys are increasingly employed in the fabrication of automotive and electronic parts. Presently, magnesium alloys used in automotive and electronic parts are mainly processed by die casting. The die casting technology allows the manufacturing of parts with complex geometry. However, the mechanical properties of these parts often do not meet the requirements concerning the mechanical properties (e.g. endurance strength and ductility). A promising alternative can be forming process. The parts manufactured by forming could have fine-grained structure without porosity and improved mechanical properties such as endurance strength and ductility. Because magnesium alloy has low formability resulted form its small slip system at room temperature it is usually formed at elevated temperature. Due to a rapid increase of usage of magnesium sheets in automotive and electronic industry it is necessary to assure database for sheet metal formability and plastic yielding properties in order to optimize its usage. Especially, plastic yielding criterion is a critical property to predict plastic deformation of sheet metal parts in optimizing process using CAE simulation. Von-Mises yield criterion generally well predicts plastic deformation of steel sheets and Hill'1979 yield criterion predicts plastic deformation of aluminum sheets. In this study, using biaxial tensile test machine yield loci of AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet were obtained at elevated temperature. The yield loci ensured experimentally were compared with the theoretical predictions based on the Von-Mises, Hill, Logan-Hosford, and Barlat model

  18. Process combinations for the manufacturing of metal-plastic hybrid parts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Drossel, W-G; Lies, C; Albert, A; Haase, R; Müller, R; Scholz, P

    2016-01-01

    The usage of innovative lightweight materials and processing technologies gains importance in manifold industrial scopes. Especially for moving parts and mobility products the weight is decisively. The aerospace and automotive industries use light and high-strength materials to reduce weight and energy consumption and thereby improve the performance of their products. Composites with reinforced plastics are of particular importance. They offer a low density in combination with high specific stiffness and strength. A pure material substitution through reinforced plastics is still not economical. The approach of using hybrid metal-plastic structures with the principle of “using the right material at the right place” is a promising solution for the economical realization of lightweight structures with a high achievement potential. The article shows four innovative manufacturing possibilities for the realization of metal-plastic-hybrid parts. (paper)

  19. Fatigue analysis of welding seams in automotive structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halaszi, C.; Gaier, C.; Dannbauer, H.; Hofwimmer, K.

    2006-01-01

    For lightweight automotive structures, the stiffness and the fatigue behavior is greatly influenced by the properties of the joints. The joining technology used and the number and locations of the joints are of high importance for both engineers and cost accountants. An overview of common computational procedures including European and national standards is given for the assessments of the fatigue behavior of thin sheet structures with arc welds. The influence of the quality and size of finite shell elements on the fatigue results are investigated and it is shown how this influence can be minimized. (author)

  20. Structural Plasticity Denoises Responses and Improves Learning Speed

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robin Spiess

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Despite an abundance of computational models for learning of synaptic weights, there has been relatively little research on structural plasticity, i.e. the creation and elimination of synapses. Especially, it is not clear how structural plasticity works in concert with spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP and what advantages their combination offers.Here we present a fairly large-scale functional model that uses leaky integrate-and-fire neurons, STDP, homeostasis, recurrent connections, and structural plasticity to learn the input encoding, the relation between inputs, and to infer missing inputs. Using this model, we compare the error and the amount of noise in the network's responses with and without structural plasticity and the influence of structural plasticity on the learning speed of the network.Using structural plasticity during learning shows good results for learning the representation of input values, i.e. structural plasticity strongly reduces the noise of the response by preventing spikes with a high error.For inferring missing inputs we see similar results, with responses having less noise if the network was trained using structural plasticity.Additionally, using structural plasticity with pruning significantly decreased the time to learn weights suitable for inference.Presumably, this is due to the clearer signal containing less spikes that misrepresent the desired value. Therefore, this work shows that structural plasticity is not only able to improve upon the performance using STDP without structural plasticity but also speeds up learning.Additionally, it addresses the practical problem of limited resources for connectivity that is not only apparent in the mammalian neocortex but also in computer hardware or neuromorphic (brain-inspired hardware by efficiently pruning synapses without losing performance.

  1. Coupling effect of waste automotive engine oil in the preparation of wood reinforced LDPE plastic composites for panels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maame Adwoa Bentumah Animpong

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available We demonstrated the formulation of wood plastic composite (WPC materials with flexural strength of 13.69 ± 0.09 MPa for applications in outdoor fencing using municipal waste precursors like low density polyethylene (LDPE plastics (54.0 wt. %, sawn wood dust with particle size between 64 and 500 μm derived from variable hardwood species (36.0 wt. % and used automotive engine oil (10 wt. %. The WPC panels were prepared by pre-compounding, extruding at a screw auger torque of 79.8 Nm and pressing through a rectangular mould of dimension 132 mm × 37 mm × 5 mm at temperature 150 °C. The efficacy of black waste oil, as a coupling agent, was demonstrated by the absence of voids and pull-outs on microscopic examination using scanning electron microscopy. No hazardous substances were exhaled during thermo-gravimetric mass spectrometry analysis. The percentage crystallinity of the LDPE in the as-prepared material determined by differential scanning calorimetry was 11.3%. Keywords: Wood plastic composites, Low density polyethylene, Wood dust, Physical, Thermal and mechanical properties

  2. Mixed structures in continuously cooled low-carbon automotive steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khalid, F.A.; Edmonds, D.V.

    1993-01-01

    Mixed microstructures have been studied in low- carbon microalloyed steels suitable for automotive applications, after continuous cooling from the hot-rolled condition. Microstructural features such as polygonal ferrite, bainitic and acicular ferrite and microphase constituent are identified using transmission electron microscopy. The influence of these mixed structures on the tensile strength, impact toughness and fracture behaviour is examined. It is found that improvements in impact toughness as compared with microalloyed medium- carbon ferrite/pearlite steels can be achieved from these predominantly acicular structures developed by controlling alloy composition and continuous cooling of these lower carbon steels. (orig.)

  3. Reliability of Elasto-Plastic Structural Systems

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Delmar, M. V.; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

    1990-01-01

    This paper proposes a method for generating safety margins and failure mode equations for elasto-plastic structures where interaction of load effects is taken into account. Structural failure is defined by large nodal displacements or plastic collapse. A branch-and-bound technique is used...

  4. Environmental Aspects of Use of Recycled Carbon Fiber Composites in Automotive Applications.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Fanran; McKechnie, Jon; Turner, Thomas; Wong, Kok H; Pickering, Stephen J

    2017-11-07

    The high cost and energy intensity of virgin carbon fiber manufacture provides an opportunity to recover substantial value from carbon fiber reinforced plastic wastes. In this study, we assess the life cycle environmental implications of recovering carbon fiber and producing composite materials as substitutes for conventional and proposed lightweight materials in automotive applications (e.g., steel, aluminum, virgin carbon fiber). Key parameters for the recycled carbon fiber materials, including fiber volume fraction and fiber alignment, are investigated to identify beneficial uses of recycled carbon fiber in the automotive sector. Recycled carbon fiber components can achieve the lowest life cycle environmental impacts of all materials considered, although the actual impact is highly dependent on the design criteria (λ value) of the specific component. Low production impacts associated with recycled carbon fiber components are observed relative to lightweight competitor materials (e.g., aluminum, virgin carbon fiber reinforced plastic). In addition, recycled carbon fiber components have low in-use energy use due to mass reductions and associated reduction in mass-induced fuel consumption. The results demonstrate environmental feasibility of the CFRP recycling materials, supporting the emerging commercialization of CF recycling technologies and identifying significant potential market opportunities in the automotive sector.

  5. Cold surface treatments on fiber-reinforced plastics by pulsed laser

    OpenAIRE

    Gebauer, Jana; Franke, Volker; Klotzbach, Udo; Beyer, Eckhard

    2017-01-01

    The importance of lightweight materials increases in all aspects of manufacturing, e.g. automotive, sports equipment and aerospace [1]. Making fiber reinforced plastics suitable for use in mass production new technologies have to be developed to overcome existing challenges e.g. shorter cycle times or more efficient resource usage. Innovative laser systems are used for a full range of treatments for all materials, like structuring, drilling, joining and cutting [2] - [4]. This paper presents ...

  6. Profiles of Major Suppliers to the Automotive Industry : Vol. 3. Plastics, Glass and Fiberglass Suppliers to the Automotive Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-08-01

    This study summarizes extensive information collected over a two-year period (October 1978 to 1980) on suppliers of parts and components, materials, and machine tools to the automotive industry in the United States. The objective of the study was to ...

  7. A structured hazard analysis and risk assessment method for automotive systems—A descriptive study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beckers, Kristian; Holling, Dominik; Côté, Isabelle; Hatebur, Denis

    2017-01-01

    The 2011 release of the first version of the ISO 26262 standard for automotive systems demand the elicitation of safety goals following a rigorous method for hazard and risk analysis. Companies are struggling with the adoption of the standard due to ambiguities, documentation demands and the alignment of the standards demands to existing processes. We previously proposed a structured engineering method to deal with these problems developed in applying action research together with an OEM. In this work, we evaluate how applicable the method is for junior automotive software engineers by a descriptive study. We provided the method to 8 members of the master course Automotive Software Engineering (ASE) at the Technical University Munich. The participants have each been working in the automotive industry for 1–4 years in parallel to their studies. We investigated their application of our method to an electronic steering column lock system. The participants applied our method in a first round alone and afterwards discussed their results in groups. Our data analysis revealed that the participants could apply the method successfully and the hazard analysis and risk assessment achieved a high precision and productivity. Moreover, the precision could be improved significantly during group discussions.

  8. Investigation of structure in the modular light pipe component for LED automotive lamp

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hsi-Chao; Zhou, Yang; Huang, Chien-Sheng; Jhong, Wan-Ling; Cheng, Bo-Wei; Jhang, Jhe-Ming

    2014-09-01

    Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) have the advantages of small length, long lifetime, fast response time (μs), low voltage, good mechanical properties and environmental protection. Furthermore, LEDs could replace the halogen lamps to avoid the mercury pollution and economize the use of energy. Therefore, the LEDs could instead of the traditional lamp in the future and became an important light source. The proposal of this study was to investigate the effects of the structure and length of the reflector component for a LED automotive lamp. The novel LED automotive lamp was assembled by several different modularization columnar. The optimized design of the different structure and the length to the reflector was simulated by software TracePro. The design result must met the vehicle regulation of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) such as ECE-R19 etc. The structure of the light pipe could be designed by two steps structure. Then constitute the proper structure and choose different power LED to meet the luminous intensity of the vehicle regulation. The simulation result shows the proper structure and length has the best total luminous flux and a high luminous efficiency for the system. Also, the stray light could meet the vehicle regulation of ECE R19. Finally, the experimental result of the selected structure and length of the light pipe could match the simulation result above 80%.

  9. Automotive Mechanics Curriculum Outline for Secondary Schools. Vocational Education Curriculum Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Baton Rouge. Div. of Vocational Education.

    This curriculum outline for secondary automotive mechanics is structured around Louisiana's Vocational-Technical Automotive Mechanics Curriculum. The curriculum is composed of 16 units of instruction, covering the following topics: benchwork, fundamentals of automotive engines, preventive maintenance, automotive brakes, steering and front…

  10. 77 FR 74006 - Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs); Recycling Plastics From Shredder Residue

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-12-12

    ... instance, because substantial automotive recycling systems are already in place for the primary purpose of... (PCBs); Recycling Plastics From Shredder Residue AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION... currently under consideration that would generally allow for the recycling of plastic separated from...

  11. Rigid-plastic seismic design of reinforced concrete structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Costa, Joao Domingues; Bento, R.; Levtchitch, V.

    2007-01-01

    structural strength with respect to a pre-defined performance parameter using a rigid-plastic response spectrum, which is characteristic of the ground motion alone. The maximum strength demand at any point is solely dependent on the intensity of the ground motion, which facilitates the task of distributing......In this paper a new seismic design procedure for Reinforced Concrete (R/C) structures is proposed-the Rigid-Plastic Seismic Design (RPSD) method. This is a design procedure based on Non-Linear Time-History Analysis (NLTHA) for systems expected to perform in the non-linear range during a lifetime...... earthquake event. The theoretical background is the Theory of Plasticity (Rigid-Plastic Structures). Firstly, a collapse mechanism is chosen and the corresponding stress field is made safe outside the regions where plastic behaviour takes place. It is shown that this allows the determination of the required...

  12. Polymeric hollow fiber heat exchanger as an automotive radiator

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krásný, Ivo; Astrouski, Ilya; Raudenský, Miroslav

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • Polymeric hollow fiber heat exchanger as an automotive radiator is proposed. • The mechanism of heat transfer (HT) relies on diameter of polymeric hollow fiber. • Grimson equation is sufficient for approximate prediction of the heat transfers. - Abstract: Nowadays, different automotive parts (tubing, covers, manifolds, etc.) are made of plastics because of their superior characteristics, low weight, chemical resistance, reasonable price and several other aspects. Manufacturing technologies are already well-established and the application of plastics is proven. Following this trend, the production of compact and light all-plastic radiators seems reasonable. Two plastic heat exchangers were manufactured based on polypropylene tubes of diameter 0.6 and 0.8 mm (so-called fibers) and tested. The heat transfer performance and pressure drops were studied with hot (60 °C) ethyleneglycol-water brine flowing inside the fibers and air (20 °C) outside because these conditions are conventional for car radiator operation. It was observed that heat transfer rates (up to 10.2 kW), overall heat transfer coefficients (up to 335 W/m"2 K), and pressure drops are competitive to conventional aluminium finned-tube radiators. Moreover, influence of fiber diameter was studied. It was observed that air-side convective coefficients rise with a decrease of fiber diameter. Air-side pressure drops of plastic prototypes were slightly higher than of aluminium radiator but it is expected that additional optimization will eliminate this drawback. Experimentally obtained air-side heat transfer coefficients were compared with the theoretical prediction using the Grimson equation and the Churchill and Bernstein approach. It was found that the Grimson equation is sufficient for approximate prediction of the outer HTCs and can be used for engineering calculations. Further work will concentrate on optimizing and developing a polymeric hollow fiber heat exchanger with reduced size

  13. Automotive mechatronics automotive networking, driving stability systems, electronics

    CERN Document Server

    2015-01-01

    As the complexity of automotive vehicles increases this book presents operational and practical issues of automotive mechatronics. It is a comprehensive introduction to controlled automotive systems and provides detailed information of sensors for travel, angle, engine speed, vehicle speed, acceleration, pressure, temperature, flow, gas concentration etc. The measurement principles of the different sensor groups are explained and examples to show the measurement principles applied in different types. Contents Basics of mechatronics.- Architecture.- Electronic control unit.- Software development.- Basic principles of networking.- Automotive networking.- Bus systems.- Automotive sensors.- Sensor measuring principles.- Sensor types.- Electric actuators.- Electrohydraulic actuators.- Electronic transmission control.- Electronic transmission control unit.- Modules for transmission control.- Antilock braking system.- Traction control system.- Electronic stability program.- Automatic brake functions.- Hydraulic modu...

  14. Fiber breakage phenomena in long fiber reinforced plastic preparation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, Chao-Tsai; Tseng, Huan-Chang; Chang, Rong-Yeu; Vlcek, Jiri

    2015-01-01

    Due to the high demand of smart green, the lightweight technologies have become the driving force for the development of automotives and other industries in recent years. Among those technologies, using short and long fiber-reinforced plastics (FRP) to replace some metal components can reduce the weight of an automotive significantly. However, the microstructures of fibers inside plastic matrix are too complicated to manage and control during the injection molding through the screw, the runner, the gate, and then into the cavity. This study focuses on the fiber breakage phenomena during the screw plastification. Results show that fiber breakage is strongly dependent on screw design and operation. When the screw geometry changes, the fiber breakage could be larger even with lower compression ratio. (paper)

  15. Asymptotic techniques in elastic-plastic analysis of structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sayir, M.

    1983-01-01

    Elastic-plastic structures can nowadays be analyzed with the powerful numerical procedures of the finite element method. Nevertheless, in many engineering applications, analytical expressions capable of predicting with sufficient accuracy the stress distributions, the extent of the plastic zones and the load displacement behaviour could be of great practical value. For simple structures and loading stages not too far from the elastic limit, such analytical expressions may be obtained by using perturbation methods and asymptotic expansions. A small dimensionless parameter epsilon is defined as the ratio of a length characterizing the extent of the narrow plastic zone, to a conveniently chosen typical dimension of the structure. Stresses and displacements are formally expanded as asymptotic series in terms of powers of epsilon. For each order of magnitude, the exact basic relations lead to a separate set of simplified differential equations which can be integrated analytically or numerically by using standard procedures. The method is very general and can be applied to several classes of plastic behaviour and of structural problems. Three examples of very simple structures are chosen in particular to illustrate the applicability of the perturbation method to engineering problems. (orig./RW)

  16. Industrial thermoforming simulation of automotive fuel tanks

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiesche, Stefan aus der

    2004-01-01

    An industrial thermoforming simulation with regard to automotive plastic fuel tanks is presented including all relevant process stages. The radiative and conductive heat transfer during the reheat stage, the deformation and stress behaviour during the forming stage, and the final cooling stage are simulated. The modelling of the thermal and rheological behaviour of the involved material is investigated in greater detail. By means of experimental data it is found that modelling of the phase transition during the process is highly important for predicting correct wall thickness distributions

  17. Integration Of The Security Sub-Modules Elements In The Automotive Industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gallego, C.; Fernandez, M.; Caires, A. S.; Canibano, E.

    2007-01-01

    This study is addressed to obtain a design methodology for integrated security sub-modules (constituting the suspension and steering modules) in the car manufacturing industry. The sub-modules are made up of a steel structure and anchorage elements (rubber-metal or plastic-metal), which undergo separate surface treatments to prevent corrosion. Afterwards, the elements are traditionally joined by means of adhesives and screws. This process involves a great number of stages, low quality union methods and generation of corrosion areas that shorten its useful life.This methodology provides automotive suppliers an additional added value and cost reduction, allowing them to increase its competitiveness in a sector that faces the transition from the traditional supply chain to a strategic value chain

  18. Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Study on the Coating Removal from Passenger-Vehicle Plastics for Recycling by Using Water Jet Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Hongshen; Chen, Ming

    2015-11-01

    The recovery and utilization of automotive plastics are a global concern because of the increasing number of end-of-life vehicles. In-depth studies on technologies for the removal of coatings from automotive plastics can contribute to the high value-added levels of the recycling and utilization of automotive plastic. The liquid waste generated by removing chemical paint by using traditional methods is difficult to handle and readily produces secondary pollution. Therefore, new, clean, and highly efficient techniques of paint removal must be developed. In this article, a method of coating removal from passenger-vehicle plastics was generated based on high-pressure water jet technology to facilitate the recycling of these plastics. The established technology was theoretically analyzed, numerically simulated, and experimentally studied. The high-pressure water jet equipment for the removal of automotive-plastic coatings was constructed through research and testing, and the detailed experiments on coating removal rate were performed by using this equipment. The results showed that high-pressure water jet technology can effectively remove coatings on the surfaces of passenger-vehicle plastics. The research also revealed that the coating removal rate increased as jet pressure ( P) increased and then decreased when jet moving speed ( Vn) increased. The rate decreased as the distance from nozzle to work piece ( S nw ) and the nozzle angle ( Φ) increased. The mathematical model for the rate of removal of coatings from bumper surfaces by water jet was derived based on the experiment data and can effectively predict coating removal rate under different operating conditions.

  19. Building Block Approach' for Structural Analysis of Thermoplastic Composite Components for Automotive Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carello, M.; Amirth, N.; Airale, A. G.; Monti, M.; Romeo, A.

    2017-12-01

    Advanced thermoplastic prepreg composite materials stand out with regard to their ability to allow complex designs with high specific strength and stiffness. This makes them an excellent choice for lightweight automotive components to reduce mass and increase fuel efficiency, while maintaining the functionality of traditional thermosetting prepreg (and mechanical characteristics) and with a production cycle time and recyclability suited to mass production manufacturing. Currently, the aerospace and automotive sectors struggle to carry out accurate Finite Elements (FE) component analyses and in some cases are unable to validate the obtained results. In this study, structural Finite Elements Analysis (FEA) has been done on a thermoplastic fiber reinforced component designed and manufactured through an integrated injection molding process, which consists in thermoforming the prepreg laminate and overmolding the other parts. This process is usually referred to as hybrid molding, and has the provision to reinforce the zones subjected to additional stresses with thermoformed themoplastic prepreg as required and overmolded with a shortfiber thermoplastic resin in single process. This paper aims to establish an accurate predictive model on a rational basis and an innovative methodology for the structural analysis of thermoplastic composite components by comparison with the experimental tests results.

  20. 76 FR 77974 - U.S. Automotive Parts and Components Business Development Mission to Russia

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-12-15

    ... became a valuable barter commodity. As the Russian market opened to imports, the few wealthy Russians... Tenneco make, respectively, car seats and exhaust systems. Given the current dynamics in this automotive... electronic components, trim, exhaust systems, plastic parts and instrumentation. In addition, there are...

  1. Dynamic characteristics of automotive steel sheets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Mihaliková

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this experimental research was to perform an analysis of deformation characteristics on two different types of steel: IF steel, and micro-alloyed steel were used automotive industry. For that purpose changes of properties of these materials were carried out by static 10-3 · s-1 and dynamic 103 · s-1 strain rate assess its plastic properties. Vickers micro hardness test was carried out by the static and dynamic loading condition and describes different hardness distribution. The higher strain hardening of materials was obtained too that was confirmed by distribution of dislocations.

  2. Numerical Prediction Of Elastic Springback In An Automotive Complex Structural Part

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fratini, Livan; Ingarao, Giuseppe; Micari, Fabrizio; Lo Franco, Andrea

    2007-01-01

    The routing and production of 3D complex parts for automotive applications is characterized by springback phenomena affecting the final geometry of the components both after the stamping operations and the trimming ones. FE analyses have to assure effectiveness and consistency in order to be utilized as design tool to be coupled to proper compensating techniques allowing to obtain the desired geometry at the and of the production sequence. In the present paper the full routing of a DP 600 steel automotive structural part is considered and the springback phenomena occurring after forming and trimming are investigated through FE analyses utilizing two different commercial codes. Althought finite element analysis is successful in simulating industrial sheet forming operations, the accurate and reliable applications of this phenomenon and its numerical prediction has not been widely demonstrated. In this paper the influence of the main numerical parameters has been considered i.e. type of the utilized shell element and number of integration points along the thickness, with the aim to improve the effectiveness and reliability of the numerical results. The obtained results have been compared with the experimental evidences derived from CMM acquisitions

  3. Development of vehicle model test-bending of a simple structural surfaces model for automotive vehicle sedan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nor, M. K. Mohd; Noordin, A.; Ruzali, M. F. S.; Hussen, M. H.; Mustapa@Othman, N.

    2017-04-01

    Simple Structural Surfaces (SSS) method is offered as a means of organizing the process for rationalizing the basic vehicle body structure load paths. The application of this simplified approach is highly beneficial in the development of modern passenger car structure design. In Malaysia, the SSS topic has been widely adopted and seems compulsory in various automotive programs related to automotive vehicle structures in many higher education institutions. However, there is no real physical model of SSS available to gain considerable insight and understanding into the function of each major subassembly in the whole vehicle structures. Based on this motivation, a real physical SSS of sedan model and the corresponding model vehicle tests of bending is proposed in this work. The proposed approach is relatively easy to understand as compared to Finite Element Method (FEM). The results prove that the proposed vehicle model test is useful to physically demonstrate the importance of providing continuous load path using the necessary structural components within the vehicle structures. It is clearly observed that the global bending stiffness reduce significantly when more panels are removed from the complete SSS model. The analysis shows the front parcel shelf is an important subassembly to sustain bending load.

  4. Structural partitioning of complex structures in the medium-frequency range. An application to an automotive vehicle

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kassem, M.; Soize, C.; Gagliardini, L.

    2011-02-01

    In a recent work [ Journal of Sound and Vibration 323 (2009) 849-863] the authors presented an energy-density field approach for the vibroacoustic analysis of complex structures in the low and medium frequency ranges. In this approach, a local vibroacoustic energy model as well as a simplification of this model were constructed. In this paper, firstly an extension of the previous theory is performed in order to include the case of general input forces and secondly, a structural partitioning methodology is presented along with a set of tools used for the construction of a partitioning. Finally, an application is presented for an automotive vehicle.

  5. Automotive Lithium-ion Cell Manufacturing: Regional Cost Structures and Supply Chain Considerations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chung, Donald [Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center, Godlen, CO (United States); Elgqvist, Emma [Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center, Godlen, CO (United States); Santhanagopalan, Shriram [Clean Energy Manufacturing Analysis Center, Godlen, CO (United States)

    2016-04-08

    Manufacturing capacity for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs)--which power many consumer electronics and are increasingly used to power electric vehicles--is heavily concentrated in east Asia. Currently, China, Japan, and Korea collectively host 88% of all LIB cell and 79% of automotive LIB cell manufacturing capacity. Mature supply chains and strong cumulative production experience suggest that most LIB cell production will remain concentrated in Asia. However, other regions--including North America--could be competitive in the growing automotive LIB cell market under certain conditions. To illuminate the factors that drive regional competitiveness in automotive LIB cell production, this study models cell manufacturing cost and minimum sustainable price, and examines development of LIB supply chains and current LIB market conditions. Modeled costs are for large format, 20-Ah stacked pouch cells with lithium-nickel-manganese-cobalt-oxide (NMC) cathodes and graphite anodes suitable for automotive application. Production volume is assumed to be at commercial scale, 600 MWh per year.

  6. An elastic-plastic contact model for line contact structures

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Haibin; Zhao, Yingtao; He, Zhifeng; Zhang, Ruinan; Ma, Shaopeng

    2018-06-01

    Although numerical simulation tools are now very powerful, the development of analytical models is very important for the prediction of the mechanical behaviour of line contact structures for deeply understanding contact problems and engineering applications. For the line contact structures widely used in the engineering field, few analytical models are available for predicting the mechanical behaviour when the structures deform plastically, as the classic Hertz's theory would be invalid. Thus, the present study proposed an elastic-plastic model for line contact structures based on the understanding of the yield mechanism. A mathematical expression describing the global relationship between load history and contact width evolution of line contact structures was obtained. The proposed model was verified through an actual line contact test and a corresponding numerical simulation. The results confirmed that this model can be used to accurately predict the elastic-plastic mechanical behaviour of a line contact structure.

  7. Influence of preliminary plastic deformation on plasticity characteristics and structure of armco-iron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vergazov, A.N.; Rybin, V.V.; Meshkov, Yu.Ya.; Moskvina, V.A.; Serditova, T.N.

    1990-01-01

    Effect of preliminary plastic deformation (PPD) by drawing on the maximum plasticity characteristics (critical rupture strain) ε c , general δ and uniform δ p relative elongation and on the structure of armco-iron in a wide range of PPD degree change (e=0-4.6) is studied. It is ascertained that with e growth the metal plastic properties at T test =77 and 293 K change in a different way. In particular, the critical strain ε c increases monotonously at 77 K and reduces at 293 K. It is shown that all changes of mechanical characteristics observed with e increase are conditioned by the development of fragmentation process in armco-iron. The data obtained are discussed from the veiwpoint of the developed plastic deformation physics concepts

  8. Automotive Chassis; Automotive Mechanics-Basic: 9043.02.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

    This automotive chassis course is designed to familiarize the beginning student of the history and development of the automobile with basic concepts common to the automobile industry, and general information that is required for successful advancement in the automotive mechanics field. It is one quinmester in a series of quinmester outlines…

  9. [Structural plasticity associated with drugs addiction].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Jie; Cao, Guo-fen; Dang, Yong-hui; Chen, Teng

    2011-12-01

    An essential feature of drug addiction is that an individual continues to use drug despite the threat of severely adverse physical or psychosocial consequences. Persistent changes in behavior and psychological function that occur as a function of drugs of abuse are thought to be due to the reorganization of synaptic connections (structural plasticity) in relevant brain circuits (especially the brains reward circuits). In this paper we summarized evidence that, indeed, exposure to amphetamine, cocaine, nicotine or morphine produced persistent changes in the structure of dendrites and dendritic spines on cells in relevant brain regions. We also approached the potential molecular mechanisms of these changes. It is suggested that structural plasticity associated with exposure to drugs of abuse reflects a reorganization of patterns of synaptic connectivity in these neural systems, a reorganization that alters their operation, thus contributing to some of the persistent sequela associated with drug use-including addiction.

  10. The study of elastio-plastic seismic analysis for rigid-frame structures

    OpenAIRE

    陳, 珉; 青木, 徹彦

    2000-01-01

    Elastic and elastio-plastic earthquake-resistant analysis of frame construction is mainly studied in this paper. In elastic stage, response and vibrated characteristics of symmetrical and unsymmetrical structure are investigated by comparing the results of plane and space analysis. The effect of approaching angle of seismic wave to vibrated characteristics of structure under different column/beam rate are discussed. In elastio-plastic stage, four kinds of plastic mode with different plastic p...

  11. Characteristics of Structural Breakdown in Plastic Concrete and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Characteristics of Structural Breakdown in Plastic Concrete and Their Potentials for Quality Control. ... A typical trace has four such significant features which characterise the mix. The significance of these features are analysed in relation to the functional requirements of plastic concrete in practice. Finally, the potentials of ...

  12. Nanotechnology impact on the automotive industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wong, Kaufui V; Paddon, Patrick A

    2014-01-01

    Nanotechnology has been implemented widely in the automotive industry. This technology is particularly useful in coatings, fabrics, structural materials, fluids, lubricants, tires, and preliminary applications in smart glass/windows and video display systems. A special sub-class of improved materials, alternative energy, has also seen a boost from advances in nanotechnology, and continues to be an active research area. A correlation exists in the automotive industry between the areas with increased nanotechnology incorporation and those with increased profit margins via improvements and customer demands.

  13. Automotive Engines; Automotive Mechanics I: 9043.03.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

    This automotive engines course studies and demonstrates the theory and principles of operation of the automotive four stroke cycle engine. The student will develop an understanding of the systems necessary to make the engine perform as designed, such as cooling, fuel, ignition and lubrication. This is a one or two quinmester credit course of 45…

  14. Determinants of capital structure: evidence from the Czech automotive industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pavlína Pinková

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The objective of the paper is to identify the determinants influencing the capital structure of large and medium-sized enterprises of the automotive industry in the Czech Republic. The sample consists of 100 companies belonging to NACE division 29. The data come from financial statements of selected companies and cover a period from 2006 to 2010. For the purpose of the paper quantitative research is used. The selection of appropriate dependent and independent is realized on the basis of secondary research on studies of capital structure. The analysis of variance, correlation and regression analyses have been performed to see the nature of relationship between variables. Size, tangibility, profitability and liquidity appear to be relevant determinants of capital structure. Growth is not a statistically significant determinant of leverage. It has been observed that the maturity of debt has to be considered, since the investigation of total debt only does not provide precious results. The findings do not unequivocally support either the static trade-off theory or the pecking order theory.

  15. The effects of hormones and physical exercise on hippocampal structural plasticity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Triviño-Paredes, Juan; Patten, Anna R; Gil-Mohapel, Joana; Christie, Brian R

    2016-04-01

    The hippocampus plays an integral role in certain aspects of cognition. Hippocampal structural plasticity and in particular adult hippocampal neurogenesis can be influenced by several intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Here we review how hormones (i.e., intrinsic modulators) and physical exercise (i.e., an extrinsic modulator) can differentially modulate hippocampal plasticity in general and adult hippocampal neurogenesis in particular. Specifically, we provide an overview of the effects of sex hormones, stress hormones, and metabolic hormones on hippocampal structural plasticity and adult hippocampal neurogenesis. In addition, we also discuss how physical exercise modulates these forms of hippocampal plasticity, giving particular emphasis on how this modulation can be affected by variables such as exercise regime, duration, and intensity. Understanding the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the modulation of hippocampal structural plasticity by intrinsic and extrinsic factors will impact the design of new therapeutic approaches aimed at restoring hippocampal plasticity following brain injury or neurodegeneration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. GATE Center of Excellence at UAB in Lightweight Materials for Automotive Applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    None

    2011-07-31

    This report summarizes the accomplishments of the UAB GATE Center of Excellence in Lightweight Materials for Automotive Applications. The first Phase of the UAB DOE GATE center spanned the period 2005-2011. The UAB GATE goals coordinated with the overall goals of DOE's FreedomCAR and Vehicles Technologies initiative and DOE GATE program. The FCVT goals are: (1) Development and validation of advanced materials and manufacturing technologies to significantly reduce automotive vehicle body and chassis weight without compromising other attributes such as safety, performance, recyclability, and cost; (2) To provide a new generation of engineers and scientists with knowledge and skills in advanced automotive technologies. The UAB GATE focused on both the FCVT and GATE goals in the following manner: (1) Train and produce graduates in lightweight automotive materials technologies; (2) Structure the engineering curricula to produce specialists in the automotive area; (3) Leverage automotive related industry in the State of Alabama; (4) Expose minority students to advanced technologies early in their career; (5) Develop innovative virtual classroom capabilities tied to real manufacturing operations; and (6) Integrate synergistic, multi-departmental activities to produce new product and manufacturing technologies for more damage tolerant, cost-effective, and lighter automotive structures.

  17. Recovery of platinum-group metals (PGMS from spent automotive catalysts: Part II: Automotive catalysts: Structures and principle of operation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dimitrijević Mile D.

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Catalytic converters are incorporated into motor vehicle emission systems (passenger cars, trucks and other motor vehicles, as well as civil and agricultural machines, as of lately to reduce air pollution as well as to meet the emission standards. Their purpose is to convert toxic emissions generated by combustion of liquid fossil fuels into less harmful products. In catalytic converters, rhodium is used for the reduction of gasses, whereas platinum and palladium are used for the oxidation of gasses. This paper presents the structure and operating principle of automotive catalysts in view of the fact that cars are the most prevalent motor vehicles worldwide and due to the fact that the production of cars with gasoline and diesel engines will dominate until at least 2020.

  18. Thermo-plastic finite element analysis for metal honeycomb structure

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ji Zhanling

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with thermal-plastic analysis for the metal honeycomb structure. The heat transfer equation and thermal elastoplastic constitutive equation of a multilayer panel are established and studied numerically using ANSYS software. The paper elucidates that only the outer skin produces easily plastic deformation, and the outer skin still exists some residual stress and residual deformation after cooling. The dynamic evolution of plastic deformation and material performance degradation under high energy thermal load are revealed.

  19. European Automotive Congress

    CERN Document Server

    Clenci, Adrian

    2016-01-01

    The volume includes selected and reviewed papers from the European Automotive Congress held in Bucharest, Romania, in November 2015. Authors are experts from research, industry and universities coming from 14 countries worldwide. The papers are covering the latest developments in fuel economy and environment, automotive safety and comfort, automotive reliability and maintenance, new materials and technologies, traffic and road transport systems, advanced engineering methods and tools, as well as advanced powertrains and hybrid and electric drives.

  20. Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Calvin Ly

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Summary: Atrophy of neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC plays a key role in the pathophysiology of depression and related disorders. The ability to promote both structural and functional plasticity in the PFC has been hypothesized to underlie the fast-acting antidepressant properties of the dissociative anesthetic ketamine. Here, we report that, like ketamine, serotonergic psychedelics are capable of robustly increasing neuritogenesis and/or spinogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. These changes in neuronal structure are accompanied by increased synapse number and function, as measured by fluorescence microscopy and electrophysiology. The structural changes induced by psychedelics appear to result from stimulation of the TrkB, mTOR, and 5-HT2A signaling pathways and could possibly explain the clinical effectiveness of these compounds. Our results underscore the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and, importantly, identify several lead scaffolds for medicinal chemistry efforts focused on developing plasticity-promoting compounds as safe, effective, and fast-acting treatments for depression and related disorders. : Ly et al. demonstrate that psychedelic compounds such as LSD, DMT, and DOI increase dendritic arbor complexity, promote dendritic spine growth, and stimulate synapse formation. These cellular effects are similar to those produced by the fast-acting antidepressant ketamine and highlight the potential of psychedelics for treating depression and related disorders. Keywords: neural plasticity, psychedelic, spinogenesis, synaptogenesis, depression, LSD, DMT, ketamine, noribogaine, MDMA

  1. Sustainable automotive energy system in China

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhang, Xiliang (ed.) [Tsinghua Univ. Beijing (China). China Automotive Energy Research Center

    2013-06-01

    The latest research available on automotive energy system analysis in China. Thorough introduction on automotive energy system in China. Provides the broad perspective to aid in planning sustainable road transport in China. Sustainable Automotive Energy System in China aims at identifying and addressing the key issues of automotive energy in China in a systematic way, covering demography, economics, technology and policy, based on systematic and in-depth, multidisciplinary and comprehensive studies. Five scenarios of China's automotive energy development are created to analyze the possible contributions in the fields of automotive energy, vehicle fuel economy improvement, electric vehicles, fuel cell vehicles and the 2nd generation biofuel development. Thanks to this book, readers can gain a better understanding of the nature of China's automotive energy development and be informed about: (1) the current status of automotive energy consumption, vehicle technology development, automotive energy technology development and policy; (2) the future of automotive energy development, fuel consumption, propulsion technology penetration and automotive energy technology development, and (3) the pathways of sustainable automotive energy transformation in China, in particular, the technological and the policy-related options. This book is intended for researchers, engineers and graduates students in the low-carbon transportation and environmental protection field.

  2. Automotive mechatronics operational and practical issues

    CERN Document Server

    Fijalkowski, B T

    2011-01-01

    This book presents operational and practical issues of automotive mechatronics with special emphasis on the heterogeneous automotive vehicle systems approach, and is intended as a graduate text as well as a reference for scientists and engineers involved in the design of automotive mechatronic control systems. As the complexity of automotive vehicles increases, so does the dearth of high competence, multi-disciplined automotive scientists and engineers. This book provides a discussion into the type of mechatronic control systems found in modern vehicles and the skills required by automotive scientists and engineers working in this environment. Divided into two volumes and five parts, Automotive Mechatronics aims at improving automotive mechatronics education and emphasises the training of students' experimental hands-on abilities, stimulating and promoting experience among high education institutes and produce more automotive mechatronics and automation engineers. The main subject that are treated are: VOLUME...

  3. Superior light metals by texture engineering: Optimized aluminum and magnesium alloys for automotive applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hirsch, J.; Al-Samman, T.

    2013-01-01

    Aluminum and magnesium are two highly important lightweight metals used in automotive applications to reduce vehicle weight. Crystallographic texture engineering through a combination of intelligent processing and alloying is a powerful and effective tool to obtain superior aluminum and magnesium alloys with optimized strength and ductility for automotive applications. In the present article the basic mechanisms of texture formation of aluminum and magnesium alloys during wrought processing are described and the major aspects and differences in deformation and recrystallization mechanisms are discussed. In addition to the crystal structure, the resulting properties can vary significantly, depending on the alloy composition and processing conditions, which can cause drastic texture and microstructure changes. The elementary mechanisms of plastic deformation and recrystallization comprising nucleation and growth and their orientation dependence, either within the homogeneously formed microstructure or due to inhomogeneous deformation, are described along with their impact on texture formation, and the resulting forming behavior. The typical face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed rolling and recrystallization textures, and related mechanical anisotropy and forming conditions are analyzed and compared for standard aluminum and magnesium alloys. New aspects for their modification and advanced strategies of alloy design and microstructure to improve material properties are derived

  4. Automotive electronics design fundamentals

    CERN Document Server

    Zaman, Najamuz

    2015-01-01

    This book explains the topology behind automotive electronics architectures and examines how they can be profoundly augmented with embedded controllers. These controllers serve as the core building blocks of today’s vehicle electronics. Rather than simply teaching electrical basics, this unique resource focuses on the fundamental concepts of vehicle electronics architecture, and details the wide variety of Electronic Control Modules (ECMs) that enable the increasingly sophisticated "bells & whistles" of modern designs.  A must-have for automotive design engineers, technicians working in automotive electronics repair centers and students taking automotive electronics courses, this guide bridges the gap between academic instruction and industry practice with clear, concise advice on how to design and optimize automotive electronics with embedded controllers.

  5. Cyclic plastic hinges with degradation effects for frame structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tidemann, Lasse; Krenk, Steen

    2017-01-01

    A model of cyclic plastic hinges in frame structures including degradation effects for stiffness and strength is developed. The model is formulated via potentials in terms of section forces. It consists of a yield surface, described in a generic format permitting representation of general convex...... shapes including corners, and a set of evolution equations based on an internal energy potential and a plastic flow potential. The form of these potentials is specified by five parameters for each generalized stress-strain component describing yield level, ultimate stress capacity, elastic...... and stiffness parameters. The cyclic plastic hinges are introduced into a six-component equilibrium-based beam element, using additive element and hinge flexibilities. When converted to stiffness format the plastic hinges are incorporated into the element stiffness matrix. The cyclic plastic hinge model...

  6. Elastic-plastic creep response of structures under composite time history

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zudans, Z [Franklin Inst. Research Labs., Philadelphia, Pa. (USA)

    1975-12-01

    High temperature nuclear reactor components are subject to a complex history of thermal and mechanical loading cycles. To evaluate the adequacy of such components, detailed information on the accumulated inelastic strains and strain cycling is required. This paper presents the theory, describes efficient numerical techniques accounting for plasticity, creep and overall equilibrium, describes the overall structure of the resulting computer program, and demonstrates the capability of the analysis method on a real three-dimensional structure. The new results of this work are the efficient handling of an arbitrary load history, introduction of the 'plastic stress' concept for inelastic computation, novel implementation of classical plasticity with recognition of incrementation conditions for the kinematic hardening, use of the load incrementation algorithm based on the 'plastic stress' concept, and development of a computer code capable of solving practical three-dimensional problems.

  7. Elastic-plastic creep response of structures under composite time history

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zudans, Z.

    1975-01-01

    High temperature nuclear reactor components are subject to a complex history of thermal and mechanical loading cycles. To evaluate the adequacy of such components, detailed information on the accumulated inelastic strains and strain cycling is required. This paper presents the theory, describes efficient numerical techniques accounting for plasticity, creep and overall equilibrium, describes the overall structure of the resulting computer program, and demonstrates the capability of the analysis method on a real three-dimensional structure. The new results of this work are the efficient handling of an arbitrary load history, introduction of the 'plastic stress' concept for inelastic computation, novel implementation of classical plasticity with recognition of incrementation conditions for the kinematic hardening, use of the load incrementation algorithm based on the 'plastic stress' concept, and development of a computer code capable of solving practical three-dimensional problems. (Auth.)

  8. Learning Structure of Sensory Inputs with Synaptic Plasticity Leads to Interference

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joseph eChrol-Cannon

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Synaptic plasticity is often explored as a form of unsupervised adaptationin cortical microcircuits to learn the structure of complex sensoryinputs and thereby improve performance of classification and prediction. The question of whether the specific structure of the input patterns is encoded in the structure of neural networks has been largely neglected. Existing studies that have analyzed input-specific structural adaptation have used simplified, synthetic inputs in contrast to complex and noisy patterns found in real-world sensory data.In this work, input-specific structural changes are analyzed forthree empirically derived models of plasticity applied to three temporal sensory classification tasks that include complex, real-world visual and auditory data. Two forms of spike-timing dependent plasticity (STDP and the Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro (BCM plasticity rule are used to adapt the recurrent network structure during the training process before performance is tested on the pattern recognition tasks.It is shown that synaptic adaptation is highly sensitive to specific classes of input pattern. However, plasticity does not improve the performance on sensory pattern recognition tasks, partly due to synaptic interference between consecutively presented input samples. The changes in synaptic strength produced by one stimulus are reversed by thepresentation of another, thus largely preventing input-specific synaptic changes from being retained in the structure of the network.To solve the problem of interference, we suggest that models of plasticitybe extended to restrict neural activity and synaptic modification to a subset of the neural circuit, which is increasingly found to be the casein experimental neuroscience.

  9. Characteristics of waste automotive glasses as silica resource in ferrosilicon synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Farzana, Rifat; Rajarao, Ravindra; Sahajwalla, Veena

    2016-02-01

    This fundamental research on end-of-life automotive glasses, which are difficult to recycle, is aimed at understanding the chemical and physical characteristics of waste glasses as a resource of silica to produce ferrosilicon. Laboratory experiments at 1550°C were carried out using different automotive glasses and the results compared with those obtained with pure silica. In situ images of slag-metal separation showed similar behaviour for waste glasses and silica-bearing pellets. Though X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed different slag compositions for glass and silica-bearing pellets, formation of ferrosilicon was confirmed. Synthesized ferrosilicon alloy from waste glasses and silica were compared by Raman, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis. Silicon concentration in the synthesized alloys showed almost 92% silicon recovery from the silica-bearing pellet and 74-92% silicon recoveries from various waste glass pellets. The polyvinyl butyral (PVB) plastic layer in the windshield glass decomposed at low temperature and did not show any detrimental effect on ferrosilicon synthesis. This innovative approach of using waste automotive glasses as a silica source for ferrosilicon production has the potential to create sustainable pathways, which will reduce specialty glass waste in landfill. © The Author(s) 2015.

  10. MEMS for automotive and aerospace applications

    CERN Document Server

    Kraft, Michael

    2013-01-01

    MEMS for automotive and aerospace applications reviews the use of Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS) in developing solutions to the unique challenges presented by the automotive and aerospace industries.Part one explores MEMS for a variety of automotive applications. The role of MEMS in passenger safety and comfort, sensors for automotive vehicle stability control applications and automotive tire pressure monitoring systems are considered, along with pressure and flow sensors for engine management, and RF MEMS for automotive radar sensors. Part two then goes on to explore MEMS for

  11. Shaping inhibition: activity dependent structural plasticity of GABAergic synapses

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen E Flores

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Inhibitory transmission through the neurotransmitter Ɣ-aminobutyric acid (GABA shapes network activity in the mammalian cerebral cortex by filtering synaptic incoming information and dictating the activity of principal cells. The incredibly diverse population of cortical neurons that use GABA as neurotransmitter shows an equally diverse range of mechanisms that regulate changes in the strength of GABAergic synaptic transmission and allow them to dynamically follow and command the activity of neuronal ensembles. Similarly to glutamatergic synaptic transmission, activity-dependent functional changes in inhibitory neurotransmission are accompanied by alterations in GABAergic synapse structure that range from morphological reorganization of postsynaptic density to de novo formation and elimination of inhibitory contacts. Here we review several aspects of structural plasticity of inhibitory synapses, including its induction by different forms of neuronal activity, behavioral and sensory experience and the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways involved. We discuss the functional consequences of GABAergic synapse structural plasticity for information processing and memory formation in view of the heterogenous nature of the structural plasticity phenomena affecting inhibitory synapses impinging on somatic and dendritic compartments of cortical and hippocampal neurons.

  12. MICROALLOYED STEELS FOR THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Debanshu Bhattacharya

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Two major drivers for the use of newer steels in the automotive industry are fuel efficiency and increased safety performance. Fuel efficiency is mainly a function of weight of steel parts, which in turn, is controlled by gauge and design. Safety is determined by the energy absorbing capacity of the steel used to make the part. All of these factors are incentives for the U.S. automakers to use both Highly Formable and Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS to replace the conventional steels used to manufacture automotive parts in the past. AHSS is a general term used to describe various families of steels. The most common AHSS is the dual-phase steel that consists of a ferrite-martensite microstructure. These steels are characterized by high strength, good ductility, low tensile to yield strength ratio and high bake hardenability. Another class of AHSS is the complex-phase or multi-phase steel which has a complex microstructure consisting of various phase constituents and a high yield to tensile strength ratio. Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP steels is another class of AHSS steels finding interest among the U.S. automakers. These steels consist of a ferrite-bainite microstructure with significant amount of retained austenite phase and show the highest combination of strength and elongation, so far, among the AHSS in use. High level of energy absorbing capacity combined with a sustained level of high n value up to the limit of uniform elongation as well as high bake hardenability make these steels particularly attractive for safety critical parts and parts needing complex forming. A relatively new class of AHSS is the Quenching and Partitioning (Q&P steels. These steels seem to offer higher ductility than the dual-phase steels of similar strengths or similar ductility as the TRIP steels at higher strengths. Finally, martensitic steels with very high strengths are also in use for certain parts. The most recent initiative in the area of AHSS

  13. Autonomous Driving – a Challenge for the Automotive Industry

    OpenAIRE

    Bardt, Hubertus

    2017-01-01

    The automotive industry is one of the most important industries in Europe. This industry is responsible for 14% of total production and capital investment in the European manufacturing sector, and in Germany the share amounts to 22%. Structural change within this crucial sector is of relevance for the whole economy. Along with alternative propulsion systems such as electromobility, (semi-)autonomous vehicles are one of the big trends in the automotive industry. For established providers, the ...

  14. Analysis of reconfigurable assembly system framing systems in automotive industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Md Zain Mohamad Zamri

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Current trend in automotive industry shows increasing demand for multiple models with lean production. Prior to that, automotive manufacturing systems evolved from mass production to flexible automation. Material handling systems and equipment in a single assembly line with multiple models require high investment but with low throughput thus making production cost relatively high. Current assembly process of side structure and undercarriage with downtime occurrence during assembly process affecting production performance (quality, cost and delivery. Manufacturing facilities should allow more flexibility and increase intelligence evolving toward novel reconfigurable assembly systems (RAS. RAS is envisaged capable of increasing factor flexibility and responsiveness by incorporating assembly jig, robot and framing, which could be next generation of world class automotive assembly systems. This project research proposes a new methodology of framework reconfigurable assembly systems principles in automotive framing systems i.e. enhance assembly process between side structure assembly and undercarriage assembly which a new RAS is capable to reconfigure the assembly processes of multiple model on a single assembly line. Simulation software (Witness will be used to simulate and validate current and proposed assembly process. RAS is expected to be a solution for rapid change in structure and for a responsively adjustable production capacity. Quality, cost and delivery are production key parameters that can be achieved by implementing RAS.

  15. GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    NICOLETA ISAC

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The automotive sector is characterised by a relatively low trade/salesratio. While the production of most automotive producers in the world is spread over variouscountries in the value chain, the brands are still considered to reflect some national identity.Internationalisation strategies may change over the lifecycle of the product and automakerstend to pursue diametrically opposed strategies. In mature markets, it is about managing whatgoes on beneath a static surface; in emerging markets’ dynamic environments, companies muststrategically position themselves to benefit from growth opportunities. However, without theright strategy and execution in mature markets, it is clear that traditional OEMs cannot profitfrom emerging markets-the persistence of structural issues in mature market operationseventually will rob all but the most resilient competitors of the opportunity to compete inemerging markets.

  16. Structural and Functional Plasticity in the Maternal Brain Circuitry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Mariana

    2016-01-01

    Parenting recruits a distributed network of brain structures (and neuromodulators) that coordinates caregiving responses attuned to the young's affect, needs, and developmental stage. Many of these structures and connections undergo significant structural and functional plasticity, mediated by the interplay between maternal hormones and social…

  17. Psychedelics Promote Structural and Functional Neural Plasticity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ly, Calvin; Greb, Alexandra C; Cameron, Lindsay P; Wong, Jonathan M; Barragan, Eden V; Wilson, Paige C; Burbach, Kyle F; Soltanzadeh Zarandi, Sina; Sood, Alexander; Paddy, Michael R; Duim, Whitney C; Dennis, Megan Y; McAllister, A Kimberley; Ori-McKenney, Kassandra M; Gray, John A; Olson, David E

    2018-06-12

    Atrophy of neurons in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) plays a key role in the pathophysiology of depression and related disorders. The ability to promote both structural and functional plasticity in the PFC has been hypothesized to underlie the fast-acting antidepressant properties of the dissociative anesthetic ketamine. Here, we report that, like ketamine, serotonergic psychedelics are capable of robustly increasing neuritogenesis and/or spinogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. These changes in neuronal structure are accompanied by increased synapse number and function, as measured by fluorescence microscopy and electrophysiology. The structural changes induced by psychedelics appear to result from stimulation of the TrkB, mTOR, and 5-HT2A signaling pathways and could possibly explain the clinical effectiveness of these compounds. Our results underscore the therapeutic potential of psychedelics and, importantly, identify several lead scaffolds for medicinal chemistry efforts focused on developing plasticity-promoting compounds as safe, effective, and fast-acting treatments for depression and related disorders. Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. FISITA 2012 World Automotive Congress

    CERN Document Server

    2013-01-01

    Proceedings of the FISITA 2012 World Automotive Congress are selected from nearly 2,000 papers submitted to the 34th FISITA World Automotive Congress, which is held by Society of Automotive Engineers of China (SAE-China ) and the International Federation of Automotive Engineering Societies (FISITA). This proceedings focus on solutions for sustainable mobility in all areas of passenger car, truck and bus transportation. Volume 8: Vehicle Design and Testing (II) focuses on: •Automotive Reliability Technology •Lightweight Design Technology •Design for Recycling •Dynamic Modeling •Simulation and Experimental Validation •Virtual Design, Testing and Validation •Testing of Components, Systems and Full Vehicle Above all researchers, professional engineers and graduates in fields of automotive engineering, mechanical engineering and electronic engineering will benefit from this book.   SAE-China is a national academic organization composed of enterprises and professionals who focus on research, design a...

  19. Marine microbe with potential to adhere and degrade plastic structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alka Kumari

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Extensive usages of plastics have led to their accumulation as a contaminant in natural environment worldwide. Plastic is an inert and non-biodegradable material, due to its complex structure and hydrophobic backbone [1]. Conventional methods for reduction of plastic waste such as burning, land-filling release unwanted toxic chemicals to the environment and harming living organism of land as well as the ocean. There is growing interest in development of strategies for the degradation of plastic wastes to clean the environment [2]. Marine bacteria have evolved with the capability to adapt and grow in the diverse environmental conditions [3]. We studied the ability of marine bacteria for destabilization and utilization of different plastic films (LDPE, HDPE, PVC and PET as a sole source of carbon. An active bacterial strain AIIW2 was selected based on the triphenyl tetrazolium chloride reduction assay, and it was identified as Bacillus species based on 16S rRNA gene sequence. The viability of the strain over the plastic surface was studied and confirmed by bacLight assay with fluorescent probes. Scanning Electron Microscope and Atomic Force Microscope images suggested that bacterial interaction over the plastic surface is causing deterioration and roughness with increasing bacterial incubation time. In Fourier transform infrared spectra of treated plastic film evidenced stretching of the (-CH alkane rock chain and (-CO carbonyl region, suggested the oxidative activities of the bacteria. The results revealed that ability of bacterial strain for instigating their colonization over plastic films and deteriorating the polymeric structure in the absence of other carbon sources [4]. Moreover, production of extracellular enzymes such as esterase, laccase, and dehalogenase which are reported to support utilization of plastics was confirmed by plate assays. In concise, our results suggested that the marine bacterial strain AIIW2 have the ability to utilize

  20. Extracellular proteolysis in structural and functional plasticity of mossy fiber synapses in hippocampus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grzegorz eWiera

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Brain is continuously altered in response to experience and environmental changes. One of the underlying mechanisms is synaptic plasticity, which is manifested by modification of synapse structure and function. It is becoming clear that regulated extracellular proteolysis plays a pivotal role in the structural and functional remodeling of synapses during brain development, learning and memory formation. Clearly, plasticity mechanisms may substantially differ between projections. Mossy fiber synapses onto CA3 pyramidal cells display several unique functional features, including pronounced short-term facilitation, a presynaptically expressed LTP that is independent of NMDAR activation, and NMDA-dependent metaplasticity. Moreover, structural plasticity at mossy fiber synapses ranges from the reorganization of projection topology after hippocampus-dependent learning, through intrinsically different dynamic properties of synaptic boutons to pre- and postsynaptic structural changes accompanying LTP induction. Although concomitant functional and structural plasticity in this pathway strongly suggests a role of extracellular proteolysis, its impact only starts to be investigated in this projection. In the present report, we review the role of extracellular proteolysis in various aspects of synaptic plasticity in hippocampal mossy fiber synapses. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that among perisynaptic proteases, tPA/plasmin system, β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1 and metalloproteinases play a crucial role in shaping plastic changes in this projection. We discuss recent advances and emerging hypotheses on the roles of proteases in mechanisms underlying mossy fiber target specific synaptic plasticity and memory formation.

  1. Standardized Curriculum for Automotive Mechanics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mississippi State Dept. of Education, Jackson. Office of Vocational, Technical and Adult Education.

    Standardized curricula are provided for two courses for the secondary vocational education program in Mississippi: automotive mechanics I and II. The six units in automotive mechanics I are as follows: orientation and safety; tools, equipment, and manuals; measurement; automotive engines; basic electrical systems; and fuel systems. Automotive…

  2. RECYCLED TEXTILES USED IN AUTOMOTIVE INTERIORS. CASE STUDY- FORD MOTOR COMPANY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    CUC Sunhilde

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available The environmental movement is affecting all industries, but the textile and automotive industries are two of the few that are constantly being criticized. The automotive industry is the subject of much research, it is the largest manufacturing activity, there is a complex supply chain, is resource intensive and emits various hazardous gases and waste products. The article reviews the current state of automotive industry regarding the textile application. Automotive textiles have been classified as belonging to a category called “Mobiltech” which is one of the main streams of technical textiles. The term means all type of textile components e.g. fibers, filaments, yarns and the fabric used in automobiles. They are classed as technical textile because of the very high performance specifications and special properties required, different from those used in clothing and other applications. The performance of the automotive textiles depends on the fibre properties, fabric structures and various finishes used in the manufacturing processes. After a short presentation of used fibres in car interiors, with advantages and disadvantages it is presented the sustainable textile solutions for the automotive industry. The paper focuses in particular of the use of recycling of textile waste to highlight how the processes of recycled textiles and sustainable textiles production are linked in the automotive sector. A case study with Ford Motor Company outlines and examines their design, development and manufacture process for automotive textiles for car seat coverings and interiors

  3. Intellectual Capital and Innovation Performance: Empirical Evidence in the Turkish Automotive Supplier

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Muammer Zerenler

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of intellectual capital of Turkish automotive supplier industry upon their innovation performance. This study showed that three types of intellectual capital – employee capital, structural capital, and customer capital – had a significantly positive relationship with innovation performance. Moreover, the results also indicated that the higher the growth rate of an industry, the stronger were the positive relationships between three types of intellectual capital and innovation performance. Besides, customer capital was the greatest among these three types of intellectual capital in Turkish automotive supplier industry, employee capital was the next, and structural capital was the least. This shows two points; first, Turkish automotive supplier industry emphasized the interactive “relations” with their suppliers, clients, and partners; second, it was imperative for Turkish manufacturing enterprises to develop their structural capital to increase their innovation performance.

  4. Structural Components of Synaptic Plasticity and Memory Consolidation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Craig H.; Kandel, Eric R.; Harris, Kristen M.

    2015-01-01

    Consolidation of implicit memory in the invertebrate Aplysia and explicit memory in the mammalian hippocampus are associated with remodeling and growth of preexisting synapses and the formation of new synapses. Here, we compare and contrast structural components of the synaptic plasticity that underlies these two distinct forms of memory. In both cases, the structural changes involve time-dependent processes. Thus, some modifications are transient and may contribute to early formative stages of long-term memory, whereas others are more stable, longer lasting, and likely to confer persistence to memory storage. In addition, we explore the possibility that trans-synaptic signaling mechanisms governing de novo synapse formation during development can be reused in the adult for the purposes of structural synaptic plasticity and memory storage. Finally, we discuss how these mechanisms set in motion structural rearrangements that prepare a synapse to strengthen the same memory and, perhaps, to allow it to take part in other memories as a basis for understanding how their anatomical representation results in the enhanced expression and storage of memories in the brain. PMID:26134321

  5. Impact analysis of automotive structures with distributed smart material systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peelamedu, Saravanan M.; Naganathan, Ganapathy; Buckley, Stephen J.

    1999-06-01

    New class of automobiles has structural skins that are quite different from their current designs. Particularly, new families of composite skins are developed with new injection molding processes. These skins while support the concept of lighter vehicles of the future, are also susceptible to damage upon impact. It is important that their design should be based on a better understanding on the type of impact loads and the resulting strains and damage. It is possible that these skins can be integrally designed with active materials to counter damages. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of a new class of automotive skins, using piezoceramic as a smart material. The main objective is to consider the complex system with, the skin to be modeled as a layered plate structure involving a lightweight material with foam and active materials imbedded on them. To begin with a cantilever beam structure is subjected to a load through piezoceramic and the resulting strain at the active material site is predicted accounting for the material properties, piezoceramic thickness, adhesive thickness including the effect of adhesives. A finite element analysis is carried out to compare experimental work. Further work in this direction would provide an analytical tool that will provide the basis for algorithms to predict and counter impacts on the future class of automobiles.

  6. Dense-body aggregates as plastic structures supporting tension in smooth muscle cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Jie; Herrera, Ana M; Paré, Peter D; Seow, Chun Y

    2010-11-01

    The wall of hollow organs of vertebrates is a unique structure able to generate active tension and maintain a nearly constant passive stiffness over a large volume range. These properties are predominantly attributable to the smooth muscle cells that line the organ wall. Although smooth muscle is known to possess plasticity (i.e., the ability to adapt to large changes in cell length through structural remodeling of contractile apparatus and cytoskeleton), the detailed structural basis for the plasticity is largely unknown. Dense bodies, one of the most prominent structures in smooth muscle cells, have been regarded as the anchoring sites for actin filaments, similar to the Z-disks in striated muscle. Here, we show that the dense bodies and intermediate filaments formed cable-like structures inside airway smooth muscle cells and were able to adjust the cable length according to cell length and tension. Stretching the muscle cell bundle in the relaxed state caused the cables to straighten, indicating that these intracellular structures were connected to the extracellular matrix and could support passive tension. These plastic structures may be responsible for the ability of smooth muscle to maintain a nearly constant tensile stiffness over a large length range. The finding suggests that the structural plasticity of hollow organs may originate from the dense-body cables within the smooth muscle cells.

  7. Impacts of the manufacturing process using fiberglass reinforced plastic composite on the environment and occupational health: the automotive industry case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cíntia Madureira Orth

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available The production of fiberglass reinforced plastic composite parts may cause serious damages to the health of workers and/or the environment, especially due to the generation of process trimmings, noise level and gas emission.  In view of that, this essay aims at assessing the main impacts of the Molding and Finish processes of an automotive plant on the environment and occupational health. It was observed that the open molding method adopted by the studied plant is the main cause of the generation of residues and that the waste of raw materials as trimmings may reach up to 30%. The final destination of those trimmings, which represent 45% of all the residues generated by the factory, is the industrial landfill. It was also observed that, due to the use of open molds, the levels of styrene and fiber dust were above the tolerance limits, presenting risks to the health of the workers.  Therefore, the studied company should consider the possibility of adopting less aggressive technologies, such as that used in closed molds. The reduction of the negative impacts of the productive processes in their source should be part of the company’s policy. Furthermore, the prevention must be continuous and improved every day.

  8. Automotive Electrical and Electronic System II; Automotive Mechanics-Intermediate: 9045.04.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

    This automotive electrical and electronic system course is an intermediate course designed for the student who has completed automotive Electrical and Electronic System I. The theory and principles of operation of the components of the starting and charging systems and other electrical accessory systems in the automobile will be learned by the…

  9. Prediction of elastic-plastic response of structural elements subjected to cyclic loading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    El Haddad, M.H.; Samaan, S.

    1985-01-01

    A simplified elastic-plastic analysis is developed to predict stress strain and force deformation response of structural metallic elements subjected to irregular cyclic loadings. In this analysis a simple elastic-plastic method for predicting the skeleton force deformation curve is developed. In this method, elastic and fully plastic solutions are first obtained for unknown quantities, such as deflection or local strains. Elastic and fully plastic contributions are then combined to obtain an elastic-plastic solution. The skeleton curve is doubled to establish the shape of the hysteresis loop. The complete force deformation response can therefore be simulated through reversal by reversal in accordance with hysteresis looping and material memory. Several examples of structural elements with various cross sections made from various materials and subjected to irregular cyclic loadings, are analysed. A close agreement is obtained between experimental results found in the literature and present predictions. (orig.)

  10. Wood-plastic composites as promising green-composites for automotive industries!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashori, Alireza

    2008-07-01

    Wood-plastic composite (WPC) is a very promising and sustainable green material to achieve durability without using toxic chemicals. The term WPCs refers to any composites that contain plant fiber and thermosets or thermoplastics. In comparison to other fibrous materials, plant fibers are in general suitable to reinforce plastics due to relative high strength and stiffness, low cost, low density, low CO2 emission, biodegradability and annually renewable. Plant fibers as fillers and reinforcements for polymers are currently the fastest-growing type of polymer additives. Since automakers are aiming to make every part either recyclable or biodegradable, there still seems to be some scope for green-composites based on biodegradable polymers and plant fibers. From a technical point of view, these bio-based composites will enhance mechanical strength and acoustic performance, reduce material weight and fuel consumption, lower production cost, improve passenger safety and shatterproof performance under extreme temperature changes, and improve biodegradability for the auto interior parts.

  11. Automotive Electrical and Electronic Systems I; Automotive Mechanics 2: 9045.03.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

    The automotive electrical and electronic system I course is designed as one of a group of quinmester courses offered in the field of automotive mechanics. General information will be given along with technical knowledge, basic skills, attitudes and values that are required for job entry level. The nine week (135 clock hour) course overcomes some…

  12. Get Your Automotive Program Nationally Certified!

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lundquist, Patricia A.

    2000-01-01

    Automotive programs that nationally certified enhance student recruitment and give students better employment opportunities. Technicians who earn the Automotive Service Excellence credential have joined the ranks of professionals in the automotive service industry. (Author/JOW)

  13. Change management methodologies trained for automotive infotainment projects

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prostean, G.; Volker, S.; Hutanu, A.

    2017-01-01

    An Automotive Electronic Control Units (ECU) development project embedded within a car Environment is constantly under attack of a continuous flow of modifications of specifications throughout the life cycle. Root causes for those modifications are for instance simply software or hardware implementation errors or requirement changes to satisfy the forthcoming demands of the market to ensure the later commercial success. It is unavoidable that from the very beginning until the end of the project “requirement changes” will “expose” the agreed objectives defined by contract specifications, which are product features, budget, schedule and quality. The key discussions will focus upon an automotive radio-navigation (infotainment) unit, which challenges aftermarket devises such as smart phones. This competition stresses especially current used automotive development processes, which are fit into a 4 Year car development (introduction) cycle against a one-year update cycle of a smart phone. The research will focus the investigation of possible impacts of changes during all phases of the project: the Concept-Validation, Development and Debugging-Phase. Building a thorough understanding of prospective threats is of paramount importance in order to establish the adequate project management process to handle requirement changes. Personal automotive development experiences and Literature review of change- and configuration management software development methodologies led the authors to new conceptual models, which integrates into the structure of traditional development models used in automotive projects, more concretely of radio-navigation projects.

  14. Alternative Diesel from Waste Plastics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stella Bezergianni

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available The long term ambition of energy security and solidarity, coupled with the environmental concerns of problematic waste accumulation, is addressed via the proposed waste-to-fuel technology. Plastic waste is converted into automotive diesel fuel via a two-step thermochemical process based on pyrolysis and hydrotreatment. Plastic waste was pyrolyzed in a South East Asia plant rendering pyrolysis oil, which mostly consisted of middle-distillate (naphtha and diesel hydrocarbons. The diesel fraction (170–370 °C was fractionated, and its further upgrade was assessed in a hydroprocessing pilot plant at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH in Greece. The final fuel was evaluated with respect to the diesel fuel quality specifications EN 590, which characterized it as a promising alternative diesel pool component with excellent ignition quality characteristics and low back end volatility.

  15. Analysis of the potential for new automotive uses of wrought magnesium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gaines, L.; Cuenca, R.; Wu, S. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States); Stodolsky, F. [Argonne National Lab., IL (United States)]|[Argonne National Lab., Washington, DC (United States)

    1996-02-01

    The Center for Transportation Research at Argonne National Laboratory has performed a study for the Lightweight Materials Program within the US Department of Energy`s Office of Transportation Materials to evaluate the suitability of wrought magnesium and its alloys to replace steel or aluminum for automotive structural and sheet applications. Vehicle weight reduction is one of the major means available for improving automotive fuel efficiency. Although high-strength steels, Al, and polymers are already being used to achieve significant weight reductions, substantial additional weight reductions could be achieved by increased use of Mg (whose density is less than one-fourth that of steel and only two-thirds that of Al). This study shows that Mg sheet could be used in automotive body nonstructural and semistructural applications, whereas extrusions could be used in such structural applications as spaceframes. The primary barrier to such uses of wrought Mg is high cost.

  16. Cyclic plastic hinges with degradation effects for frame structures

    OpenAIRE

    Tidemann, Lasse; Krenk, Steen

    2017-01-01

    A model of cyclic plastic hinges in frame structures including degradation effects for stiffness and strength is developed. The model is formulated via potentials in terms of section forces. It consists of a yield surface, described in a generic format permitting representation of general convex shapes including corners, and a set of evolution equations based on an internal energy potential and a plastic flow potential. The form of these potentials is specified by five parameters for each gen...

  17. Global plastic models for computerized structural analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roche, R.L.; Hoffmann, A.

    1977-01-01

    In many types of structures, it is possible to use generalized stresses (like membrane forces, bending moment, torsion moment...) to define a yield surface for a part of the structure. Analysis can be achieved by using the HILL's principle and a hardening rule. The whole formulation is said 'Global Plastic Model'. Two different global models are used in the CEASEMT system for structural analysis, one for shell analysis and the other for piping analysis (in plastic or creep field). In shell analysis the generalized stresses chosen are the membrane forces and bending (including torsion) moments. There is only one yield condition for a normal to the middle surface and no integration along the thickness is required. In piping analysis, the choice of generalized stresses is bending moments, torsional moment, hoop stress and tension stress. There is only a set of stresses for a cross section and no integration over the cross section area is needed. Connected strains are axis curvature, torsion, uniform strains. The definition of the yield surface is the most important item. A practical way is to use a diagonal quadratic function of the stress components. But the coefficients are depending of the shape of the pipe element, especially for curved segments. Indications will be given on the yield functions used. Some examples of applications in structural analysis are added to the text

  18. Analyse des structures en sandwich de type panneaux composites renforcés en nanoparticules soumises à un impact mécanique

    OpenAIRE

    RAMAKRISHNAN , Karthik Ram

    2014-01-01

    Sandwich structures are lightweight structures composed of two thin, relatively dense, high strength facesheets that are glued on either side of a thick, low density core, such as foams or honeycombs. Sandwich panels with fibre reinforced plastic skins and core of polymer foam represent an important class of lightweight structural materials in many areas of such as aeronautics and aerospace, automotive and marine structures. However, some of these sandwich structures have very limited energy ...

  19. Plastic

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong Gi Hyeon

    1987-04-01

    This book deals with plastic, which includes introduction for plastic, chemistry of high polymers, polymerization, speciality and structure of a high molecule property of plastic, molding, thermosetting plastic, such as polyethylene, polyether, polyamide and polyvinyl acetyl, thermal plastic like phenolic resins, xylene resins, melamine resin, epoxy resin, alkyd resin and poly urethan resin, new plastic like ionomer and PPS resin, synthetic laminated tape and synthetic wood, mixed materials in plastic, reprocessing of waste plastic, polymer blend, test method for plastic materials and auxiliary materials of plastic.

  20. Nano-crystalline P/M aluminium for automotive applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hummert, K; Schattevoy, R; Broda, M; Knappe, M; Beiss, P; Klubberg, F; Schubert, T H; Leuschner, R

    2009-01-01

    The reduction of total vehicle weight and lowering of moving masses within the engine are key elements to overcome future emission challenges of the automotive industry. Within a German BMBF funded project the melt spinning technology will be driven to a series production status. The very fast cooling condition of the melt leads to a nano-structure of the aluminium material. This results in new material properties of known alloys. The strength increases dramatically without lowered forming behaviour. With this process the freedom of designing complex alloys is very flexible. Different alloys have been investigated for several applications, where high strength at room and elevated temperatures and/or high wear resistance is required. This paper presents some results regarding the processing, microstructure and mechanical properties of a developed Al-Ni-Fe alloy. This joined research project with partners from the automotive industry as well as automotive suppliers and universities is funded by the German BMBF 'NanoMobile' Program under Project number 03X3008.

  1. Automotive History and Development of the Automobile; Automotive Mechanics I: 9043.01.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

    The automotive history and development of the automobile course is designed to familiarize the beginning student with basic concepts common to the automobile history and general information that is required for successful advancement in the automotive mechanics field. A course outline is provided and seven pages of post-tests are included in the…

  2. Filopodia: A Rapid Structural Plasticity Substrate for Fast Learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahmet S. Ozcan

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Formation of new synapses between neurons is an essential mechanism for learning and encoding memories. The vast majority of excitatory synapses occur on dendritic spines, therefore, the growth dynamics of spines is strongly related to the plasticity timescales. Especially in the early stages of the developing brain, there is an abundant number of long, thin and motile protrusions (i.e., filopodia, which develop in timescales of seconds and minutes. Because of their unique morphology and motility, it has been suggested that filopodia can have a dual role in both spinogenesis and environmental sampling of potential axonal partners. I propose that filopodia can lower the threshold and reduce the time to form new dendritic spines and synapses, providing a substrate for fast learning. Based on this proposition, the functional role of filopodia during brain development is discussed in relation to learning and memory. Specifically, it is hypothesized that the postnatal brain starts with a single-stage memory system with filopodia playing a significant role in rapid structural plasticity along with the stability provided by the mushroom-shaped spines. Following the maturation of the hippocampus, this highly-plastic unitary system transitions to a two-stage memory system, which consists of a plastic temporary store and a long-term stable store. In alignment with these architectural changes, it is posited that after brain maturation, filopodia-based structural plasticity will be preserved in specific areas, which are involved in fast learning (e.g., hippocampus in relation to episodic memory. These propositions aim to introduce a unifying framework for a diversity of phenomena in the brain such as synaptogenesis, pruning and memory consolidation.

  3. New polyvinylchloride plasticizers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    MAZITOVA Aliya Karamovna

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available One of the main large-capacity polymers of modern chemical industry is polyvinylchloride (PVC. Polyvinylchloride is characterized by many useful engineering properties – chemical firmness in different environments, good electric properties, etc. It explains immensely various use of materials on the basis of PVC in different engineering industries. It is cable, building, light industries, mechanical engineering and automotive industry where PVC is widely applied. One of the reasons why PVC production is dramatically growing is that there is no yet other polymer which could be subjected to such various modifying as it is done with PVC. However under normal temperature this polymer is fragile and isn't elastic that limits the field of its application. Rapid growth of production of polyvinylchloride is explained by its ability to modify properties, due to introduction of special additives when processing. Introduction of plasticizers – mostlly esters of organic and inorganic acids – into PVC allows significant changing properties of polymer. Plasticizers facilitate process of receiving polymeric composition, increase flexibility and elasticity of the final polymeric product due to internal modification of polymeric molecule.

  4. Secondary-Postsecondary Curriculum Development in Automotive Mechanics. Automotive Electrical Competencies. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoepner, Ronald

    Developed as part of a competency-based curriculum in automotive mechanics which is usable by students at both the secondary and postsecondary levels, this learning package focuses on automotive electrical systems. It is the first unit to be published in a series of eight which will cover the eight subject areas on the national certification…

  5. Action Handbook for Automotive Service Instruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of the U.S., Inc., Detroit, MI.

    The document is a handbook for a vocational automotive service education program which was formulated as a result of a four-day series of intensive workshops called the National Automotive Service Vocational Education Conference. The handbook discusses the major components of an automotive service vocational education program and aspects of their…

  6. Automotive websites

    CERN Document Server

    Jensen, Todd A

    2006-01-01

    For anyone buying a new car, restoring an old favorite, collecting license plates or looking for motorsports information, the internet is the place to go and this is the book to help you get there. Now with over 650 internet addresses, this expanded and updated guide provides detailed descriptions and reviews of the biggest, best and most interesting automotive websites on the net. Beginning with a brief internet history and helpful hints, it aids the novice (or not so novice) user in picking through the countless automotive sites on the internet. Websites are arranged by topics such as afterm

  7. Online Reputation in Automotive

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vodák Josef

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper deals with the issue of online reputation, namely the social networking profile of businesses. Selected companies in the automotive industry through social profiles communicate with their customers, the public and they trying to improve their name and the name of their products in the public eye. Online reputation analysis was carried out to determine the current situation on the territory of Slovakia. On the basis of the data found, measures were proposed to improve the current state and reputation of automotive companies. Recommendations suggested by the findings can be used on any market to improve the current state and increase the competitiveness of automotive companies.

  8. Micro-Structural Evolution and Size-Effects in Plastically Deformed Single Crystals: Strain Gradient Continuum Modeling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    El-Naaman, Salim Abdallah

    the macroscopic effects related to strain gradients, most predict smooth micro-structures. The evolution of dislocation micro-structures, during plastic straining of ductile crystalline materials, is highly complex and nonuniform. Published experimental measurements on deformed metal crystals show distinct......An extensive amount of research has been devoted to the development of micro-mechanics based gradient plasticity continuum theories, which are necessary for modeling micron-scale plasticity when large spatial gradients of plastic strain appear. While many models have proven successful in capturing...... strain. It is clear that many challenges are associated with modeling dislocation structures, within a framework based on continuum fields, however, since the strain gradient effects are attributed to the dislocation micro-structure, it is a natural step, in the further development of gradient theories...

  9. Automotive Technology Skill Standards

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrett, Tom; Asay, Don; Evans, Richard; Barbie, Bill; Herdener, John; Teague, Todd; Allen, Scott; Benshoof, James

    2009-01-01

    The standards in this document are for Automotive Technology programs and are designed to clearly state what the student should know and be able to do upon completion of an advanced high-school automotive program. Minimally, the student will complete a three-year program to achieve all standards. Although these exit-level standards are designed…

  10. Bond graph modeling and simulation of impact dynamics of an automotive crash

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khurshid, A.; Malik, M.A.

    2007-01-01

    With increase in the speeds of automotives, safety has become more and more important aspect of designers to care for. Thus, it is necessary to design the automobile body structure keeping in view all the safety requirements. As a result of the above-mentioned facts, in the recent years, the designers in making automotives more safe, more collision resistant and crash worthy have focused increased attention on designing automotives, which provides greater protection for the drivers and the passengers in case of an accident. Before a new model is launched into the market, a complete collision analysis is carried out to check the damage reduction capabilities and impact protection of automotives in case of an accident. Research in the field of automotive collision and impact analysis is a continuing activity and dedicated groups of engineers are devoting their full time and efforts for this. In this research work, the main attention is focused to provide a detailed knowledge about automotive collision analysis. The objective of this research paper is to develop an understanding of the automotive collision response. For this, we have done a simulation experiment in which, on a railroad, a train car is separated from a train and is moving towards two stationary train cars. By using a bond graph model of the system its state-space equations are found. Then by using software, the simulation is carried out. The bond graph method is a graphical presentation of the power flow using bonds. (author)

  11. [Independence in Plastic Surgery - Benefit or Barrier? Analysis of the Publication Performance in Academic Plastic Surgery Depending on Varying Organisational Structures].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schubert, C D; Leitsch, S; Haertnagl, F; Haas, E M; Giunta, R E

    2015-08-01

    Despite its recognition as an independent specialty, at German university hospitals the field of plastic surgery is still underrepresented in terms of independent departments with a dedicated research focus. The aim of this study was to analyse the publication performance within the German academic plastic surgery environment and to compare independent departments and dependent, subordinate organisational structures regarding their publication performance. Organisational structures and number of attending doctors in German university hospitals were examined via a website analysis. A pubmed analysis was applied to assess the publication performance (number of publications, cumulative impact factor, impact factor/publication, number of publications/MD, number of publications/unit) between 2009 and 2013. In a journal analysis the distribution of the cumulative impact factor and number of publications in different journals as well as the development of the impact factor in the top journals were analysed. Out of all 35 university hospitals there exist 12 independent departments for plastic surgery and 8 subordinate organisational structures. In 15 university hospitals there were no designated plastic surgery units. The number of attending doctors differed considerably between independent departments (3.6 attending doctors/unit) and subordinate organisational structures (1.1 attending doctors/unit). The majority of publications (89.0%) and of the cumulative impact factor (91.2%) as well as most of the publications/MD (54 publications/year) and publications/unit (61 publications/year) were created within the independent departments. Only in departments top publications with an impact factor > 5 were published. In general a negative trend regarding the number of publications (- 13.4%) and cumulative impact factor (- 28.9%) was observed. 58.4% of all publications were distributed over the top 10 journals. Within the latter the majority of articles were published in

  12. Investigation on Stress-Rupture Behavior of a Chopped-Glass-Fiber Composite for Automotive Durability Design Criteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, W

    2001-08-24

    Practical and inexpensive testing methods were developed to investigate stress-rupture properties of a polymeric composite with chopped glass fiber reinforcement for automotive applications. The material was tested in representative automotive environments to generate experimental data. The results indicate that environments have substantial effects on the stress-rupture behavior. The data were analyzed and developed into stress-rupture design criteria to address one of the durability aspects of the material for automotive structural applications.

  13. An Elderly Employment Model For The Thai Automotive Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pornrat Sadangharn

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This research aims at studying an elderly employment model for the Thai automotive industry. Mixed methods with a sequential exploratory strategy were utilized. Grounded theory was employed by using in-depth interviews to investigate the characteristics of elderly employment in the Thai automotive industry. For this stage of the research, theoretical and purposive sampling was used to select 32 key informants from four groups of stakeholders: (1 elderly workers, (2 employers or human resource managers, (3 government officers, and (4 academics. The findings were then validated using a quantitative approach with structural equation modelling (SEM. A total of 308 elderly workers and human resource managers were surveyed regarding their opinion about elderly employment. Based on the survey, the elderly employment model in the Thai automotive industry, which is comprised of the approach to elderly employment, elderly employment preparation, and key success factors for elderly employment, was revealed to be a good fit. 

  14. Formation of disorientations in dislocation structures during plastic deformation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pantleon, W.

    2002-01-01

    Disorientations developing during plastic deformation in dislocation structures are investigated. Based on expected mechanisms for the formation of different types of dislocation boundaries (statistical trapping of dislocations or differently activated slip systems) the formation of the disorient...

  15. Significance of Objective Structured Clinical Examinations to Plastic Surgery Residency Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Simmons, Brian J; Zoghbi, Yasmina; Askari, Morad; Birnbach, David J; Shekhter, Ilya; Thaller, Seth R

    2017-09-01

    Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) have proven to be a powerful tool. They possess more than a 30-year track record in assessing the competency of medical students, residents, and fellows. Objective structured clinical examinations have been used successfully in a variety of medical specialties, including surgery. They have recently found their way into the subspecialty of plastic surgery. This article uses a systematic review of the available literature on OSCEs and their recent use in plastic surgery. It incorporates survey results assessing program directors' views on the use of OSCEs. Approximately 40% of programs surveyed use OSCEs to assess the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies. We found that 40% use OSCEs to evaluate specific plastic surgery milestones. Objective structured clinical examinations are usually performed annually. They cost anywhere between $100 and more than $1000 per resident. Four milestones giving residents the most difficulties on OSCEs were congenital anomalies, noncancer breast surgery, breast reconstruction, and practice-based learning and improvement. It was determined that challenges with milestones were due to lack of adequate general knowledge and surgical ward patient care, as well as deficits in professionalism and system-based problems. Programs were able to remediate weakness found by OSCEs using a variety of methods. Objective structured clinical examinations offer a unique tool to objectively assess the proficiency of residents in key areas of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies. In addition, they can be used to assess the specific milestones that plastic surgery residents must meet. This allows programs to identify and improve identified areas of weakness.

  16. Applications Of Laser Processing For Automotive Manufacturing In Japan

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ito, Masashi; Ueda, Katsuhiko; Takagi, Soya

    1986-11-01

    Recently in Japan, laser processing is increasingly being employed for production, so that laser cutting, laser welding and other laser material processing have begun to be used in various industries. As a result, the number of lasers sold has been increasing year by year in Japan. In the Japanese automotive industry, a number applications have been introduced in laboratories and production lines. In this paper, several current instances of such laser applications will be introduced. In the case of welding, studies have been conducted on applying laser welding to automatic transmission components, in place of electron beam welding. Another example of application, the combination of lasers and robots to form highly flexible manufacturing systems, has been adopted for trimming steel panel and plastic components.

  17. Propelling plastics into the circular economy - weeding out the toxics first.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leslie, H A; Leonards, P E G; Brandsma, S H; de Boer, J; Jonkers, N

    2016-09-01

    The Stockholm Convention bans toxic chemicals on its persistent organic pollutants (POPs) list in order to promote cleaner production and prevent POPs accumulation in the global environment. The original 'dirty dozen' set of POPs has been expanded to include some of the brominated diphenyl ether flame retardants (POP-BDEs). In addition to cleaner production, there is an urgent need for increased resource efficiency to address the finite amount of raw materials on Earth. Recycling plastic enhances resource efficiency and is part of the circular economy approach, but how clean are the materials we are recycling? With the help of a new screening method and detailed analyses, we set out to investigate where these largely obsolete BDEs were showing up in Dutch automotive and electronics waste streams, calculate mass flows and determine to what extent they are entering the new product chains. Our study revealed that banned BDEs and other toxic flame retardants are found at high concentrations in certain plastic materials destined for recycling markets. They were also found in a variety of new consumer products, including children's toys. A mass flow analysis showed that 22% of all the POP-BDE in waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) is expected to end up in recycled plastics because these toxic, bioaccumulative and persistent substances are currently not effectively separated out of plastic waste streams. In the automotive sector, this is 14%, while an additional 19% is expected to end up in second-hand parts (reuse). These results raise the issue of delicate trade-offs between consumer safety/cleaner production and resource efficiency. As petroleum intensive materials, plastic products ought to be repaired, reused, remanufactured and recycled, making good use of the 'inner circles' of the circular economy. Keeping hazardous substances - whether they are well known POPs or emerging contaminants - out of products and plastic waste streams could make these

  18. Process combinations for the manufacturing of metal-plastic hybrid parts

    OpenAIRE

    Drossel, Welf-Guntram; Lies, Carsten; Albert, André; Haase, Rico; Müller, Roland; Scholz, Peter

    2016-01-01

    The usage of innovative lightweight materials and processing technologies gains importance in manifold industrial scopes. Especially for moving parts and mobility products the weight is decisively. The aerospace and automotive industries use light and high-strength materials to reduce weight and energy consumption and thereby improve the performance of their products. Composites with reinforced plastics are of particular importance. They offer a low density in combination with high specific s...

  19. Simulation of Stamping Process of Automotive Panel Considering Die Deformation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Keum, Y.T.; Ahn, I.H.; Lee, I.K.; Song, M.H.; Kwon, S.O.; Park, J.S.

    2005-01-01

    In order to see the effect of die deformation on the forming of sheet metals, the draw-ins, strains, and spring-backs of an automotive fender panels are numerically simulated considering the die deformation, which is found by the simultaneous structural analysis of press and dies. By coupling the forming analysis and the structural analysis, the die deformation is simultaneously taken into account in the forming process. Furthermore, for the consideration of load difference transferred among the upper die, punch, and blank holder due to the changes in sheet thickness, the gap elements are employed instead of the blank sheet in the structural analysis. The numerical simulation results of an automotive fender draw panel are compared with the measurements. The comparison of the forming and spring-back analysis results between the rigid die and the deformed die shows that the deformed tool provides more accurate forming and spring-back prediction

  20. Structural defects in natural plastically deformed diamonds: Evidence from EPR spectroscopy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mineeva, R. M.; Titkov, S. V.; Speransky, A. V.

    2009-06-01

    Structural defects formed as a result of plastic deformation in natural diamond crystals have been studied by EPR spectroscopy. The spectra of brown, pink-brown, black-brown, pink-purple, and gray plastically deformed diamonds of type Ia from deposits in Yakutia and the Urals were recorded. The results of EPR spectroscopy allowed us to identify various deformation centers in the structure of natural diamonds and to show that nitrogen centers were transformed under epigenetic mechanical loading. Abundant A centers, consisting of two isomorphic nitrogen atoms located in neighboring structural sites, were destroyed as a result of this process to form a series of N1, N4, W7, M2, and M3 nitrogen centers. Such centers are characterized by an anisotropic spatial distribution and a positive charge, related to the mechanism of their formation. In addition, N2 centers (probably, deformation-produced dislocations decorated by nitrogen) were formed in all plastically deformed diamonds and W10 and W35 centers (the models have not been finally ascertained) were formed in some of them. It has been established that diamonds with various types of deformation-induced color contain characteristic associations of these deformation centers. The diversity of associations of deformation centers indicates appreciable variations in conditions of disintegration of deep-seated rocks, transfer of diamonds to the Earth’s surface, and formation of kimberlitic deposits. Depending on the conditions of mechanical loading, the diamond crystals were plastically deformed by either dislocation gliding or mechanical twinning. Characteristic features of plastic deformation by dislocation gliding are the substantial prevalence of the N2 centers over other deformation centers and the occurrence of the high-spin W10 and W35 centers. The attributes of less frequent plastic deformation by mechanical twinning are unusual localization of the M2 centers and, in some cases, the N1 centers in microtwinned

  1. Hydrogen as automotive fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ambrosini, G.; Ciancia, A.; Pede, G.; Brighigna, M.

    1993-01-01

    Hydrogen fueled vehicles may just be the answer to the air pollution problem in highly polluted urban environments where the innovative vehicle's air pollution abatement characteristics would justify its high operating costs as compared with those of conventional automotive alternatives. This paper examines the feasibility of hydrogen as an automotive fuel by analyzing the following aspects: the chemical-physical properties of hydrogen in relation to its use in internal combustion engines; the modifications necessary to adapt internal combustion engines to hydrogen use; hydrogen fuel injection systems; current production technologies and commercialization status of hydrogen automotive fuels; energy efficiency ratings; environmental impacts; in-vehicle storage systems - involving the use of hydrides, high pressure systems and liquid hydrogen storage systems; performance in terms of pay-load ratio; autonomous operation; and operating costs. With reference to recent trial results being obtained in the USA, an assessment is also made of the feasibility of the use of methane-hydrogen mixtures as automotive fuels. The paper concludes with a review of progress being made by ENEA (the Italian Agency for New Technology, Energy and the Environment) in the development of fuel storage and electronic fuel injection systems for hydrogen powered vehicles

  2. Advances in aluminium alloy products for structural applications in transportation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Staley, J.T.; Lege, D.J.

    1993-01-01

    This paper describes the needs of the aviation and automotive markets for structural materials and presents examples of developments of aluminum alloy products to fill these needs. Designers of aircraft desire materials which will allow them to design lightweight, cost-effective structures which have the performance characteristics of durability and damage tolerance. Their needs are being met by new and emerging materials varying from Al-Li alloys for thick structure, high-strength plate and extrusions for wings, and new monolithic and aluminum-fiber laminates for fuselages. Increase in fuel economy because of lighter weight structure is the driving force for aluminum alloys in the automotive market, and cost is extremely important. Mechanical properties for automotive use also depend on the application, and corrosion resistance must be adequate. For ''hang-on'' components such as fenders and hoods, formability is typically the limiting mechanical property. Strength must be adequate to resist denting at a thickness which offers cost-effective weight savings over steel. Because formability often decreases with increasing yield strength, alloys which are highly formable in the T4 temper and which age harden during the paint bake operation were developed. Alloys such as 6009 and 6010 are now being challenged by 2008, 6111 and 6016. Body structure components must be made from materials which absorb energy and fail gracefully during a crash. Such components for an automotive space frame are being die cast from an Al-Si-Mg alloy. These ductile die castings are joined to thin 6XXX extrusions which must combine formability, strength, ductility and the ability to deform plastically on impact. Bumpers must combine strength and adequate formability; in the event that current alloys are inadequate for future needs, a new 7XXX alloy offers an improved combination of properties. (orig.)

  3. Reliability in automotive ethernet networks

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Soares, Fabio L.; Campelo, Divanilson R.; Yan, Ying

    2015-01-01

    This paper provides an overview of in-vehicle communication networks and addresses the challenges of providing reliability in automotive Ethernet in particular.......This paper provides an overview of in-vehicle communication networks and addresses the challenges of providing reliability in automotive Ethernet in particular....

  4. Challenges and opportunities of biodegradable plastics: A mini review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rujnić-Sokele, Maja; Pilipović, Ana

    2017-02-01

    The concept of materials coming from nature with environmental advantages of being biodegradable and/or biobased (often referred to as bioplastics) is very attractive to the industry and to the consumers. Bioplastics already play an important role in the fields of packaging, agriculture, gastronomy, consumer electronics and automotive, but still they have a very low share in the total production of plastics (currently about 1% of the about 300 million tonnes of plastic produced annually). Biodegradable plastics are often perceived as the possible solution for the waste problem, but biodegradability is just an additional feature of the material to be exploited at the end of its life in specific terms, in the specific disposal environment and in a specific time, which is often forgotten. They should be used as a favoured choice for the applications that demand a cheap way to dispose of the item after it has fulfilled its job (e.g. for food packaging, agriculture or medical products). The mini-review presents the opportunities and future challenges of biodegradable plastics, regarding processing, properties and waste management options.

  5. Modularity analysis of automotive control software

    OpenAIRE

    Dajsuren, Y.; Brand, van den, M.G.J.; Serebrenik, A.

    2013-01-01

    A design language and tool like MATLAB/Simulink is used for the graphical modelling and simulation of automotive control software. As the functionality based on electronics and software systems increases in motor vehicles, it is becoming increasingly important for system/software architects and control engineers in the automotive industry to ensure the quality of the highly complex MATLAB/Simulink control software. For automotive software, modularity is recognized as being a crucial quality a...

  6. Investigation on Stress-Rupture Behavior of a Chopped-Glass-Fiber Composite for Automotive Durability Design Criteria; FINAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren, W

    2001-01-01

    Practical and inexpensive testing methods were developed to investigate stress-rupture properties of a polymeric composite with chopped glass fiber reinforcement for automotive applications. The material was tested in representative automotive environments to generate experimental data. The results indicate that environments have substantial effects on the stress-rupture behavior. The data were analyzed and developed into stress-rupture design criteria to address one of the durability aspects of the material for automotive structural applications

  7. International Congress of Automotive and Transport Engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Ispas, Nicolae

    2017-01-01

    The volume will include selected and reviewed papers from CONAT - International Congress of Automotive and Transport Engineering to be held in Brasov, Romania, in October 2016. Authors are experts from research, industry and universities coming from 14 countries worldwide. The papers are covering the latest developments in automotive vehicles and environment, advanced transport systems and road traffic, heavy and special vehicles, new materials, manufacturing technologies and logistics, accident research and analysis and innovative solutions for automotive vehicles. The conference will be organized by SIAR (Society of Automotive Engineers from Romania) in cooperation with FISITA. .

  8. A structured and systematic model-based development method for automotive systems, considering the OEM/supplier interface

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beckers, Kristian; Côté, Isabelle; Frese, Thomas; Hatebur, Denis; Heisel, Maritta

    2017-01-01

    The released ISO 26262 standard for automotive systems requires to create a hazard analysis and risk assessment and to create safety goals, to break down these safety goals into functional safety requirements in the functional safety concept, to specify technical safety requirements in the safety requirements specification, and to perform several validation and verification activities. Experience shows that the definition of technical safety requirements and the planning and execution of validation and verification activities has to be done jointly by OEMs and suppliers. In this paper, we present a structured and model-based safety development approach for automotive systems. The different steps are based on Jackson's requirement engineering. The elements are represented by UML notation extended with stereotypes. The UML model enables a rigorous validation of several constraints. We make use of the results of previously published work to be able to focus on the OEM/supplier interface. We illustrate our method using a three-wheeled-tilting control system (3WTC) as running example and case study. - Highlights: • Break down functional safety requirements into technical safety requirements. • Perform a hardware metric breakdown. • Ensure completeness of the requirements by using tables with predefined cells. • Define the interface to the suppliers and address functional safety.

  9. Automotive fuels - environmental and health implications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lucas, A.G.

    1992-01-01

    This document covers papers presented to the Institute of Petroleum's conference ''Automotive Fuels: Environmental and Health Implications'' held on the 9th October 1991. This wide ranging title meant that topics covered included the biochemistry, pathology and epidemiology of automotive fuel use, combustion science, environmental chemistry and atmospheric modelling. Also discussed are the technology of fuel and engine manufacture, limiting and containing emissions and social and political aspects relating to the use of automotive fuels. (UK)

  10. The stretch zone of automotive steel sheets

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The stretch zone of automotive steel sheets. L' AMBRIŠKO1,∗ and L PEŠEK2. 1Institute of Structural Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering,. Technical University of Košice, Vysokoškolská 4, 042 00 Košice, Slovak Republic. 2Department of Materials Science, Faculty of Metallurgy,. Technical University of Košice, Letná 9, ...

  11. Automotive fuels from biomass via gasification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhang, Wennan

    2010-01-01

    There exists already a market of bio-automotive fuels i.e. bioethanol and biodiesel produced from food crops in many countries. From the viewpoint of economics, environment, land use, water use and chemical fertilizer use, however, there is a strong preference for the use of woody biomass and various forest/agricultural residues as the feedstock. Thus, the production of 2nd generation of bio-automotive fuels i.e. synthetic fuels such as methanol, ethanol, DME, FT-diesel, SNG and hydrogen through biomass gasification seems promising. The technology of producing synthetic fuels is well established based on fossil fuels. For biomass, however, it is fairly new and the technology is under development. Starting from the present market of the 1st generation bio-automotive fuels, this paper is trying to review the technology development of the 2nd generation bio-automotive fuels from syngas platform. The production of syngas is emphasized which suggests appropriate gasifier design for a high quality syngas production. A number of bio-automotive fuel demonstration plant will be presented, which gives the state of the art in the development of BTS (biomass to synthetic fuels) technologies. It can be concluded that the 2nd generation bio-automotive fuels are on the way to a breakthrough in the transport markets of industrial countries especially for those countries with a strong forest industry. (author)

  12. The conversion of waste plastics/petroleum residue mixtures to transportation fuels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ali, M.F.; Siddiqui, M.N.

    2005-01-01

    Plastics have become the material of choice in the modern world and its applications in the industrial field are continually increasing. Presently the plastics are manufactured for various uses such as: consumer packaging, wires, pipes, containers, bottles, appliances, electrical/electronic parts, computers and automotive parts. Most of he post consumer, plastic products are discarded and end up as mixed plastic municipal waste. The disposal of his waste has become a major social concern. Mixed plastic waste (MPW) recycling is still very much in its infancy. Approximately 20 million tons of plastic waste is generated in the United States of America, while about 15 million tons is generated throughout the Europe. With existing recycle efforts, only 7% of the MPW are recycled to produce low-grade plastic products such as plastic sacks, pipes, plastic fencing, and garden furniture. The current plastic reclamation technology options are generally grouped into the following four types: (i) Primary: The processing of plastic for use comparable to the original application. (ii) Secondary: The processing of plastics waste into new products with a lower quality level. (iii) Tertiary: The chemical or thermal processing of plastic waste to their basic hydrocarbon feedstock. The resulting raw materials are then reprocessed into plastic material or other products of the oil refining process. (iv) Quaternary: The incineration of plastics waste to recover energy. This paper deals exclusively with tertiary recycling by pyrolysis and catalytic cracking of plastics waste alone and by coprocessing with petroleum residue or heavy oils to fuels and petrochemical feedstock for further processing in existing refinery and petrochemical units. (author)

  13. Review of Special Standards in Quality Management Systems Audits in Automotive Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Šurinová, Yulia

    2013-12-01

    Quality management systems (QMS) in automotive industry generally have several differences in comparison with other industrial branches. Different customers have their own specific requirements, including requirements for quality audits. Audits are one of the coretools of quality management to make the PDCA (Plan - Do - Check - Act) cycle work. As a matter of fact, compliance with ISO/TS 16949:2009 requirements is a condition for supplying the automotive industry. However, there are some standards which co-exist together with the ISO 9001 based management systems and technical specification for QMS in automotive ISO/TS16949. Which are those specific standards in automotive industry and what standard to use and why - those are the questions to be answered in this paper. The aim of the paper is to review what standards are used for audits implementation in automotive industry in the Slovak Republic, and why the organizations keep following those "extra" standards even if certification for ISO/TS 16949 is required by all the car makers. The paper is structured as follows: after short introduction to the topic and related terms, presented is our methodology. . In the third section, the achieved results are discussed. And finally, the principal findings of the paper, limitations and conclusions are presented.

  14. Structural Analysis of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Plastic Wind Turbine Blade

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mengal Ali Nawaz

    2014-07-01

    Full Text Available In this study, Basalt fiber reinforced plastic (BFRP wind turbine blade was analyzed and compared with Glass fiber reinforced plastic blade (GFRP. Finite element analysis (FEA of blade was carried out using ANSYS. Data for FEA was obtained by using rule of mixture. The shell element in ANSYS was used to simulate the wind turbine blade and to conduct its strength analysis. The structural analysis and comparison of blade deformations proved that BFRP wind turbine blade has better strength compared to GFRP wind turbine blade.

  15. Future trends in metal forming—equipment, materials and processes in automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hitz, D.; Duggirala, R.

    1995-10-01

    Global competition in the automotive market has made a significant impact in the materials, processes, tools, and equipment used to make components. Steels are being replaced by other materials, such as aluminum, composites, and plastics, that meet the demand for a higher performance per weight ratio. From a processing viewpoint, the customers demand production of parts to near-net shape with little or no machining. Competition in business depends on understanding the needs of the customer in the coming years in the area of metal forming. A workshop was conducted using a novel approach to address the above issue. This presentation describes the approach and the results of the study.

  16. Hard coatings by plasma CVD on polycarbonate for automotive and optical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schmauder, T.; Nauenburg, K.-D.; Kruse, K.; Ickes, G.

    2006-01-01

    In many applications, plastic surfaces need coatings as a protection against abrasion or weathering. Leybold Optics is developing Plasma CVD processes and machinery for transparent hard coatings (THC) for polycarbonate parts. In this paper we present the current features and remaining challenges of this technique. The coatings generally show excellent adhesion. Abrasion resistance is superior to commonly used lacquers. Climate durability of the coating has been improved to pass the tests demanded by automotive specifications. Current activities are focused on improving the durability under exposure to UV radiation. Estimations show that our high-rate plasma CVD hard coating process is also economically competitive to lacquering

  17. Automotive Fuel and Exhaust Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Irby, James F.; And Others

    Materials are provided for a 14-hour course designed to introduce the automotive mechanic to the basic operations of automotive fuel and exhaust systems incorporated on military vehicles. The four study units cover characteristics of fuels, gasoline fuel system, diesel fuel systems, and exhaust system. Each study unit begins with a general…

  18. Automotive NVH technology

    CERN Document Server

    Nijman, Eugenius; Priebsch, Hans-Herwig

    2016-01-01

    This book presents seven chapters examining selected noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) topics that are highly relevant for automotive vehicle development. These include applications following the major trends toward increased passenger comfort, vehicle electrification and lightweight design. The authors of the seven chapters, all of which are experts from the automotive industry and academia, present the foremost challenges and potential solutions in this demanding field. Among others, applications for sound optimization in downsized engines, noise optimization in electric powertrains, weight reduction options for exhaust systems, porous materials description, and the vibro-acoustic analysis of geared systems are discussed.

  19. Review of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment and Potential for Its Adoption at an Automotive Company

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Tarne

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to guide the next steps of a PhD thesis through a structured review of the state of the art and implementation of Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA, and to identify challenges and potentials for its adoption at an automotive company. First, the structured literature review was conducted on LCSA to screen the current methodological and practical implementations and to identify the main research needs in the field. Second, a research on the current status of LCSA within the automotive industry was carried out by means of investigation of published sources of 15 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM. By combining the results of both steps and consulting with decision makers, the challenges and potential for adopting LCSA at an automotive company were identified. The main challenges for adoption of LCSA were found to be: (1 the consistent execution of the three life cycle based assessment methods; (2 the comparatively low maturity of Social Life Cycle Assessment (S-LCA; and (3 the adequate presentation and interpretation of results. Next steps towards implementation would be a case study to gather experience on the combined execution of the three life cycle based assessments at an automotive company. Furthermore, it should be determined what the needs of decision makers at an automotive company are regarding the aggregation and interpretation of environmental, social, and economic impacts.

  20. Plastic Muscles TM as lightweight, low voltage actuators and sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bennett, Matthew; Leo, Donald; Duncan, Andrew

    2008-03-01

    Using proprietary technology, Discover Technologies has developed ionomeric polymer transducers that are capable of long-term operation in air. These "Plastic Muscle TM" transducers are useful as soft distributed actuators and sensors and have a wide range of applications in the aerospace, robotics, automotive, electronics, and biomedical industries. Discover Technologies is developing novel fabrication methods that allow the Plastic Muscles TM to be manufactured on a commercial scale. The Plastic Muscle TM transducers are capable of generating more than 0.5% bending strain at a peak strain rate of over 0.1 %/s with a 3 V input. Because the Plastic Muscles TM use an ionic liquid as a replacement solvent for water, they are able to operate in air for long periods of time. Also, the Plastic Muscles TM do not exhibit the characteristic "back relaxation" phenomenon that is common in water-swollen devices. The elastic modulus of the Plastic Muscle TM transducers is estimated to be 200 MPa and the maximum generated stress is estimated to be 1 MPa. Based on these values, the maximum blocked force at the tip of a 6 mm wide, 35 mm long actuator is estimated to be 19 mN. Modeling of the step response with an exponential series reveals nonlinearity in the transducers' behavior.

  1. Design and Optimization of Composite Automotive Hatchback Using Integrated Material-Structure-Process-Performance Method

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Xudong; Sun, Lingyu; Zhang, Cheng; Li, Lijun; Dai, Zongmiao; Xiong, Zhenkai

    2018-03-01

    The application of polymer composites as a substitution of metal is an effective approach to reduce vehicle weight. However, the final performance of composite structures is determined not only by the material types, structural designs and manufacturing process, but also by their mutual restrict. Hence, an integrated "material-structure-process-performance" method is proposed for the conceptual and detail design of composite components. The material selection is based on the principle of composite mechanics such as rule of mixture for laminate. The design of component geometry, dimension and stacking sequence is determined by parametric modeling and size optimization. The selection of process parameters are based on multi-physical field simulation. The stiffness and modal constraint conditions were obtained from the numerical analysis of metal benchmark under typical load conditions. The optimal design was found by multi-discipline optimization. Finally, the proposed method was validated by an application case of automotive hatchback using carbon fiber reinforced polymer. Compared with the metal benchmark, the weight of composite one reduces 38.8%, simultaneously, its torsion and bending stiffness increases 3.75% and 33.23%, respectively, and the first frequency also increases 44.78%.

  2. Plasticity theory

    CERN Document Server

    Lubliner, Jacob

    2008-01-01

    The aim of Plasticity Theory is to provide a comprehensive introduction to the contemporary state of knowledge in basic plasticity theory and to its applications. It treats several areas not commonly found between the covers of a single book: the physics of plasticity, constitutive theory, dynamic plasticity, large-deformation plasticity, and numerical methods, in addition to a representative survey of problems treated by classical methods, such as elastic-plastic problems, plane plastic flow, and limit analysis; the problem discussed come from areas of interest to mechanical, structural, and

  3. Rare earth metals for automotive exhaust catalysts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shinjoh, Hirohumi

    2006-01-01

    The usage of rare earth metals for automotive exhaust catalysts is demonstrated in this paper. Rare earth metals have been widely used in automotive catalysts. In particular, three-way catalysts require the use of ceria compounds as oxygen storage materials, and lanthana as both a stabilizer of alumina and a promoter. The application for diesel catalysts is also illustrated. Effects of inclusion of rare earth metals in automotive catalysts are discussed

  4. A study of fatigue life prediction for automotive spot weldment using local strain approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Song In; Yu, Hyo Sun; Na, Sung Hun; Na, Eui Gyun

    2000-01-01

    The fatigue crack initiation life is studied on automotive spot weldment made from cold rolled carbon steel(SPC) sheet by using DCPDM and local strain approach. It can be found that the fatigue crack initiation behavior in spot weldment can be definitely detected by DCPDM system. The local stresses and strains are estimated by elastic-plastic FEM analysis and the alternative approximate method based on Neuber's rule were applied to predict the fatigue life of spot weldment. A satisfactory correlation between the predicted life and experimental life can be found in spot weldment within a factor of 4

  5. Lifetime Reliability Estimate and Extreme Permanent Deformations of Randomly Excited Elasto-Plastic Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Søren R.K.; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard; Thoft-Christensen, Palle

    1983-01-01

    plastic deformation during several loadings can be modelled as a filtered Poisson process. Using the Markov property of this quantity the considered first-passage problem as well as the related extreme distribution problems are then solved numerically, and the results are compared to simulation studies.......A method is presented for life-time reliability' estimates of randomly excited yielding systems, assuming the structure to be safe, when the plastic deformations are confined below certain limits. The accumulated plastic deformations during any single significant loading history are considered...

  6. Cooperative Research and Development Agreement Final Report for Cooperative Research and Development Agreement Number ORNL93-0237 Adhesive Bonding Technologies for Automotive Structural Composites; TOPICAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boeman, R.G.

    2001-01-01

    In 1993, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the Automotive Composites Consortium (ACC) to conduct research and development that would overcome technological hurdles to the adhesive bonding of current and future automotive materials. This effort is part of a larger Department of Energy (DOE) program to promote the use of lighter weight materials in automotive structures for the purpose of increasing fuel efficiency and reducing environmental pollutant emissions. In accomplishing this mission, the bonding of similar and dissimilar materials was identified as being of primary importance to the automotive industry since this enabling technology would give designers the freedom to choose from an expanded menu of low mass materials for component weight reduction. The research undertaken under this CRADA addresses the following areas of importance: bulk material characterization, structural fracture mechanics, modeling/characterization, process control and nondestructive evaluation (PC/NDE), manufacturing demonstration, and advanced processing. For the bulk material characterization task, the individual material properties of the adherends and adhesives were characterized. This included generating a database of mechanical and physical properties, after identifying and developing standard test methods to obtain properties. The structural fracture mechanics task concentrated on test development to characterize the fracture toughness of adhesively bonded joints subjected to Mode I, Mode II and mixed-mode conditions. Standard test procedures for quantifying an adhesive/adherend system's resistance to crack growth were developed for use by industry. In the modeling/characterization task, fracture mechanics-based design guidelines and predictive methodologies have been developed which will facilitate iteration on design concepts for bonded joints while alleviating the need for extensive testing

  7. Hierarchical modeling of automotive sensor front-ends for structural diagnosis of aging faults

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kerkhoff, Hans G.; Wan, J.; Zhao, Yong

    2012-01-01

    The semiconductor industry for automotive applications is growing rapidly. This is because advanced electronics is now being developed to monitor and control many vital functions previously handled purely mechanical. In addition hybrid and pure electrical cars are emerging. Parts of these electronic

  8. Molecular motion and structure in plastics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Doolan, K.R.; Baxter, M.

    2000-01-01

    Full text: When molten thermoplastics solidify, the polymeric chains form a completely amorphous structure or a mixture of crystalline and amorphous regions. Measurement of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxation times provides information about the configuration and molecular motion of polymeric chains in solid plastics. We are currently measuring the NMR relaxation times T 1 , T 2 , T 2 and T 1p as a function of temperature using a Bruker High Power pulsed NMR Spectrometer for several different classes of thermoplastics containing varying concentrations of inorganic filler materials. We present data here for T 1 , and T 2 obtained for polyethylenes, polypropylenes, polystyrenes and acrylics in the temperature range 100 K to 450 K. At temperatures below 320 K, all of the polyethylenes and polypropylenes and some of the polystyrenes and acrylics produced NMR signals after a single radio frequency (RF) pulse with rapidly and slowly decaying components corresponding to the rigid and flexible regions within the plastic. From these results we have estimated using Mathematica the amount of crystallinity within the polyethylenes and polypropylenes. For the impact modified polystyrenes and acrylics studied we have estimated the amounts of elastomeric phases present. We find that the initial rapid decay signal produced by polyethylenes and polypropylenes is Gaussian while the long tail is Lorentzian. All of the signal components from the polystyrenes and the acrylics were fitted using Lorentzian functions indicating their structures are highly amorphous. Addition of CaCO 3 filler to polypropylene resins appears to reduce the crystallinity of the material. We also present data for the activation energy of the molecular motion inducing longitudinal relaxation, from T 1 measurements

  9. The elastic-plastic failure assessment diagram of surface cracked structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ning, J.; Gao, Q.

    1987-01-01

    The simplified NLSM is able to calculate the EPFM parameters and failure assessment curve for the surface cracked structure correctly and conveniently. The elastic-plastic failure assessment curve of surface crack is relevant to crack geometry, loading form and material deformation behaviour. It is necessary to construct the EPFM failure assessment curve of the surface crack for the failure assessment of surface cracked structure. (orig./HP)

  10. Program Evaluation - Automotive Lightweighting Materials Program Research and Development Projects Assessment of Benefits - Case Studies No. 2

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Das, S.

    2003-01-23

    This report is the second of a series of studies to evaluate research and development (R&D) projects funded by the Automotive Lightweighting Materials (ALM) Program of the Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies (OAAT) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The objectives of the program evaluation are to assess short-run outputs and long-run outcomes that may be attributable to the ALM R&D projects. The ALM program focuses on the development and validation of advanced technologies that significantly reduce automotive vehicle body and chassis weight without compromising other attributes such as safety, performance, recyclability, and cost. Funded projects range from fundamental materials science research to applied research in production environments. Collaborators on these projects include national laboratories, universities, and private sector firms, such as leading automobile manufacturers and their suppliers. Three ALM R&D projects were chosen for this evaluation: Design and Product Optimization for Cast Light Metals, Durability of Lightweight Composite Structures, and Rapid Tooling for Functional Prototyping of Metal Mold Processes. These projects were chosen because they have already been completed. The first project resulted in development of a comprehensive cast light metal property database, an automotive application design guide, computerized predictive models, process monitoring sensors, and quality assurance methods. The second project, the durability of lightweight composite structures, produced durability-based design criteria documents, predictive models for creep deformation, and minimum test requirements and suggested test methods for establishing durability properties and characteristics of random glass-fiber composites for automotive structural composites. The durability project supported Focal Project II, a validation activity that demonstrates ALM program goals and reduces the lead time for bringing new technology into the marketplace. Focal

  11. Structural plasticity in mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons produced by drugs of abuse: critical role of BDNF and dopamine.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ginetta eCollo

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons were suggested to be a critical physiopathology substrate for addiction disorders. Among neuroadaptive processes to addictive drugs, structural plasticity has attracted attention. While structural plasticity occurs at both pre- and post-synaptic levels in the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, the present review focuses only on dopaminergic neurons. Exposures to addictive drugs determine two opposite structural responses, hypothrophic plasticity produced by opioids and cannabinoids (in particular during the early withdrawal phase and hypertrophic plasticity, mostly driven by psychostimulants and nicotine. In vitro and in vivo studies indentified BDNF and extracellular dopamine as two critical factors in determining structural plasticity, the two molecules sharing similar intracellular pathways involved in cell soma and dendrite growth, the MEK-ERK1/2 and the PI3K-Akt-mTOR, via preferential activation of TrkB and dopamine D3 receptors, respectively. At present information regarding specific structural changes associated to the various stages of the addiction cycle is incomplete. Encouraging neuroimaging data in humans indirectly support the preclinical evidence of hypotrophic and hypertrophic effects, suggesting a possible differential engagement of dopamine neurons in parallel and partially converging circuits controlling motivation, stress and emotions.

  12. Bosch automotive electrics and automotive electronics. Systems and components, networking and hybrid drive. 5. ed.

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2014-07-01

    Complete reference guide to automotive electrics and electronics. The significance of electrical and electronic systems has increased considerably in the last few years and this trend is set to continue. The characteristics feature of innovative systems is the fact that they can work together in a network. This requires powerful bus systems that the electronic control units can use to exchange information. Networking and the various bus systems used in motor vehicles are the prominent new topic in the 5th edition of the ''Automotive Electric, Automotive Electronics'' technical manual. The existing chapters have also been updated, so that this new edition brings the reader up to date on the subjects of electrical and electronic systems in the motor vehicle.

  13. Operational factors influence on service life characteristics of structural carbon fiber-reinforced plastic

    OpenAIRE

    Борозенець, Григорій; Павлов, Віктор; Семак, Інна

    2013-01-01

    The nature of strength changing of aircraft structural carbon fiber-reinforced plastic under influence of water saturation after static preloading and mode changing of structural elements forming process pressure is considered.

  14. Machining of Fibre Reinforced Plastic Composite Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Fibre reinforced plastic composite materials are difficult to machine because of the anisotropy and inhomogeneity characterizing their microstructure and the abrasiveness of their reinforcement components. During machining, very rapid cutting tool wear development is experienced, and surface integrity damage is often produced in the machined parts. An accurate selection of the proper tool and machining conditions is therefore required, taking into account that the phenomena responsible for material removal in cutting of fibre reinforced plastic composite materials are fundamentally different from those of conventional metals and their alloys. To date, composite materials are increasingly used in several manufacturing sectors, such as the aerospace and automotive industry, and several research efforts have been spent to improve their machining processes. In the present review, the key issues that are concerning the machining of fibre reinforced plastic composite materials are discussed with reference to the main recent research works in the field, while considering both conventional and unconventional machining processes and reporting the more recent research achievements. For the different machining processes, the main results characterizing the recent research works and the trends for process developments are presented. PMID:29562635

  15. Machining of Fibre Reinforced Plastic Composite Materials

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alessandra Caggiano

    2018-03-01

    Full Text Available Fibre reinforced plastic composite materials are difficult to machine because of the anisotropy and inhomogeneity characterizing their microstructure and the abrasiveness of their reinforcement components. During machining, very rapid cutting tool wear development is experienced, and surface integrity damage is often produced in the machined parts. An accurate selection of the proper tool and machining conditions is therefore required, taking into account that the phenomena responsible for material removal in cutting of fibre reinforced plastic composite materials are fundamentally different from those of conventional metals and their alloys. To date, composite materials are increasingly used in several manufacturing sectors, such as the aerospace and automotive industry, and several research efforts have been spent to improve their machining processes. In the present review, the key issues that are concerning the machining of fibre reinforced plastic composite materials are discussed with reference to the main recent research works in the field, while considering both conventional and unconventional machining processes and reporting the more recent research achievements. For the different machining processes, the main results characterizing the recent research works and the trends for process developments are presented.

  16. Applications Of A Fibre Optic TV Holography System To The Study Of Large Automotive Structures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Jeremy C.; Buckberry, Clive H.

    1990-04-01

    Mono-mode fibre optic components, including directional couplers and piezo-electric phase control elements, have been used to construct a TV holography system. The instrument has advantages of simplicity and ruggedness of construction and, with a 40m fibre optic link to a 600m argon ion laser, has proved to be an ideal tool for studying the structural behaviour of automotive assemblies. The TV holography system is described and two examples presented of its use: analysis of the deformation of a petrol engine cylinder bore due to head bolt forces, and the vibration study of a vehicle bodyshell subjected to wheel induced inputs. Limitations in the application of the technique are identified and future work to address these shortcomings outlined.

  17. Product waste in the automotive industry : Technology and environmental management

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Groenewegen, Peter; Hond, Frank Den

    1993-01-01

    In this article the changes in technology and industry structure forced by waste management in the automotive industry are explored. The analysis is based on (1) a characterisation of corporate response to environmental issues, and (2) the management of technology applied to the car manufacturing

  18. Thermo-visco-plasticity and creep in structural-material response of folded-plate structures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Milašinović Dragan D.

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Many structural parts are exposed to high temperatures and loading. It is then important to have data about material inelastic behaviour under such exploiting conditions. Influence of temperature on mechanical characteristics of a material may be inserted via the creep coefficient in the range of visco-elasto-plastic (VEP strains. This damage parameter is implemented in this paper in conjunction with mathematical material modelling approach named rheological-dynamical analogy (RDA in order to address structural stiffness reduction due to inelastic material behaviour. The aim of this paper is to define structural-material internal damping based on both the RDA dynamic modulus and modal damping ratio, by modelling critically damped dynamic systems in the steady-state response. These systems are credible base for explanation of the phenomenon of thermo-visco-plasticity and creep in structural-material response due to high temperatures and loading. Though elastic buckling information for folded-plate structures is not a direct predictor of capacity or collapse behaviour on its own, both the mode and the load (moment are important proxies for the actual behaviour. In current design codes, such as AISI S100, New Zealand/Australia, and European Union, the design formulae are calibrated through the calculation of elastic critical buckling loads (or moments to predict the ultimate strength, thus the ability to calculate the associated elastic buckling loads (or moments has great importance. Moreover, the buckling mode shapes are commonly employed into non-linear collapse modelling as initial geometric imperfections and thermal performance of folded-plate structures in fire. To examine the buckling behaviour of folded-plate structures, the main numerical solution methods are used such as the finite element method (FEM and finite strip method (FSM. This paper aims at providing a unified frame for quasi-static inelastic buckling and thermal loading of

  19. INFLUENCE OF AUTOMOTIVE CLUSTERS IN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Constantin BORDEI

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes an overview of the evolution in the automotive sector in the process of regional development. The fundamental changes made by the component supplier sector improved the regional development and manufacturing process. Automotive industry is one of the modern sectors in many countries that benefits of a high technology impact and creates jobs that reduces unemployment across Europe. The auto industry changed cities, regions and countries into poles of development and it becomes more and more efficient. The high foreign direct investments from the automotive sector play an important role in regional development process. Continuous changes are being made in the economy, society, and company; in conclusion the automotive clusters will always be a subject of analysis.

  20. Experiments and simulations on heat exchangers in thermoelectric generator for automotive application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, X.; Deng, Y.D.; Zhang, K.; Xu, M.; Xu, Y.; Su, C.Q.

    2014-01-01

    In this work, an energy-harvesting system which extracts heat from an automotive exhaust pipe and turns the heat into electricity by using thermoelectric power generators (TEGs) was built. Experiments show that the temperature difference in automotive system is not constant, especially the heat exchanger, which cannot provide the thermoelectric modules (TMs) large amount of heat. The thermal performance of different heat exchangers in exhaust-based TEGs is studied in this work, and the thermal characteristics of heat exchangers with different internal structures and thickness are discussed, to obtain higher interface temperature and thermal uniformity. Following computational fluid dynamics simulations, infrared experiments and output power testing system are carried out on a high-performance production engine with a dynamometer. Results show that a plate-shaped heat exchanger with chaos-shaped internal structure and thickness of 5 mm achieves a relatively ideal thermal performance, which is practically useful to enhance the thermal performance of the TEG, and larger total output power can be thus obtained. - Graphical abstract: The thermal and electrical characteristics of different heat exchangers of automotive exhaust-based thermoelectric generator are discussed, to obtain higher interface temperature and thermal uniformity. - Highlights: • Different internal structures and thickness of heat exchangers were proposed. • Power output testing system of the two heat exchangers was characterized. • Chaos-shaped heat exchanger (5 mm thickness) shows better performance

  1. Time-Dependent Deformation Modelling for a Chopped-Glass Fiber Composite for Automotive Durability Design Criteria

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ren, W

    2001-08-24

    Time-dependent deformation behavior of a polymeric composite with chopped-glass-fiber reinforcement was investigated for automotive applications, The material under stress was exposed to representative automobile service environments. Results show that environment has substantial effects on time-dependent deformation behavior of the material. The data were analyzed and experimentally-based models developed for the time-dependent deformation behavior as a basis for automotive structural durability design criteria.

  2. Plasmonic Structural Colors for Plastic Consumer Products

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Højlund-Nielsen, Emil; Mortensen, N. Asger; Kristensen, Anders

    2014-01-01

    Today colorants, such as pigments or dyes, are used to color plastic-based consumer products, either as base for solid colored bulk polymer or in inks for surface decoration. After usage, the products must be mechanically sorted by color before recycling, limiting any large-scale efficient...... can be avoided in the recycling state. Plasmon color technology based on aluminum has recently been firmly established as a route towards structural coloring of polymeric materials. We report on the fabrication of colors by localized surface plasmon resonances (LSPR) using roll-to-roll printing...

  3. The application of endochronic plasticity theory in modeling the dynamic inelastic response of structural systems

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin, H.C.; Hsieh, B.J.; Valentin, R.A.

    1981-01-01

    The endochronic theory of plasticity proposed by Valanis has been applied in predicting the inelastic responses of structural systems. A recently developed convected coordinates finite-element program has been modified to use an endochronic constitutive law. A series of sample problems for a variety of dynamic loadings are presented. The calculations that have been performed comparing classical and endochronic plasticity theories have revealed that the endochronic approach can result in a substantial reduction in computer time for equivalent solution accuracy. This result, combined with the apparent accuracy of material representation indicate that the use of endochronic plasticity has great potential in evaluating the dynamic response of structural systems. (orig.)

  4. Homeostatic structural plasticity can account for topology changes following deafferentation and focal stroke.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butz, Markus; Steenbuck, Ines D; van Ooyen, Arjen

    2014-01-01

    After brain lesions caused by tumors or stroke, or after lasting loss of input (deafferentation), inter- and intra-regional brain networks respond with complex changes in topology. Not only areas directly affected by the lesion but also regions remote from the lesion may alter their connectivity-a phenomenon known as diaschisis. Changes in network topology after brain lesions can lead to cognitive decline and increasing functional disability. However, the principles governing changes in network topology are poorly understood. Here, we investigated whether homeostatic structural plasticity can account for changes in network topology after deafferentation and brain lesions. Homeostatic structural plasticity postulates that neurons aim to maintain a desired level of electrical activity by deleting synapses when neuronal activity is too high and by providing new synaptic contacts when activity is too low. Using our Model of Structural Plasticity, we explored how local changes in connectivity induced by a focal loss of input affected global network topology. In accordance with experimental and clinical data, we found that after partial deafferentation, the network as a whole became more random, although it maintained its small-world topology, while deafferentated neurons increased their betweenness centrality as they rewired and returned to the homeostatic range of activity. Furthermore, deafferentated neurons increased their global but decreased their local efficiency and got longer tailed degree distributions, indicating the emergence of hub neurons. Together, our results suggest that homeostatic structural plasticity may be an important driving force for lesion-induced network reorganization and that the increase in betweenness centrality of deafferentated areas may hold as a biomarker for brain repair.

  5. Automotive Mechanics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Linder, Ralph C.; And Others

    This curriculum guide, which was validated by vocational teachers and mechanics in the field, describes the competencies needed by entry-level automotive mechanics. This guide lists 15 competencies; for each competency, various tasks with their performance objective, student learning experiences, suggested instructional techniques, instructional…

  6. Design of lightweight multi-material automotive bodies using new material performance indices of thin-walled beams for the material selection with crashworthiness consideration

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cui, Xintao; Zhang, Hongwei; Wang, Shuxin; Zhang, Lianhong; Ko, Jeonghan

    2011-01-01

    Currently, automotive bodies are constructed usually using a single material, e.g. steel or aluminum. Compared to single-material automotive bodies, multi-material automotive bodies allow optimal material selection in each structural component for higher product performance and lower cost. This paper presents novel material performance indices and procedures developed to guide systematic material selection for multi-material automotive bodies. These new indices enable to characterize the crashworthiness performance of complex-shaped thin-walled beams in multi-material automotive bodies according to material types. This paper also illustrates the application of these performance indices and procedures by designing a lightweight multi-material automotive body. These procedures will help to design a lightweight and affordable body favored by the automotive industry, thus to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

  7. Hydrogen as automotive fuel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dini, D.; Ciancia, A.; Pede, G.; Sglavo, V.; ENEA, Rome

    1992-01-01

    An assessment of the technical/economic feasibility of the use of hydrogen as an automotive fuel is made based on analyses of the following: the chemical- physical properties of hydrogen in relation to its use in internal combustion engines; the modifications necessary to adapt internal combustion engines to hydrogen use; hydrogen fuel injection systems - with water vapour injection, cryogenic injection, and the low or high pressure injection of hydrogen directly into the combustion chamber; the current commercialization status of hydrogen automotive fuels; energy efficiency ratings; environmental impacts; in-vehicle storage systems - involving the use of hydrides, high pressure systems and liquid hydrogen storage systems; performance in terms of pay-load ratio; autonomous operation; and operating costs. The paper concludes that, considering current costs for hydrogen fuel production, distribution and use, at present, the employment of hydrogen fuelled vehicles is feasible only in highly polluted urban environments where the innovative vehicle's air pollution abatement characteristics would justify its high operating costs as compared with those of conventional automotive alternatives

  8. Future use of robots in the automotive industry

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kelly, M P

    1982-01-01

    The future will see a dramatic increase in the number of robots used in the automotive industry. Well established applications, such as resistance spot welding, will continue to grow in the short term. Longer term, the much wider use of structural adhesives will supplant the spot welding process with robots applying the adhesives. Practical perception systems will enhance robot performance in arc welding, grinding, fettling, seam sealing and assembly operations, leading again to robot growth as vital elements of truly flexible manufacturing systems (FMS). A major robotic impact will be made in automotive paint shops as the need to conserve energy increases. The development of alternative painting materials, offering improved performance will add further impetus. Robotics of the future will progressively move to a CAD/CAM orientated data base, offering off-line programming capability, which together with essential inspection elements, will provide the means for totally automatic manufacture.

  9. 4th International Conference on Sustainable Automotive Technologies

    CERN Document Server

    Wellnitz, Jörg; Leary, Martin; Koopmans, Lucien

    2012-01-01

    The book on Sustainable Automotive Technologies aims to draw special attention to the research and practice focused on new technologies and approaches capable of meeting the challenges to sustainable mobility. In particular, the book features incremental and radical technical advancements that are able to meet social, economic and environmental targets in both local and global contexts. These include original solutions to the problems of pollution and congestion, vehicle and public safety, sustainable vehicle design and manufacture, new structures and materials, new power-train technologies and vehicle concepts. In addition to vehicle technologies, the book is also concerned with the broader systemic issues such as sustainable supply chain systems, integrated logistics and telematics, and end-of-life vehicle management. It captures selected peer reviewed papers accepted for presentation at the 4th International Conference on Sustainable Automotive Technologies, ICSAT2012, held at the RMIT, Melbourne, Australi...

  10. Development of Bake Hardening Effect by Plastic Deformation and Annealing Conditions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kvačkaj, T.

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The paper deals with the classification of steel sheets for automotives industry on the basis of strength and structural characteristics. Experimental works were aimed to obtain the best possible strengthening parameters as well as work hardening and solid solution ferrite hardening, which are the result of thermal activation of interstitial carbon atoms during paint-baking of auto body. Hardening process coming from interstitial atoms is realized as two-step process. The first step is BH (bake hardening effect achieved by interaction of interstitial atoms with dislocations. The Cottrels atmosphere is obtained. The second step of BH effect is to produced the hardening from precipitation of the carbon atoms in e-carbides, or formation of Fe32C4 carbides. WH (work hardening effect is obtained as dislocation hardening from plastic deformations during sheet deep drawing. Experimental works were aimed at as to achieve such plastic material properties after cold rolling, annealing and skin-pass rolling, which would be able to classify the material ZStE220BH into the drawing categories at the level of DQ – DDQ. As resulting from the experimental results, the optimal treatment conditions for the maximal sum (WH+BH = 86 MPa are as follows: total cold rolling deformation ecold = 65 %, annealing temperature Tanneal. = 700 °C.

  11. A review on thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of plastic solid waste (PSW).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al-Salem, S M; Antelava, A; Constantinou, A; Manos, G; Dutta, A

    2017-07-15

    Plastic plays an important role in our daily lives due to its versatility, light weight and low production cost. Plastics became essential in many sectors such as construction, medical, engineering applications, automotive, aerospace, etc. In addition, economic growth and development also increased our demand and dependency on plastics which leads to its accumulation in landfills imposing risk on human health, animals and cause environmental pollution problems such as ground water contamination, sanitary related issues, etc. Hence, a sustainable and an efficient plastic waste treatment is essential to avoid such issues. Pyrolysis is a thermo-chemical plastic waste treatment technique which can solve such pollution problems, as well as, recover valuable energy and products such as oil and gas. Pyrolysis of plastic solid waste (PSW) has gained importance due to having better advantages towards environmental pollution and reduction of carbon footprint of plastic products by minimizing the emissions of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide compared to combustion and gasification. This paper presents the existing techniques of pyrolysis, the parameters which affect the products yield and selectivity and identify major research gaps in this technology. The influence of different catalysts on the process as well as review and comparative assessment of pyrolysis with other thermal and catalytic plastic treatment methods, is also presented. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Texture developed during deformation of Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bhargava, M; Asim, T; Sushil, M; Shanta, C

    2015-01-01

    Automotive industry is currently focusing on using advanced high strength steels (AHSS) due to its high strength and formability for closure applications. Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel is promising material for this application among other AHSS. The present work is focused on the microstructure development during deformation of TRIP steel sheets. To mimic complex strain path condition during forming of automotive body, Limit Dome Height (LDH) tests were conducted and samples were deformed in servo hydraulic press to find the different strain path. FEM Simulations were done to predict different strain path diagrams and compared with experimental results. There is a significant difference between experimental and simulation results as the existing material models are not applicable for TRIP steels. Micro texture studies were performed on the samples using EBSD and X-RD techniques. It was observed that austenite is transformed to martensite and texture developed during deformation had strong impact on limit strain and strain path. (paper)

  13. Texture developed during deformation of Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhargava, M.; Shanta, C.; Asim, T.; Sushil, M.

    2015-04-01

    Automotive industry is currently focusing on using advanced high strength steels (AHSS) due to its high strength and formability for closure applications. Transformation Induced Plasticity (TRIP) steel is promising material for this application among other AHSS. The present work is focused on the microstructure development during deformation of TRIP steel sheets. To mimic complex strain path condition during forming of automotive body, Limit Dome Height (LDH) tests were conducted and samples were deformed in servo hydraulic press to find the different strain path. FEM Simulations were done to predict different strain path diagrams and compared with experimental results. There is a significant difference between experimental and simulation results as the existing material models are not applicable for TRIP steels. Micro texture studies were performed on the samples using EBSD and X-RD techniques. It was observed that austenite is transformed to martensite and texture developed during deformation had strong impact on limit strain and strain path.

  14. Structural conditions of maximal plasticity of two-phase metal materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Movchan, B.A.

    1975-01-01

    Analysis is given of experimental values of the strength and plasticity of iron- and tungsten-based two-phase materials with the regulated amount of the second phase and the grain size. Specimens in the form of a 120 mm x 200 mm sheet with a thickness of 0.8-1.2 mm are prepared by means of the electron beam evaporation technique and subsequent condensation of the materials on a preheated support. The variable content of the second phase along the sheet in the range 0.5 volume per cent and more than a 10-fold change in the grain size of the metallic matrix are attained by a simultaneous evaporation of pure metal (99.98 per cent) and nonlmetallic material-niobium carbide or zirconium dioxide ZrO 2 -from two separate sources. The content of arbitrarily distributed spherical particles of the second phase corresponding to a maximum of the plasticity depends only on the structural parameter - the d/D ratio. The absolute falue of the plasticity and its dependence on the temperature is a complex function of many variables - mechanical properties of particles and the matrix, peculiarities of interphase interaction on the boundary particle - matrix, the size of particles, the rate of plastic deformation and relaxation processes

  15. The European automotive LPG market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1998-01-01

    The European automotive LPG market could reach at least 4 % of the European fuel market in 2005 versus 1 % in 1990. This would represent a rise of about 35 % in automotive LPG sales (from 2,4 million tonnes in 1997 to 7 million tonnes estimated for 2005). This was underlined by Alain Deleuse, Primagaz group's Marketing Director, in the paper he delivered at the AEGPL Budapest Convention. We publish large excepts of this paper. (author)

  16. Automotive systems engineering

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maurer, Markus [Technische Univ. Braunschweig (Germany). Inst. fuer Regelungstechnik; Winner, Hermann (eds.) [Technische Univ. Darmstadt (Germany). Fachgebiet Fahrzeugtechnik

    2013-06-01

    Innovative state-of-the-art book. Presents brand new results of a joint workshop in the field of automotive systems engineering. Recommendable to students for further reading even though not a primary text book. This book reflects the shift in design paradigm in automobile industry. It presents future innovations, often referred as ''automotive systems engineering''. These cause fundamental innovations in the field of driver assistance systems and electro-mobility as well as fundamental changes in the architecture of the vehicles. New driving functionalities can only be realized if the software programs of multiple electronic control units work together correctly. This volume presents the new and innovative methods which are mandatory to master the complexity of the vehicle of the future.

  17. Overview of AMD (Automotive Metal Division)/USAMP projects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Demeri, M. [Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, MI (United States)

    2001-07-01

    This power point presentation described the mission of Ford's Automotive Metal Division (AMD) and presented a list of AMD projects. Their goal is to facilitate the development of improved materials and related manufacturing technologies for the automotive use of metals through cooperative, precompetitive programs, including those supporting PNGV. Some of the projects included: (1) magnesium casting for structural applications, (2) low cost powder metallurgy technology for particle reinforced aluminium, (3) sorting mixed alloys from shredded automobiles, (4) hydroforming aluminium tubes, (5) flexible binder controls for robust sampling, (6) long life electrodes for resistance spot welding of aluminium, sheet alloys, and coated high strength sheet steels, (7) NDE tools for evaluation of laser welded metals, (8) magnesium power train die cast components, (9) improved A206 alloy for cast automotive suspension components, (10) plasma arc welding of lightweight metals such as aluminium/magnesium, and (11) warm forming of aluminium alloys. The objectives, process controls and benefits of each of these projects were illustrated. Some of the issues that still need to be resolved include: an improved alloy with greater grain size and strength, an easily washable lubricant, a process to rapidly heat the blank and feed it into the heated dies, a method to achieve better thermal distribution in dies, and post forming mechanical properties. 5 figs.

  18. Nonlinear estimation and control of automotive drivetrains

    CERN Document Server

    Chen, Hong

    2014-01-01

    Nonlinear Estimation and Control of Automotive Drivetrains discusses the control problems involved in automotive drivetrains, particularly in hydraulic Automatic Transmission (AT), Dual Clutch Transmission (DCT) and Automated Manual Transmission (AMT). Challenging estimation and control problems, such as driveline torque estimation and gear shift control, are addressed by applying the latest nonlinear control theories, including constructive nonlinear control (Backstepping, Input-to-State Stable) and Model Predictive Control (MPC). The estimation and control performance is improved while the calibration effort is reduced significantly. The book presents many detailed examples of design processes and thus enables the readers to understand how to successfully combine purely theoretical methodologies with actual applications in vehicles. The book is intended for researchers, PhD students, control engineers and automotive engineers. Hong Chen is a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Automotive Simulation and...

  19. Validation of Material Models For Automotive Carbon Fiber Composite Structures Via Physical And Crash Testing (VMM Composites Project)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Coppola, Anthony [General Motors Company, Flint, MI (United States); Faruque, Omar [Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (United States); Truskin, James F [FCA US LLC, Auburn Hills, MI (United States); Board, Derek [Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (United States); Jones, Martin [Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (United States); Tao, Jian [FCA US LLC, Auburn Hills, MI (United States); Chen, Yijung [Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, MI (United States); Mehta, Manish [M-Tech International LLC, Dubai (United Arab Emirates)

    2017-09-27

    As automotive fuel economy requirements increase, the push for reducing overall vehicle weight will likely include the consideration of materials that have not previously been part of mainstream vehicle design and manufacturing, including carbon fiber composites. Vehicle manufacturers currently rely on computer-aided engineering (CAE) methods as part of the design and development process, so going forward, the ability to accurately and predictably model carbon fiber composites will be necessary. If composites are to be used for structural components, this need applies to both, crash and quasi-static modeling. This final report covers the results of a five-year, $6.89M, 50% cost-shared research project between Department of Energy (DOE) and the US Advanced Materials Partnership (USAMP) under Cooperative Agreement DE-EE-0005661 known as “Validation of Material Models for Automotive Carbon Fiber Composite Structures Via Physical and Crash Testing (VMM).” The objective of the VMM Composites Project was to validate and assess the ability of physics-based material models to predict crash performance of automotive primary load-carrying carbon fiber composite structures. Simulation material models that were evaluated included micro-mechanics based meso-scale models developed by the University of Michigan (UM) and micro-plane models by Northwestern University (NWU) under previous collaborations with the DOE and Automotive Composites Consortium/USAMP, as well as five commercial crash codes: LS-DYNA, RADIOSS, VPS/PAM-CRASH, Abaqus, and GENOA-MCQ. CAE predictions obtained from seven organizations were compared with experimental results from quasi-static testing and dynamic crash testing of a thermoset carbon fiber composite front-bumper and crush-can (FBCC) system gathered under multiple loading conditions. This FBCC design was developed to demonstrate progressive crush, virtual simulation, tooling, fabrication, assembly, non-destructive evaluation and crash testing

  20. Identification for automotive systems

    CERN Document Server

    Hjalmarsson, Håkan; Re, Luigi

    2012-01-01

    Increasing complexity and performance and reliability expectations make modeling of automotive system both more difficult and more urgent. Automotive control has slowly evolved from an add-on to classical engine and vehicle design to a key technology to enforce consumption, pollution and safety limits. Modeling, however, is still mainly based on classical methods, even though much progress has been done in the identification community to speed it up and improve it. This book, the product of a workshop of representatives of different communities, offers an insight on how to close the gap and exploit this progress for the next generations of vehicles.

  1. Prospects for MEMS in the Automotive Industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard DIXON

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available An automotive sector as a growth market for MEMS sensors is analyzed in the article. The automotive sector accounted for $1.6 billion, making this the second biggest opportunity after IT peripherals and inkjet print heads. By 2011 the market will top $2.2 billion, a CAGR of around 7%. The main applications in revenues terms are, in order, pressure sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers and flow sensors and this will remain so for the foreseeable future. Automotive companies are forced to innovate as a result of competition and price pressures.

  2. Best Practices in School-to-Careers: The Automotive Industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    National Employer Leadership Council, Washington, DC.

    This document highlights the school-to-careers (STC) partnerships connecting workplace experiences to classroom learning to prepare students for successful employment in the automotive industry. First, the current state of the automotive industry is reviewed and the role of STC in addressing automotive service needs is explained. Next, the…

  3. Supplier–customer relationships: Weaknesses in south african automotive supply chains

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Naude

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The South African automotive industry, which is an important sector in the South African economy, needs to function efficiently if it is to compete internationally. However, South African automotive components manufacturers (ACMs are not internationally competitive and automotive assemblers, also known as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs, often import cheaper components from abroad. All parties in the South African automotive supply chains need each other to ensure optimal efficiency and competitiveness. Furthermore, it is vital that good relationships exist between customers and suppliers in the automotive supply chains in South Africa. ACMs are central to automotive supply chains. A survey was conducted among ACMs to determine the nature of relationships that exist between buyers and suppliers in South Africa’s automotive supply chains. The results showed that collaborative relationships do indeed exist between members of the supply chain but that communication, understanding of the parties’ situations and cooperation can improve this relationship and so create total alliance between OEMs and ACMs.

  4. Research on carbon fiber–reinforced plastic bumper beam subjected to low-velocity frontal impact

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yefa Hu

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Lightweight and safety performance of automobiles are two important factors for automobile designs. In this article, a research on lightweight and crashworthiness of automotive bumper has been conducted. The carbon fiber–reinforced plastic bumper beam is considered to replace the traditional high-strength steel one. The low-velocity impact finite element simulations for the above two bumper beams are performed via LS-DYNA. Furthermore, the energy absorption capabilities and dynamic response characteristics of the carbon fiber–reinforced plastic bumper beam are investigated and compared with the steel one. The results show that the carbon fiber–reinforced plastic bumper beam is of the better energy absorption capabilities and dynamic response characteristics than those of the steel one; the weight has decreased remarkably close to 50%. Meanwhile, the effect of lay-up and wall thickness on the crashworthiness of the carbon fiber–reinforced plastic bumper beam under low-velocity impact is also studied in this article to select appropriate design schemes.

  5. Diode Lasers used in Plastic Welding and Selective Laser Soldering - Applications and Products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reinl, S.

    Aside from conventional welding methods, laser welding of plastics has established itself as a proven bonding method. The component-conserving and clean process offers numerous advantages and enables welding of sensitive assemblies in automotive, electronic, medical, human care, food packaging and consumer electronics markets. Diode lasers are established since years within plastic welding applications. Also, soft soldering using laser radiation is becoming more and more significant in the field of direct diode laser applications. Fast power controllability combined with a contactless temperature measurement to minimize thermal damage make the diode laser an ideal tool for this application. These advantages come in to full effect when soldering of increasingly small parts in temperature sensitive environments is necessary.

  6. Time-Dependent Deformation Modelling for a Chopped-Glass Fiber Composite for Automotive Durability Design Criteria; FINAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ren, W

    2001-01-01

    Time-dependent deformation behavior of a polymeric composite with chopped-glass-fiber reinforcement was investigated for automotive applications, The material under stress was exposed to representative automobile service environments. Results show that environment has substantial effects on time-dependent deformation behavior of the material. The data were analyzed and experimentally-based models developed for the time-dependent deformation behavior as a basis for automotive structural durability design criteria

  7. Effects of plasticization and shear stress on phase structure development and properties of soy protein blends.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Feng; Zhang, Jinwen

    2010-11-01

    In this study, soy protein concentrate (SPC) was used as a plastic component to blend with poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT). Effects of SPC plasticization and blend composition on its deformation during mixing were studied in detail. Influence of using water as the major plasticizer and glycerol as the co-plasticizer on the deformation of the SPC phase during mixing was explored. The effect of shear stress, as affected by SPC loading level, on the phase structure of SPC in the blends was also investigated. Quantitative analysis of the aspect ratio of SPC particles was conducted by using ImageJ software, and an empirical model predicting the formation of percolated structure was applied. The experimental results and the model prediction showed a fairly good agreement. The experimental results and statistic analysis suggest that both SPC loading level and its water content prior to compounding had significant influences on development of the SPC phase structure and were correlated in determining the morphological structures of the resulting blends. Consequently, physical and mechanical properties of the blends greatly depended on the phase morphology and PBAT/SPC ratio of the blends.

  8. Dynamic and Acoustic Characterisation of Automotive Wheels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francesca Curà

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The subject of this paper is the dynamic and acoustic characterisation of an automotive wheel. In particular, an experimental research activity previously performed by the authors about the dynamic behaviour of automotive wheels has been extended to the acoustic field.

  9. 19 CFR 10.84 - Automotive vehicles and articles for use as original equipment in the manufacture of automotive...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... original equipment in the manufacture of automotive vehicles. 10.84 Section 10.84 Customs Duties U.S... vehicles and articles for use as original equipment in the manufacture of automotive vehicles. (a)(1... his declaration that the articles are being imported for use as original equipment in the manufacture...

  10. Predicting the Overall Spatial Quality of Automotive Audio Systems

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koya, Daisuke

    The spatial quality of automotive audio systems is often compromised due to their unideal listening environments. Automotive audio systems need to be developed quickly due to industry demands. A suitable perceptual model could evaluate the spatial quality of automotive audio systems with similar reliability to formal listening tests but take less time. Such a model is developed in this research project by adapting an existing model of spatial quality for automotive audio use. The requirements for the adaptation were investigated in a literature review. A perceptual model called QESTRAL was reviewed, which predicts the overall spatial quality of domestic multichannel audio systems. It was determined that automotive audio systems are likely to be impaired in terms of the spatial attributes that were not considered in developing the QESTRAL model, but metrics are available that might predict these attributes. To establish whether the QESTRAL model in its current form can accurately predict the overall spatial quality of automotive audio systems, MUSHRA listening tests using headphone auralisation with head tracking were conducted to collect results to be compared against predictions by the model. Based on guideline criteria, the model in its current form could not accurately predict the overall spatial quality of automotive audio systems. To improve prediction performance, the QESTRAL model was recalibrated and modified using existing metrics of the model, those that were proposed from the literature review, and newly developed metrics. The most important metrics for predicting the overall spatial quality of automotive audio systems included those that were interaural cross-correlation (IACC) based, relate to localisation of the frontal audio scene, and account for the perceived scene width in front of the listener. Modifying the model for automotive audio systems did not invalidate its use for domestic audio systems. The resulting model predicts the overall spatial

  11. Fatal exit the automotive black box debate

    CERN Document Server

    Kowalick, Tom

    2005-01-01

    "Fatal Exit: The Automotive Black Box Debate cuts through thirty years of political wrangling and institutional biases to provide an argument for the Motor Vehicle Event Data Recorder (MVEDR). This automotive equivalent of an airplane's flight recorder or black box is intended to solve the mysteries of car crashes and improve the safety of our roads. The reader is taken inside the automotive industry and the government highway safety establishment to foster an understanding of the politics and the positions on all sides of this safety debate. The author takes an unbiased approach, chronologically presenting each argument and uncovering the agendas and mandates of each of the stakeholders." "This publication is essential reading for all consumers who need to have their voices heard on this critical issue, as well as for attorneys, public safety advocates, public policy administrators, engineers, automotive professionals, journalists, and insurance executives."--Jacket.

  12. Green competitiveness research on Chinese automotive enterprises

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yuanhui Li

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: More and more executives of automobileindustry in China start to recognize the concept of green competitiveness recently. However, relatively less research attention has been devoted to the consideration of measurement. This paper aims to find empirical approach to quantify green competitiveness for automotive enterprises. The connotation of green competitiveness is explored and one suite of evaluation index system has been proposed with four dimensions including environmental, resource, capability and knowledge.Design/methodology/approach: By introducing the factor analysis method, green competitiveness has been measured through an empirical analysis of 24 automotive enterprises within China.Findings: The results indicate that those elements, such as enterprise resource possession and utilization; environment, responsibility and knowledge; profitability; management efficiency, have significant effect on the green competitiveness for automotive enterprises. The further analysis also unveils the advantages and disadvantages of green competitiveness for each company and the direction for improvement.Research limitations/implications: Guide regulators and managers of automobile industry to take some measures to enhance their green competitive advantage.Practical implications: Provide practical methods to measure green competitiveness for automotive enterprises.Originality/value: This paper proposes an evaluation index system of green competitiveness for automotive enterprises. The suggestions of our research will be beneficial to enterprise executives and industry regulators.

  13. Micro-structural evolution in plastically deformed crystalline materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nellemann, Christopher

    predictions for the two models to be obtained. Application of the two models to the pure shear boundary value problem is used to characterize plastic behavior, which also allows for the identification of inherent properties through closed form expressions. Single crystal Monazite containing a void is studied......Two rate-independent strain gradient crystal plasticity models are developed and applied in numerical studies designed to identify the properties inherent to model predictions of plastic deformation. The two models incorporate gradients of slip into the framework of conventional crystal plasticity...... in order to model size-dependent plasticity effects. This gradient dependence is achieved by relating a slip measure which combines both slip and their gradients to a shear hardening curve, as commonly done in conventional plasticity theories. Finite element codes are implemented which allow for numerical...

  14. Robust optical sensors for safety critical automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Locht, Cliff; De Knibber, Sven; Maddalena, Sam

    2008-02-01

    Optical sensors for the automotive industry need to be robust, high performing and low cost. This paper focuses on the impact of automotive requirements on optical sensor design and packaging. Main strategies to lower optical sensor entry barriers in the automotive market include: Perform sensor calibration and tuning by the sensor manufacturer, sensor test modes on chip to guarantee functional integrity at operation, and package technology is key. As a conclusion, optical sensor applications are growing in automotive. Optical sensor robustness matured to the level of safety critical applications like Electrical Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) and Drive-by-Wire by optical linear arrays based systems and Automated Cruise Control (ACC), Lane Change Assist and Driver Classification/Smart Airbag Deployment by camera imagers based systems.

  15. Modern materials for automotive industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hovorun T. P.

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available The car industry uses a tremendous number of materials to build cars, including iron, aluminum, steel, glass, rubber, petroleum products, copper, steel and others. These materials have evolved greatly over the decades, becoming more sophisticated, better built, and safer. They've changed as new automotive manufacturing technologies have emerged over the years, and they're used in increasingly innovative ways. This article is devoted to systematization information on the introduction and application of modern materials in the automotive industry. Given both domestic and foreign sources of information, it follows that car manufacturers are constantly pushing to create the lightest cars possible to increase speed and power. Research and development into lightweight materials is essential for lowering their cost, increasing their ability to be recycled, enabling their integration into vehicles, and maximizing their fuel economy benefits. Light weighting without loss of strength and speed properties is the present, and the future, of the automotive manufacturing industry. It brings innovative materials to the frontline of design.

  16. Effect of the conditions of prepreg preparation on the strength of structural plastics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zaborskaya, L. V.; Yurkevich, O. R.

    1995-05-01

    A study is made of the effect of the temperature and duration of heat treatment of polymer composite prepregs on their strength. It is established that heat treatment under conditions ensuring close to maximal adhesive interaction between the components of the prepreg and subsequent shaping makes it possible to more than double the strength of the plastic (Table 1), A new approach is proposed to optimizing the conditions of formation of structural plastics.

  17. Final report: U.S. competitive position in automotive technologies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Albert, Michael B.; Cheney, Margaret; Thomas, Patrick; Kroll, Peter

    2002-09-30

    Patent data are presented and analyzed to assess the U.S. competitive position in eleven advanced automotive technology categories, including automotive fuel cells, hydrogen storage, advanced batteries, hybrid electric vehicles and others. Inventive activity in most of the technologies is found to be growing at a rapid pace, particularly in advanced batteries, automotive fuel cells and ultracapacitors. The U.S. is the clear leader in automotive fuel cells, on-board hydrogen storage and light weight materials. Japan leads in advanced batteries, hybrid electric vehicles, ultracapacitors, and appears to be close to overtaking the U.S. in other areas of power electronics.

  18. Upgrading the Center for Lightweighting Automotive Materials and Processing - a GATE Center of Excellence at the University of Michigan-Dearborn

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mallick, P. K.

    2012-08-30

    accessible to outside users (5) provide support to graduate students for conducting research on lightweight automotive materials and structures (6) provide industry/university interaction through a graduate certificate program on automotive materials and technology idea exchange through focused seminars and symposia on automotive materials.

  19. Automotive perspective on laser material processing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roessler, D.M.

    1989-01-01

    In this paper a broad review is given of the development and use of laser processing in the automotive industry. a brief introduction to the major types of processing lasers and related systems is followed by a summary of the major processing regimes. Examples are given of the automotive industry's use of lasers in a variety of applications, from heat treating and welding, to cutting and marking

  20. A work criterion for plastic collapse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Muscat, Martin; Mackenzie, Donald; Hamilton, Robert

    2003-01-01

    A new criterion for evaluating limit and plastic loads in pressure vessel design by analysis is presented. The proposed criterion is based on the plastic work dissipated in the structure as loading progresses and may be used for structures subject to a single load or a combination of multiple loads. Example analyses show that limit and plastic loads given by the plastic work criterion are robust and consistent. The limit and plastic loads are determined purely by the inelastic response of the structure and are not influenced by the initial elastic response: a problem with some established plastic criteria

  1. Brakes Specialist. Teacher Edition. Automotive Service Series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

    This document contains teacher's materials for a course on becoming an automotive brakes specialist, based on the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence task lists. The course consists of three instructional units: service brake hydraulic system and wheel bearings, service drum brakes, and service disc brakes. Depending on the…

  2. Profiles of Automotive Suppliers Industries--Engineered Mechanical Components and Systems : Volume II, Appendices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-09-01

    The profile describes and analyzes that segment of the automotive supplier industry which provides engineered mechanical components/assemblies/systems to the prime auto manufacturers. It presents an overview of the role and structure of this industry...

  3. Profiles of Automotive Suppliers Industries--Engineered Mechanical Components and Systems : Volume I, Text.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1981-09-01

    This profile describes and analyzes that segment of the automotive supplier industry which provides engineered mechanical components/assemblies/systems to the prime auto manufacturers. It presents an overview of the role and structure of this industr...

  4. Toward Plastic Smart Windows: Optimization of Indium Tin Oxide Electrodes for the Synthesis of Electrochromic Devices on Polycarbonate Substrates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laurenti, Marco; Bianco, Stefano; Castellino, Micaela; Garino, Nadia; Virga, Alessandro; Pirri, Candido F; Mandracci, Pietro

    2016-03-01

    Plastic smart windows are becoming one of the key elements in view of the fabrication of inexpensive, lightweight electrochromic (EC) devices to be integrated in the new generation of high-energy-efficiency buildings and automotive applications. However, fabricating electrochromic devices on polymer substrates requires a reduction of process temperature, so in this work we focus on the development of a completely room-temperature deposition process aimed at the preparation of ITO-coated polycarbonate (PC) structures acting as transparent and conductive plastic supports. Without providing any substrate heating or surface activation pretreatments of the polymer, different deposition conditions are used for growing indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films by the radiofrequency magnetron sputtering technique. According to the characterization results, the set of optimal deposition parameters is selected to deposit ITO electrodes having high optical transmittance in the visible range (∼90%) together with low sheet resistance (∼8 ohm/sq). The as-prepared ITO/PC structures are then successfully tested as conductive supports for the fabrication of plastic smart windows. To this purpose, tungsten trioxide thin films are deposited by the reactive sputtering technique on the ITO/PC structures, and the resulting single electrode EC devices are characterized by chronoamperometric experiments and cyclic voltammetry. The fast switching response between colored and bleached states, together with the stability and reversibility of their electrochromic behavior after several cycling tests, are considered to be representative of the high quality of the EC film but especially of the ITO electrode. Indeed, even if no adhesion promoters, additional surface activation pretreatments, or substrate heating were used to promote the mechanical adhesion among the electrode and the PC surface, the observed EC response confirmed that the developed materials can be successfully employed for the

  5. Using Technology to Enhance an Automotive Program

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ashton, Denis

    2009-01-01

    Denis Ashton uses technology in his automotive technology program at East Valley Institute of Technology (EVIT) to positively impact student outcomes. Ashton, the department chair for the automotive programs at EVIT, in Mesa, Arizona, says that using an interactive PowerPoint curriculum makes learning fun for students and provides immediate…

  6. Veranderende automotive wereld vraagt om verandering onderwijs

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    H.J.C. Nas

    2011-01-01

    Met dit document wil ik de lezer een nieuwe invalshoek tonen op mobiliteit (Driving Guidance) en een andere benadering van automotive hbo onderwijs. De wereld om ons heen verandert en deze nieuwe wereld zal een ander type automotive ingenieur eisen. Dit is een korte weergave van een lezing voor de

  7. Research on carbon fiber–reinforced plastic bumper beam subjected to low-velocity frontal impact

    OpenAIRE

    Yefa Hu; Can Liu; Jinguang Zhang; Guoping Ding; Qiong Wu

    2015-01-01

    Lightweight and safety performance of automobiles are two important factors for automobile designs. In this article, a research on lightweight and crashworthiness of automotive bumper has been conducted. The carbon fiber–reinforced plastic bumper beam is considered to replace the traditional high-strength steel one. The low-velocity impact finite element simulations for the above two bumper beams are performed via LS-DYNA. Furthermore, the energy absorption capabilities and dynamic response c...

  8. ROS (Robot Operating System) für Automotive

    OpenAIRE

    Bubeck, Alexander

    2014-01-01

    - Introduction into the Robot Operating System - Open Source in the automotive industries - Application of ROS in the automotive industry - ROS navigation - ROS with real time control - ROS in the embedded world - Outlook: ROS 2.0 - Summary

  9. Automotive turbogenerator design options

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rodgers, C. [ITC, San Diego, CA (United States); McDonald, C. [McDonald Thermal Engineering, La Jolla, CA (United States)

    1998-12-31

    For the small turbogenerator to find reception in the hybrid electric automotive market its major features must be dominated by the following considerations, low cost, high performance, low emissions, compact size and high reliability. Not meeting the first two criteria has been the nemesis of earlier attempts to introduce the small gas turbine for automotive service. With emphasis on the design for low cost and high performance, this paper presents several turbogenerator design flowpath configuration options for the major engine components. The projected evolution from today`s state-of-the-art all metallic engines, to advanced technology ceramic units for service in the early decade of the 21st century, is the major topic of this paper. (author)

  10. Carbon composite manufacturing in automotive volume production

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Geiger, Raphael; Pahl, Julia

    2017-01-01

    Lightweight constructions are a continuously increasing trend in the automotive industry. Main drivers for that trend are the challenging emission reduction targets regarding combustion engines and increasing ranges in electric mobility. This article presents different composite production methods...... and discusses their ability within mass production giving also an example within the automotive production....

  11. Prototyping of automotive components with variable width and depth

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abeyrathna, B.; Rolfe, B.; Harrasser, J.; Sedlmaier, A.; Ge, Rui; Pan, L.; Weiss, M.

    2017-09-01

    Roll forming enables the manufacturing of longitudinal components from materials that combine high strength with limited formability and is increasingly used in the automotive industry for the manufacture of structural and crash components. An extension of conventional roll forming is the Flexible Roll Forming (FRF) process where the rolls are no longer fixed in space but are free to move which enables the forming of components with variable cross section over the length of the part. Even though FRF components have high weight saving potential the technology has found only limited application in the automotive industry. A new flexible forming facility has recently been developed that enables proof of concept studies and the production of FRF prototypes before a full FRF line is built; this may lead to a wider uptake of the FRF technology in the automotive industry. In this process, the pre-cut blank is placed between two clamps and the whole set up moves back and forth; a forming roll that is mounted on a servo-controlled platform with six degrees of freedom forms the pre-cut blank to the desired shape. In this study an initial forming concept for the flexible roll forming of an automotive component with variable height is developed using COPRA® FEA RF. This is followed by performing experimental prototyping studies on the new concept forming facility. Using the optical strain measurement system Autogrid Compact, material deformation, part shape and wrinkling severity are analysed for some forming passes and compared with the numerical results. The results show that the numerical model gives a good representation of material behaviour and that with increasing forming severity wrinkling issues need to be overcome in the process.

  12. Analysis of a ceramic filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Habib Ullah, M.; Islam, M. T.

    2013-01-01

    Design and analysis of a ceramic-filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure is presented. This proposed high-dielectric structure is used as a substrate for patch antennas. A meandered-strip line-fed fractal-shape patch antenna is designed and fabricated on a copper-laminated sandwich-structured substrate. Measurement results of this antenna show 44% and 20% of bandwidths with maximum gains of 3.45 dBi and 5.87 dBi for the lower and upper bands, respectively. The half-power beam widths of 104° and 78° have been observed from the measured radiation pattern at the two resonance frequencies 0.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz

  13. Analysis of a ceramic filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Habib Ullah, M. [Institute of Space Science (ANGKASA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi Selangor 43600 (Malaysia); Department of Electrical, Electronic and System Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi 43600 (Malaysia); Islam, M. T. [Institute of Space Science (ANGKASA), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi Selangor 43600 (Malaysia)

    2013-11-25

    Design and analysis of a ceramic-filled bio-plastic composite sandwich structure is presented. This proposed high-dielectric structure is used as a substrate for patch antennas. A meandered-strip line-fed fractal-shape patch antenna is designed and fabricated on a copper-laminated sandwich-structured substrate. Measurement results of this antenna show 44% and 20% of bandwidths with maximum gains of 3.45 dBi and 5.87 dBi for the lower and upper bands, respectively. The half-power beam widths of 104° and 78° have been observed from the measured radiation pattern at the two resonance frequencies 0.9 GHz and 2.5 GHz.

  14. Techno-economic requirements for automotive composites

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arnold, Scot

    1993-01-01

    New technology generally serves two main goals of the automotive industry: one is to enable vehicles to comply with various governmental regulations and the other is to provide a competitive edge in the market. The latter goal can either be served through improved manufacturing and design capabilities, such as computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing, or through improved product performance, such as anti-lock braking (ABS). Although safety features are sometimes customer driven, such as the increasing use of airbags and ABS, most are determined by regulations as outlined by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). Other standards, set by the Environmental Protection Agency, determine acceptable levels of emissions and fuel consumption. State governments, such as in California, are also setting precedent standards, such as requiring manufacturers to offer zero-emission vehicles as a certain fraction of their sales in the state. The drive to apply new materials in the automobile stems from the need to reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency. Topics discussed include: new lightweight materials; types of automotive materials; automotive composite applications; the role for composite materials in automotive applications; advantages and disadvantages of composite materials; material substitution economics; economic perspective; production economics; and composite materials production economics.

  15. United States Automotive Materials Partnership LLC (USAMP)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    United States Automotive Materials Partnership

    2011-01-31

    developed materials and technologies, and have resulted in significant technical successes to date, as discussed in the individual project summary final reports. Over 70 materials-focused projects have been established by USAMP, in collaboration with participating suppliers, academic/non-profit organizations and national laboratories, and executed through its original three divisions: the Automotive Composites Consortium (ACC), the Automotive Metals Division (AMD), and Auto/Steel Partnership (A/SP). Two new divisions were formed by USAMP in 2006 to drive research emphasis on integration of structures incorporating dissimilar lightweighting materials, and on enabling technology for nondestructive evaluation of structures and joints. These new USAMP divisions are: Multi-Material Vehicle Research and Development Initiative (MMV), and the Non-Destructive Evaluation Steering Committee (NDE). In cooperation with USAMP and the FreedomCAR Materials Technical Team, a consensus process has been established to facilitate the development of projects to help move leveraged research to targeted development projects that eventually migrate to the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) as application engineering projects. Research projects are assigned to one of three phases: concept feasibility, technical feasibility, and demonstration feasibility. Projects are guided through ongoing monitoring and USAMP offsite reviews, so as to meet the requirements of each phase before they are allowed to move on to the next phase. As progress is made on these projects, the benefits of lightweight construction and enabling technologies will be transferred to the supply base and implemented in production vehicles. The single greatest barrier to automotive use of lightweight materials is their high cost; therefore, priority is given to activities aimed at reducing costs through development of new materials, forming technologies, and manufacturing processes. The emphasis of the research projects reported

  16. National Automotive Center - NAC

    Data.gov (United States)

    Federal Laboratory Consortium — Encouraged by the advantages of collaboration, the U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) worked with the Secretary of the...

  17. SELECTION METHOD FOR AUTOMOTIVE PARTS RECONDITIONING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dan Florin NITOI

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Paper presents technological methods for metal deposition, costs calculation and clasification for the main process that helps in automotive technologies to repair or to increase pieces properties. Paper was constructed based on many technological experiments that starts from practicans and returns to them. The main aim is to help young engineers or practicians engineers to choose the proper reconditioning process with the best information in repairing pieces from automotive industry.

  18. AUTOMOTIVE MARKET- FROM A GENERAL TO A MARKET SEGMENTATION APPROACH

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liviana Andreea Niminet

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Automotive market and its corresponding industry are undoubtedly of outmost importance and therefore proper market segmentation is crucial for market players, potential competitors and customers as well. Time has proved that market economic analysis often shown flaws in determining the relevant market, by using solely or mainly the geographic aspect and disregarding the importance of segments on the automotive market. For these reasons we propose a new approach of the automotive market proving the importance of proper market segmentation and defining the strategic groups within the automotive market.

  19. Analysis of elastic-plastic dynamic response of reinforced concrete frame structure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li Zhongcheng

    2009-01-01

    Based on a set of data from seismic response test on an R/C frame, a force-based R/C beam fibre model with non-linear material properties and bond-slip effects are presented firstly in this paper, and then the applications to the tested R/C frame are presented to illustrate the model characteristics and to show the accuracy of seismic analysis including consideration of non-linear factors. It can be concluded that the elastic-plastic analysis is a potential step toward the accurate modelling for the dynamic analyses of R/C structures. Especially for the seismic safety re-evaluation of the existing NPPs, the elastic-plastic methodology with consideration of different non-linearities should be involved. (author)

  20. Laser Cutting of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics - Investigation of Hazardous Process Emissions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walter, Juergen; Hustedt, Michael; Staehr, Richard; Kaierle, Stefan; Jaeschke, Peter; Suttmann, Oliver; Overmeyer, Ludger

    Carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) show high potential for use in lightweight applications not only in aircraft design, but also in the automotive or wind energy industry. However, processing of CFRP is complex and expensive due to their outstanding mechanical properties. One possibility to manufacture CFRP structures flexibly at acceptable process speeds is high-power laser cutting. Though showing various advantages such as contactless energy transfer, this process is connected to potentially hazardous emission of respirable dust and organic gases. Moreover, the emitted particles may be fibrous, thus requiring particular attention. Here, a systematic analysis of the hazardous substances emitted during laser cutting of CFRP with thermoplastic and thermosetting matrix is presented. The objective is to evaluate emission rates for the total particulate and gaseous fractions as well as for different organic key components. Furthermore, the influence of the laser process conditions shall be assessed, and first proposals to handle the emissions adequately are made.

  1. ANALYSIS OF DEPENDENCE OF THE FLOW TEMPERATURE OF THE PLASTICIZED POLYMER ON THE CHEMICAL STRUCTURE AND CONCENTRATION OF THE POLYMER AND THE PLASTICIZER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Askadskiy Andrey Aleksandrovich

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Polymeric materials are widely used in construction. The properties of polymeric construction materials vary to a substantial extent; their durability, thermal stability, frost resistance, waterproof and dielectric properties are particularly pronounced. Their properties serve as the drivers of the high market demand for these products. These materials are applied as finishing materials, molded sanitary engineering products and effective thermal insulation and water proofing materials. The authors analyze the influence of the chemical structure and structural features of polymers on their properties. The authors consider flow and vitrification temperatures of polymers. These temperatures determine the parameters of polymeric products, including those important for the construction process. The analysis of influence of concentration of the plasticizer on the vitrification temperature is based on the two basic theories. In accordance with the first one, reduction of the vitrification temperature is proportionate to the molar fraction of the injected plasticizer. According to the second concept, reduction of the vitrification temperature is proportionate to the volume fraction of the injected solvent. Dependencies of the flow temperature on the molecular weight and the molar fraction of the plasticizer are derived for PVC. As an example, two plasticizers were considered, including dibutyl sebacate and dioctylftalatalate. The basic parameters of all mixtures were calculated through the employment of "Cascade" software programme (A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelemental Connections, Russian Academy of Sciences.

  2. Closed-form critical earthquake response of elastic-plastic structures on compliant ground under near-fault ground motions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kotaro eKojima

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The double impulse is introduced as a substitute of the fling-step near-fault ground motion. A closed-form solution of the elastic-plastic response of a structure on compliant (flexible ground by the ‘critical double impulse’ is derived for the first time based on the solution for the corresponding structure with fixed base. As in the case of fixed-base model, only the free-vibration appears under such double impulse and the energy approach plays an important role in the derivation of the closed-form solution of a complicated elastic-plastic response on compliant ground. It is remarkable that no iteration is needed in the derivation of the critical elastic-plastic response. It is shown via the closed-form expression that, in the case of a smaller input level of double impulse to the structural strength, as the ground stiffness becomes larger, the maximum plastic deformation becomes larger. On the other hand, in the case of a larger input level of double impulse to the structural strength, as the ground stiffness becomes smaller, the maximum plastic deformation becomes larger. The criticality and validity of the proposed theory are investigated through the comparison with the response analysis to the corresponding one-cycle sinusoidal input as a representative of the fling-step near-fault ground motion. The applicability of the proposed theory to actual recorded pulse-type ground motions is also discussed.

  3. Conference on Future Automotive Technology Focus Electro Mobility

    CERN Document Server

    2013-01-01

    The increasing trend towards electric cars leads to several challenges for the automobile industry, research institutes and politics as well as for the society. Research and serial development move closer together to meet automotive standards with new components such as traction batteries integrated into hybrid and electrical drivetrains. Furthermore, the influence of e-mobility on the daily mobility behavior, the effects on the automotive supply chain and the impact on industrial production have to be taken into account. According to these complex aspects it is crucial to not only acquire specific knowledge in the particular fields but also to consider their functional interaction. Therefore, it seems essential to merge competence from science, economy and politics. This year, the annual „Conference on Future Automotive Technology“ as the follow-up of the „2. Automobiltechnisches Kolloquium München” focuses on the economical realization of widespread automotive electro mobility. Contents - Energy St...

  4. Constitutive modeling and structural analysis considering simultaneous phase transformation and plastic yield in shape memory alloys

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartl, D. J.; Lagoudas, D. C.

    2009-10-01

    The new developments summarized in this work represent both theoretical and experimental investigations of the effects of plastic strain generation in shape memory alloys (SMAs). Based on the results of SMA experimental characterization described in the literature and additional testing described in this work, a new 3D constitutive model is proposed. This phenomenological model captures both the conventional shape memory effects of pseudoelasticity and thermal strain recovery, and additionally considers the initiation and evolution of plastic strains. The model is numerically implemented in a finite element framework using a return mapping algorithm to solve the constitutive equations at each material point. This combination of theory and implementation is unique in its ability to capture the simultaneous evolution of recoverable transformation strains and irrecoverable plastic strains. The consideration of isotropic and kinematic plastic hardening allows the derivation of a theoretical framework capturing the interactions between irrecoverable plastic strain and recoverable strain due to martensitic transformation. Further, the numerical integration of the constitutive equations is formulated such that objectivity is maintained for SMA structures undergoing moderate strains and large displacements. The implemented model has been used to perform 3D analysis of SMA structural components under uniaxial and bending loads, including a case of local buckling behavior. Experimentally validated results considering simultaneous transformation and plasticity in a bending member are provided, illustrating the predictive accuracy of the model and its implementation.

  5. Constitutive modeling and structural analysis considering simultaneous phase transformation and plastic yield in shape memory alloys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hartl, D J; Lagoudas, D C

    2009-01-01

    The new developments summarized in this work represent both theoretical and experimental investigations of the effects of plastic strain generation in shape memory alloys (SMAs). Based on the results of SMA experimental characterization described in the literature and additional testing described in this work, a new 3D constitutive model is proposed. This phenomenological model captures both the conventional shape memory effects of pseudoelasticity and thermal strain recovery, and additionally considers the initiation and evolution of plastic strains. The model is numerically implemented in a finite element framework using a return mapping algorithm to solve the constitutive equations at each material point. This combination of theory and implementation is unique in its ability to capture the simultaneous evolution of recoverable transformation strains and irrecoverable plastic strains. The consideration of isotropic and kinematic plastic hardening allows the derivation of a theoretical framework capturing the interactions between irrecoverable plastic strain and recoverable strain due to martensitic transformation. Further, the numerical integration of the constitutive equations is formulated such that objectivity is maintained for SMA structures undergoing moderate strains and large displacements. The implemented model has been used to perform 3D analysis of SMA structural components under uniaxial and bending loads, including a case of local buckling behavior. Experimentally validated results considering simultaneous transformation and plasticity in a bending member are provided, illustrating the predictive accuracy of the model and its implementation

  6. Structural plasticity in the dentate gyrus- revisiting a classic injury model.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julia V. Perederiy

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available The adult brain is in a continuous state of remodeling. This is nowhere more true than in the dentate gyrus, where competing forces such as neurodegeneration and neurogenesis dynamically modify neuronal connectivity, and can occur simultaneously. This plasticity of the adult nervous system is particularly important in the context of traumatic brain injury or deafferentation. In this review, we summarize a classic injury model, lesioning of the perforant path, which removes the main extrahippocampal input to the dentate gyrus. Early studies revealed that in response to deafferentation, axons of remaining fiber systems and dendrites of mature granule cells undergo lamina-specific changes, providing one of the first examples of structural plasticity in the adult brain. Given the increasing role of adult-generated new neurons in the function of the dentate gyrus, we also compare the response of newborn and mature granule cells following lesioning of the perforant path. These studies provide insights not only to plasticity in the dentate gyrus, but also to the response of neural circuits to brain injury.

  7. Aero and vibroacoustics of automotive turbochargers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nguyen-Schaefer, Hung [Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems GmbH, Stuttgart (Germany)

    2013-02-01

    First book about the aeroacoustics of automotive turbochargers. Author of the book ''Rotordynamics of Automotive Turbochargers'', Springer, 2012. Written by an R and D expert in the turbocharger industry. Aero and Vibroacoustics of Automotive Turbochargers is a topic involving aspects from the working fields of thermodynamics of turbomachinery, aerodynamics, rotordynamics, and noise propagation computation. In this broadly interdisciplinary subject, thermodynamics of turbomachinery is used to design the turbocharger and to determine its operating conditions. Aerodynamics is needed to study the compressor flow dynamics and flow instabilities of rotating stall and surge, which can produce growling and whining-type noises. Rotordynamics is necessary to study rotor unbalance and self-excited oil-whirl instabilities, which lead to whistling and constant tone-type noises in rotating floating oil-film type bearings. For the special case of turbochargers using ball bearings, some high-order harmonic and wear noises also manifest in the rotor operating range. Lastly, noise propagation computation, based on Lighthill's analogy, is required to investigate airborne noises produced by turbochargers in passenger vehicles. The content of this book is intended for advanced undergraduates, graduates in mechanical engineering, research scientists and practicing engineers who want to better understand the interactions between these working fields and the resulting impact on the interesting topic of Aero and Vibroacoustics of Automotive Turbochargers.

  8. A Comprehensive Framework for Information Technology Governance and Localizing it for Automotive Industry of Iran (Case Study: ATLAS Automotive Holding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohammad Mosakhani

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Due to the absence of a comprehensive framework for IT governance, the main objective of the study is to identify all components of IT governance and present them in the form of a comprehensive IT governance framework .The localization of provided framework for the automotive industry is the secondary objective of the study. In this regard, the research questions are: what is the comprehensive framework of IT governance? What are the components and dimensions of a comprehensive framework of IT governance? What is the localized comprehensive framework of IT governance for the Iranian automotive industry? All researches on IT governance were investigated using meta-synthesis qualitative method and were limited to 96 selected articles by performing a meta-synthesis process. Then, the five categories, 19 concepts and 79 codes of IT governance were identified through detailed study of these articles. Then, a comprehensive framework of IT governance was presented. For localizing, a questionnaire designed based on the identified IT governance components, and distributed among the automotive industry experts. Statistical hypothesis testing of collected data led to the rejection of cross/functional job rotation component in the automotive industry. To demonstrate the applicability of the framework, the IT governance status of ATLAS holding company was evaluated based on the comprehensive framework that localized for automotive industry.

  9. 40 CFR 52.777 - Control strategy: photochemical oxidants (hydrocarbons).

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... plastics, automotive plastics, and synthetic organic chemical manufacturing industries (SOCMI) batch... Quality Standard for ozone. The redesignation request and maintenance plan meet the redesignation... wastewater processes, offset lithography operations, business plastics, automotive plastics, and synthetic...

  10. Simulation and control of an automotive dry clutch

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Serrarens, A.F.A.; Dassen, M.; Steinbuch, M.

    2004-01-01

    In this paper the dynamic behavior and control of an automotive dry clutch is analyzed. Thereto, a straight-forward model of the clutch is embedded within a dynamic model of an automotive powertrain comprising an internal combustion engine, drivetrain and wheels moving a vehicle through tire-road

  11. Firm and Product Heterogeneity in China's Automotive Exports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Wang

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The main purpose of this paper is to provide an in-depth analysis of the anatomy of China's automotive exports, relying on the literature on firm and product heterogeneity. For this purpose, we use highly disaggregated HS 8-digit product-category level data collected by the Chinese Customs Office for 2000 and 2008, and we distinguish between foreign firms, domestic public firms, and domestic private firms. We also decompose automotive products into autos and auto parts and components (P/C. We then calculate both the extensive margins – number of products exported – and intensive margins – average value of exports per product – of China's automotive exports. We estimate gravity equations to assess the determinants of China's exports of autos and auto P/C. Overall, our analysis yields a number of new, interesting stylized facts about China's automotive exports by confirming the need for taking into account different types of heterogeneity in analyzing international trade.

  12. THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY IN A NEW TEHNOLOGICAL ERA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Simona Catalina ALBULESCU

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available The business world is changing at an impressive speed: the global financial crisis, challenging markets, technology and talent crisis have a major impact on business. The last century can be associated with the triumph of the automobile industry. At the beginning of the 21st century the automotive industry has experienced one of the largest shifts in the automotive history. The new CO2 regulations on global level have determined the automotove industry to adopt new and original technologies faster than anticipated. The emerging tendency of car sharing in larger cities added to the media information related to the negative environmental effects of car mobility generate concerns that customers were seeking a replacement to the traditional, individual car ownership. The automotive industry will face challenging years ahead taking into consideration the shifting paradigm in auto-mobility. In this context, this article aims to provide a general perspective of the tendencies in the automotive sector.

  13. Biodegradability of plastics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tokiwa, Yutaka; Calabia, Buenaventurada P; Ugwu, Charles U; Aiba, Seiichi

    2009-08-26

    Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.). In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

  14. Automotive Body Trim and Glass; Automotive Mechanics 2: 9045.05.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dade County Public Schools, Miami, FL.

    This document presents an outline for a 135-hour course designed to help students become employable with skills, knowledge, attitudes, and values necessary for performing the required service of the automotive trim and glass mechanic. The course of study includes an orientation to the course, service tools and bench skills development, and a study…

  15. Automotive Brake Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marine Corps Inst., Washington, DC.

    This correspondence course, orginally developed for the Marine Corps, is designed to provide mechanics with an understanding of the basic operations of automotive brake systems on military vehicles. The course contains four study units covering hydraulic brakes, air brakes, power brakes, and auxiliary brake systems. A troubleshooting guide for…

  16. The Effect of Industrial Work Performance Practice and Performance Automotive Electrical Prakti entrepreneurial n Against Interests Automotive Mechanics Class XII Smk Diponegoro Depok Sleman

    OpenAIRE

    Arif Mustofa; Pairun Roniwijaya

    2013-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine (1) the influence of the industrial working practices achievement entrepreneurial interests, (2) the effect of automotive electrical practice achievement against entrepreneurial interests, and (3) influence of achievement and accomplishment industry work practices automotive electrical practices to entrepreneurial interest Automotive Mechanics XII class students of SMK Diponegoro Depok Sleman school year 2012/2013.  The results showed that the test r...

  17. Infrared monitoring of friction welds and adhesive bond curing in automotive manufacturing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chapman, G.B.

    2005-01-01

    The need for improving automotive assembly, energy-efficiency, performance, durability and quality is intensifying as customer demands and competitive pressures drive the industry toward unrelenting improvements in energy conservation, cost, quality and speed to market, without compromising the vehicle capacity, performance, appearance and affordability to which North Americans have become accustomed. This presentation describes the need for and the development and use of infrared detection methods to assure the joint quality of friction welds in thermoplastic assemblies and to monitor adhesive bond-joint curing in metal assemblies. Some remaining barriers to the wider applications of this technology in the quality assurance of joints in automotive body structures will also be presented as indicators of further research and development opportunities. (author)

  18. Semantic modeling of the structural and process entities during plastic deformation of crystals and rocks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Babaie, Hassan; Davarpanah, Armita

    2016-04-01

    We are semantically modeling the structural and dynamic process components of the plastic deformation of minerals and rocks in the Plastic Deformation Ontology (PDO). Applying the Ontology of Physics in Biology, the PDO classifies the spatial entities that participate in the diverse processes of plastic deformation into the Physical_Plastic_Deformation_Entity and Nonphysical_Plastic_Deformation_Entity classes. The Material_Physical_Plastic_Deformation_Entity class includes things such as microstructures, lattice defects, atoms, liquid, and grain boundaries, and the Immaterial_Physical_Plastic_Deformation_Entity class includes vacancies in crystals and voids along mineral grain boundaries. The objects under the many subclasses of these classes (e.g., crystal, lattice defect, layering) have spatial parts that are related to each other through taxonomic (e.g., Line_Defect isA Lattice_Defect), structural (mereological, e.g., Twin_Plane partOf Twin), spatial-topological (e.g., Vacancy adjacentTo Atom, Fluid locatedAlong Grain_Boundary), and domain specific (e.g., displaces, Fluid crystallizes Dissolved_Ion, Void existsAlong Grain_Boundary) relationships. The dynamic aspect of the plastic deformation is modeled under the dynamical Process_Entity class that subsumes classes such as Recrystallization and Pressure_Solution that define the flow of energy amongst the physical entities. The values of the dynamical state properties of the physical entities (e.g., Chemical_Potential, Temperature, Particle_Velocity) change while they take part in the deformational processes such as Diffusion and Dislocation_Glide. The process entities have temporal parts (phases) that are related to each other through temporal relations such as precedes, isSubprocessOf, and overlaps. The properties of the physical entities, defined under the Physical_Property class, change as they participate in the plastic deformational processes. The properties are categorized into dynamical, constitutive

  19. Computational intelligence in automotive applications

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Prokhorov, Danil (ed.) [Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (TEMA), Ann Arbor, MI (United States). Toyota Technical Center

    2008-07-01

    What is computational intelligence (CI)? Traditionally, CI is understood as a collection of methods from the fields of neural networks (NN), fuzzy logic and evolutionary computation. This edited volume is the first of its kind, suitable to automotive researchers, engineers and students. It provides a representative sample of contemporary CI activities in the area of automotive technology. The volume consists of 13 chapters, including but not limited to these topics: vehicle diagnostics and vehicle system safety, control of vehicular systems, quality control of automotive processes, driver state estimation, safety of pedestrians, intelligent vehicles. All chapters contain overviews of state of the art, and several chapters illustrate their methodologies on examples of real-world systems. About the Editor: Danil Prokhorov began his technical career in St. Petersburg, Russia, after graduating with Honors from Saint Petersburg State University of Aerospace Instrumentation in 1992 (MS in Robotics). He worked as a research engineer in St. Petersburg Institute for Informatics and Automation, one of the institutes of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He came to the US in late 1993 for Ph.D. studies. He became involved in automotive research in 1995 when he was a Summer intern at Ford Scientific Research Lab in Dearborn, MI. Upon his graduation from the EE Department of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, in 1997, he joined Ford to pursue application-driven research on neural networks and other machine learning algorithms. While at Ford, he took part in several production-bound projects including neural network based engine misfire detection. Since 2005 he is with Toyota Technical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, overseeing important mid- and long-term research projects in computational intelligence. (orig.)

  20. Integrated Computational Materials Engineering for Magnesium in Automotive Body Applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allison, John E.; Liu, Baicheng; Boyle, Kevin P.; Hector, Lou; McCune, Robert

    This paper provides an overview and progress report for an international collaborative project which aims to develop an ICME infrastructure for magnesium for use in automotive body applications. Quantitative processing-micro structure-property relationships are being developed for extruded Mg alloys, sheet-formed Mg alloys and high pressure die cast Mg alloys. These relationships are captured in computational models which are then linked with manufacturing process simulation and used to provide constitutive models for component performance analysis. The long term goal is to capture this information in efficient computational models and in a web-centered knowledge base. The work is being conducted at leading universities, national labs and industrial research facilities in the US, China and Canada. This project is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP), Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and Natural Resources Canada (NRCan).

  1. Career Development Standards for Vocational Automotive Service Instruction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association of the U.S., Inc., Detroit, MI.

    The book, prepared for educators and industry, was designed as a complete guide to establishing an automotive training program. The 10 sections describe the following aspects of program planning and implementation: (1) career opportunities in automotive service; (2) guidance, counseling, placement, and followup; (3) school, parent, emPloyer,…

  2. SEE - Sight Effectiveness Enhancement. Results of the automotive evaluation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Andersen, V.; Hansen, K.D.; Cathala, T.

    2006-01-01

    In the SEE project two parallel evaluations have been conducted, an experimental trial of the automotive and another of the aeronautical application. The evaluations have measured the efficiency and HMI (human-machine interaction) characteristics of theSEE prototype. This report covers the automo......In the SEE project two parallel evaluations have been conducted, an experimental trial of the automotive and another of the aeronautical application. The evaluations have measured the efficiency and HMI (human-machine interaction) characteristics of theSEE prototype. This report covers...... the automotive part of the evaluation. The evaluation of the automotive application was carried out in computer simulated environments and followed the general objectives of the evaluation described in ‘Definition of theEvaluation Plan’ . The field experiment discussed, however, was given up due to lack...

  3. Stochastic Finite Element Analysis of Non-Linear Structures Modelled by Plasticity Theory

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Frier, Christian; Sørensen, John Dalsgaard

    2003-01-01

    A Finite Element Reliability Method (FERM) is introduced to perform reliability analyses on two-dimensional structures in plane stress, modeled by non-linear plasticity theory. FERM is a coupling between the First Order Reliability Method (FORM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM). FERM can be us...

  4. Structural homeostasis in the nervous system: A balancing act for wiring plasticity and stability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun eYin

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Experience-dependent modifications of neural circuits provide the cellular basis for functional adaptation and learning, while presenting significant challenges to the stability of neural networks. The nervous system copes with these perturbations through a variety of compensatory mechanisms with distinct spatial and temporal profiles. Mounting evidence suggests that structural plasticity, through modifications of the number and structure of synapses, or changes in local and long-range connectivity, might contribute to the stabilization of network activity and serve as an important component of the homeostatic regulation of the nervous system. Conceptually similar to the homeostatic regulation of synaptic strength and efficacy, homeostatic structural plasticity has a profound and lasting impact on the intrinsic excitability of the neuron and circuit properties, yet remains largely unexplored. In this review, we examine recent reports describing structural modifications associated with functional compensation in both developing and adult nervous systems, and discuss the potential role for structural homeostasis in maintaining network stability and its implications in physiological and pathological conditions of the nervous systems.

  5. Overview of Automotive Core Tools: Applications and Benefits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doshi, Jigar A.; Desai, Darshak

    2017-08-01

    Continuous improvement of product and process quality is always challenging and creative task in today's era of globalization. Various quality tools are available and used for the same. Some of them are successful and few of them are not. Considering the complexity in the continuous quality improvement (CQI) process various new techniques are being introduced by the industries, as well as proposed by researchers and academia. Lean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, Lean Six Sigma is some of the techniques. In recent years, there are new tools being opted by the industry, especially automotive, called as Automotive Core Tools (ACT). The intention of this paper is to review the applications and benefits along with existing research on Automotive Core Tools with special emphasis on continuous quality improvement. The methodology uses an extensive review of literature through reputed publications—journals, conference proceedings, research thesis, etc. This paper provides an overview of ACT, its enablers, and exertions, how it evolved into sophisticated methodologies and benefits used in organisations. It should be of value to practitioners of Automotive Core Tools and to academics who are interested in how CQI can be achieved using ACT. It needs to be stressed here that this paper is not intended to scorn Automotive Core Tools, rather, its purpose is limited only to provide a balance on the prevailing positive views toward ACT.

  6. Electrification of the transportation sector: Is there a need for restructuring the automotive parts suppliers?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bekaslan, A. Ebru

    The future of the transportation sector has significant implications for the mitigation of climate change through reduced GHG emissions as well as achieving energy efficiency and energy independence. Battery-powered, plug-in, and hybrid electric vehicles are widely seen as the greatest source of a solution. This thesis analyzes the historical development and growth of the automotive industry as well as the restructuring toward the next generation technologies in comparison with the U.S. and China to shed light on the question of how a developing country can structure its strategies to be able to upgrade and be competitive over time. Conventional business models can become obsolete. Companies will find it difficult to maintain their market position unless they gain new perspectives on the outlook of the industry as a whole, and take into account the successful business models of tomorrow. The potential for further growth of the Turkish automotive supplier base particularly in the next generation of automotive technologies is therefore highly dependent on policies and strategies at the national level as much as its dependence on the global strategies of the automotive industry's major players. In this sense, the key questions that motivate this study are whether there are foreseeable technological changes and product-segmentation strategies that could significantly enhance the competitiveness of local Turkish suppliers of automotive components. The thesis builds on the theory of innovative enterprise and evolutionary agglomeration to examine the competitive potential of the Konya Auto Part Suppliers' Cluster in Turkey.

  7. An Evaluation of 3D Woven Orthogonal Composites' Potential in the Automotive Supply Chain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Taylor, Dalia

    The automotive supply chain and its management can be a very complex process and comprises a long dynamic and complex network that consists of four primary segments: original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), first tier suppliers, sub tiers suppliers, and infrastructure suppliers. During the analysis of the current automotive industry it was identified that textile industry importance is considerable increasing as a part of the global automotive supply chain, because textile products are used for interior, exterior and even suspension parts and components. Automotive industry has an increasing demand for higher quality exterior panels with better functional properties and reduced weight. One of the main potentials for this demand is based on the three-dimensional woven composites technology innovations which can replace an existing technology. The new role of the textile industry could make important changes in the automotive supply chain industry, such as: changes in the size of the supply chain, the time to the market and the position of textile industry in the automotive supply chain structure. 3D composite materials from high performance fibers, such as glass and carbon, have been used for automotive applications in a limited way due to the low production rate and the lack of research and development. This research will contribute to the understanding of textile composites in transportation and the textile parameters that affect the performance characteristics of these materials. The research examines the performance characteristics of lighter and stronger 3D woven fabric composites made from fiberglass with the aim to improve fuel efficiency by reducing the total vehicle weight while maintaining safety standards. The performance characteristics of the 3D woven fabric composite can be designed by changing different construction parameters, such as picks density, pick roving linear density, arrangements of warp and z-yarns, and the number of warp and picks layers

  8. Biodegradability of Plastics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yutaka Tokiwa

    2009-08-01

    Full Text Available Plastic is a broad name given to different polymers with high molecular weight, which can be degraded by various processes. However, considering their abundance in the environment and their specificity in attacking plastics, biodegradation of plastics by microorganisms and enzymes seems to be the most effective process. When plastics are used as substrates for microorganisms, evaluation of their biodegradability should not only be based on their chemical structure, but also on their physical properties (melting point, glass transition temperature, crystallinity, storage modulus etc.. In this review, microbial and enzymatic biodegradation of plastics and some factors that affect their biodegradability are discussed.

  9. Elastic-plastic-creep response of structures under composite time history of loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zudans, Z.

    1975-01-01

    High temperature nuclear reactor components are subject to a complex history of thermal and mechanical loading cycles. To evaluate the adequacy of such components, detailed information on the accumulated inelastic strains and strain cycling is required. This work derives the theory, develops efficient numerical techniques accounting for plasticity, creep and overall equilibrium, describes the overall structure of the resulting computer program, and demonstrates the capability of this analysis on a real structure. (Auth.)

  10. Tune Up: Automotive Mechanics Instructional Program. Block 5.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Ralph D.

    The fifth of six instructional blocks in automotive mechanics, the lessons and supportive information in the document provide a guide for teachers in planning an instructional program in automotive tune-ups at the secondary and post secondary level. The material, as organized, is a suggested sequence of instruction within each block. Each lesson…

  11. Fuel System: Automotive Mechanics Instructional Program. Block 4.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Ralph D.

    The fourth of six instructional blocks in automotive mechanics, the lessons and supportive information in the document provide a guide for teachers in planning an instructional program in automotive fuel systems at the secondary and post secondary level. The material, as organized, is a suggested sequence of instruction within each block. Each…

  12. Cooling System: Automotive Mechanics Instructional Program. Block 6.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Brien, Ralph D.

    The last of six instructional blocks in automotive mechanics, the lessons and supportive information in the document provide a guide for teachers in planning an instructional program in the automotive cooling system at the secondary and post secondary level. The material, as organized, is a suggested sequence of instruction within each block. Each…

  13. The influences of soil and nearby structures on dispersion characteristics of wave propagating along buried plastic pipes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Shuyong; Jiang, J.; Parr, Nicola

    2016-09-01

    Water loss in distribution systems is a global problem for the water industry and governments. According to the international water supply association (IWSA), as a result of leaks from distribution pipes, 20% to 30% of water is lost while in transit from treatment plants to consumers. Although governments have tried to push the water industry to reduce the water leaks, a lot of experts have pointed out that a wide use of plastic pipes instead of metal pipes in recent years has caused difficulties in the detection of leaks using current acoustic technology. Leaks from plastic pipes are much quieter than traditional metal pipes and comparing to metal pipes the plastic pipes have very different coupling characteristics with soil, water and surrounding structures, such as other pipes, road surface and building foundations. The dispersion characteristics of wave propagating along buried plastic pipes are investigated in this paper using finite element and boundary element based models. Both empty and water- filled pipes were considered. Influences from nearby pipes and building foundations were carefully studied. The results showed that soil condition and nearby structures have significant influences on the dispersion characteristics of wave propagating along buried plastic pipes.

  14. Global plastic models for computerized structural analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roche, R.; Hoffmann, A.

    1977-01-01

    Two different global models are used in the CEASEMT system for structural analysis, one for the shells analysis and the other for piping analysis (in plastic or creep field). In shell analysis the generalized stresses choosed are the membrane forces Nsub(ij) and bending (including torsion) moments Msub(ij). There is only one yield condition for a normal (to the middle surface) and no integration along the thickness is required. In piping analysis, the choice of generalized stresses is: bending moments, torsional moments, Hoop stress and tension stress. There is only a set of stresses for a cross section and non integration over the cross section area is needed. Connected strains are axis curvature, torsion, uniform strains. The definition of the yield surface is the most important item. A practical way is to use a diagonal quadratic fonction of the stress components. But the coefficients are depending of the shape of the pipe element, especially for curved segments. Indications will be given on the yield fonctions used. Some examples of applications in structural analysis are added to the text [fr

  15. Length of Acupuncture Training and Structural Plastic Brain Changes in Professional Acupuncturists.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minghao Dong

    Full Text Available The research on brain plasticity has fascinated researchers for decades. Use/training serves as an instrumental factor to influence brain neuroplasticity. Parallel to acquisition of behavioral expertise, extensive use/training is concomitant with substantial changes of cortical structure. Acupuncturists, serving as a model par excellence to study tactile-motor and emotional regulation plasticity, receive intensive training in national medical schools following standardized training protocol. Moreover, their behavioral expertise is corroborated during long-term clinical practice. Although our previous study reported functional plastic brain changes in the acupuncturists, whether or not structural plastic changes occurred in acupuncturists is yet elusive.Cohorts of acupuncturists (N = 22 and non-acupuncturists (N = 22 were recruited. Behavioral tests were delivered to assess the acupuncturists' behavioral expertise. The results confirmed acupuncturists' tactile-motor skills and emotion regulation proficiency compared to non-acupuncturists. Using the voxel-based morphometry technique, we revealed larger grey matter volumes in acupuncturists in the hand representation of the contralateral primary somatosensory cortex (SI, the right lobule V/VI and the bilateral ventral anterior cingulate cortex/ventral medial prefrontal cortex. Grey matter volumes of the SI and Lobule V/VI positively correlated with the duration of acupuncture practice.To our best knowledge, this study provides first evidence for the anatomical alterations in acupuncturists, which would possibly be the neural correlates underlying acupuncturists' exceptional skills. On one hand, we suggest our findings may have ramifications for tactile-motor rehabilitation. On the other hand, our results in emotion regulation domain may serve as a target for our future studies, from which we can understand how modulations of aversive emotions elicited by empathic pain develop in the context

  16. Elastic-plastic-creep response of structures under composite time history of loadings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zudans, Z.

    1975-01-01

    The purpose of this work is to derive the theory, to develop efficient numerical techniques accounting for plasticity, creep and overall equilibrium, to describe the overall structure of the resulting computer program, and to demonstrate the capability of this analysis on a real structure. Classical plasticity theory is used to develop a novel method based on the concept of 'plastic stress' for consideration of inelastic behavior. It is shown that materials stres-strain curves can be followed to any desired degree of accuracy both for isotropic and kinematic hardening. It is further shown that for kinematic hardening it is necessary to base the incremental change on the state corresponding to the mean of the initial and the final states in order to satisfy the yield condition at the final state. The equation of state and strain hardening is used to describe the creep behavior. A novel numerical technique to describe a complex load history is developed by using time as a parameter, history breakpoint determination by scanning of various load vectors and by linear interpolation between any two breakpoints in the load history. The 'plastic stress' load vector concept is utilized with iteration and extrapolation to converge to the equilibrium states with simultaneous satisfaction of the stress-strain relations for each of the iterated states. The essential features of the computer program DYPLAS-FSH, based on the theory and techniques described above, and a postprocessor program POR-FSH, based on RDT F9-5T for ratcheting and fatigue evaluation, are identified and discussed. These computer programs are used to analyse the ellipsoidal pressure vessel head of the intermediate heat exchanger of EBR-II, penetrated by two closely spaced non-radial nozzles, subjected to four consecutive composite cycles of complex mechanical and thermal loads

  17. Vibration technique for non-destructive testing of carbon fiber reinforced plastic structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miller, W.G.

    1982-01-01

    For nondestructive testing of structures of KFK (carbon fiber reinforced plastics) Adams and a group at the English University of Bristol, Department of Mechanical Engineering have developed a vibrational testing method. It is based on the fact that the decreasing self-oscillations of a structure can be measured in connection with a dynamical analysis at only one particular location of that structure. This way a damage can be localized and be quantized rawly. The mathematical model is simple and for every tested structure only one analysis is needed. Many kinds of damages in structures can be determined and reproduced especially in structures that represent typical cases of application of KFK in air and aerospace industry. (orig.) [de

  18. Tailoring dislocation structures and mechanical properties of nanostructured metals produced by plastic deformation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Huang, Xiaoxu

    2009-01-01

    The presence of a dislocation structure associated with low-angle dislocation boundaries and interior dislocations is a common and characteristic feature in nanostructured metals produced by plastic deformation, and plays an important role in determining both the strength and ductility...

  19. Advanced Materials for Automotive Application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tisza, M

    2013-01-01

    In this paper some recent material developments will be overviewed mainly from the point of view of automotive industry. In car industry, metal forming is one of the most important manufacturing processes imposing severe restrictions on materials; these are often contradictory requirements, e.g. high strength simultaneously with good formability, etc. Due to these challenges and the ever increasing demand new material classes have been developed; however, the more and more wide application of high strength materials meeting the requirements stated by the mass reduction lead to increasing difficulties concerning the formability which requires significant technological developments as well. In this paper, the recent materials developments will be overviewed from the point of view of the automotive industry

  20. State Articulated Instructional Objectives Guide for Occupational Education Programs. State Pilot Model for Automotive Mechanics (DCC V-003) and Automotive Mechanics (High School).

    Science.gov (United States)

    North Carolina State Dept. of Community Colleges, Raleigh.

    This articulation instructional objective guide for automotive mechanics contains summary information on fifteen blocks (courses) of instruction. They are introduction to automotive technology; lubrication and vehicle operating maintenance; cooling system maintenance and repair; automobile heater maintenance and repair; braking system maintenance…

  1. Characterization of three-way automotive catalysts

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kenik, E.A.; More, K.L. [Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States); LaBarge, W. [Delphi Automotive Systems, Flint, MI (United States)] [and others

    1997-04-01

    The CRADA between Delphi Automotive Systems (Delphi; formerly General Motors - AC Delco, Systems) and Lockheed Martin Energy Research (LMER) on automotive catalysts was completed at the end of FY96, after a ten month, no-cost extension. The CRADA was aimed at improved performance and lifetime of noble metal based three-way-catalysts (TWC), which are the primary catalytic system for automotive emission control systems. While these TWC can meet the currently required emission standards, higher than optimum noble metal loadings are often required to meet lifetime requirements. In addition, more stringent emission standards will be imposed in the near future, demanding improved performance and service life from these catalysts. Understanding the changes of TWC conversion efficiency with ageing is a critical need in improving these catalysts. Initially in a fresh catalyst, the active material is often distributed on a very fine scale, approaching single atoms or small atomic clusters. As such, a wide range of analytical techniques have been employed to provide high spatial resolution characterization of the evolving state of the catalytic material.

  2. Developing e-learning solutions in the automotive industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Razvan Virgil Bogdan

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available In the rapid developing market of automotive industry, cutting-edge technologies are being introduced. One such example is the AUTOSAR standard. Companies are investing a large amount of finances for the training of their employees into the intricacies of such technologies. In order to face such an increase of the training costs, automotive corporation have started lately switching their approach to e-Learning systems. This paper presents an e-Learning approach developed in the automotive industry in order to address the demands of teaching AUTOSAR standard. The developed e-Learning project is called Academy. In order to develop the e-Learning solution we focused on the Software Development part of automotive industry. Therefore we had to gather the ideas from different trainers, come with a common approach and use specific techniques so that the trainee should get a real feeling of the material. It is presented the design, implementation and evaluation of this e-Learning solution, but more than that faced issues and learned lessons. Developing this solution has offered different insights into how to approach such a task which are useful for the further expansion of the project, but also for future researchers who might encounter such a challenge of developing e-Learning solutions for the automotive industry. These are all grouped in a set of guidelines related to following a model of implementation, getting track of participants, user interaction with the AUTOSAR standard, test and production development and so on.

  3. Wire Mesh Dampers for Semi-Floating Ring Bearings in Automotive Turbochargers: Measurements of Structural Stiffness and Damping Parameters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keun Ryu

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The current work introduces a new semi-floating ring bearing (SFRB system developed for improving the rotordynamic and vibration performance of automotive turbochargers (TCs at extreme operation conditions, such as high temperature, severe external force excitation, and large rotor imbalance. The new bearing design replaces outer oil films, i.e., squeeze film dampers (SFDs, in TC SFRBs with wire mesh dampers (WMDs. This SFRB configuration integrating WMDs aims to implement reliable mechanical components, as an inexpensive and simple alternative to SFDs, with consistent and superior damping capability, as well as predictable forced performance. Since WMDs are in series with the inner oil films of SFRBs, experimentally determined force coefficients of WMDs are of great importance in the design process of TC rotor-bearing systems (RBSs. Presently, the measurements of applied static load and ensuing deflection determine the structural stiffnesses of the WMDs. The WMD damping parameters, including dissipated energy, loss factor, and dry friction coefficient, are estimated from the area of the distinctive local hysteresis loop of the load versus WMD displacement data recorded during consecutive loading-unloading cycles as a function of applied preload with a constant amplitude of motion. The changes in WMD loss factor and dry friction coefficient due to increases in preload are more significant for the WMDs with lower density. The present work shows, to date, the most comprehensive measurements of static load characteristics on the WMDs for application into small automotive TCs. More importantly, the extensive test measurements of WMD deflection versus increasing static loads will aid to anchor predictions of future computation model.

  4. Fundamental structure of steady plastic shock waves in metals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molinari, A.; Ravichandran, G.

    2004-02-01

    The propagation of steady plane shock waves in metallic materials is considered. Following the constitutive framework adopted by R. J. Clifton [Shock Waves and the Mechanical Properties of Solids, edited by J. J. Burke and V. Weiss (Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, N.Y., 1971), p. 73] for analyzing elastic-plastic transient waves, an analytical solution of the steady state propagation of plastic shocks is proposed. The problem is formulated in a Lagrangian setting appropriate for large deformations. The material response is characterized by a quasistatic tensile (compression) test (providing the isothermal strain hardening law). In addition the elastic response is determined up to second order elastic constants by ultrasonic measurements. Based on this simple information, it is shown that the shock kinetics can be quite well described for moderate shocks in aluminum with stress amplitude up to 10 GPa. Under the later assumption, the elastic response is assumed to be isentropic, and thermomechanical coupling is neglected. The model material considered here is aluminum, but the analysis is general and can be applied to any viscoplastic material subjected to moderate amplitude shocks. Comparisons with experimental data are made for the shock velocity, the particle velocity and the shock structure. The shock structure is obtained by quadrature of a first order differential equation, which provides analytical results under certain simplifying assumptions. The effects of material parameters and loading conditions on the shock kinetics and shock structure are discussed. The shock width is characterized by assuming an overstress formulation for the viscoplastic response. The effects on the shock structure of strain rate sensitivity are analyzed and the rationale for the J. W. Swegle and D. E. Grady [J. Appl. Phys. 58, 692 (1985)] universal scaling law for homogeneous materials is explored. Finally, the ability to deduce information on the viscoplastic response of

  5. Fundamental structure of steady plastic shock waves in metals

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Molinari, A.; Ravichandran, G.

    2004-01-01

    The propagation of steady plane shock waves in metallic materials is considered. Following the constitutive framework adopted by R. J. Clifton [Shock Waves and the Mechanical Properties of Solids, edited by J. J. Burke and V. Weiss (Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, N.Y., 1971), p. 73] for analyzing elastic-plastic transient waves, an analytical solution of the steady state propagation of plastic shocks is proposed. The problem is formulated in a Lagrangian setting appropriate for large deformations. The material response is characterized by a quasistatic tensile (compression) test (providing the isothermal strain hardening law). In addition the elastic response is determined up to second order elastic constants by ultrasonic measurements. Based on this simple information, it is shown that the shock kinetics can be quite well described for moderate shocks in aluminum with stress amplitude up to 10 GPa. Under the later assumption, the elastic response is assumed to be isentropic, and thermomechanical coupling is neglected. The model material considered here is aluminum, but the analysis is general and can be applied to any viscoplastic material subjected to moderate amplitude shocks. Comparisons with experimental data are made for the shock velocity, the particle velocity and the shock structure. The shock structure is obtained by quadrature of a first order differential equation, which provides analytical results under certain simplifying assumptions. The effects of material parameters and loading conditions on the shock kinetics and shock structure are discussed. The shock width is characterized by assuming an overstress formulation for the viscoplastic response. The effects on the shock structure of strain rate sensitivity are analyzed and the rationale for the J. W. Swegle and D. E. Grady [J. Appl. Phys. 58, 692 (1985)] universal scaling law for homogeneous materials is explored. Finally, the ability to deduce information on the viscoplastic response of

  6. Advanced Automotive Technologies annual report to Congress, fiscal year 1996

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    NONE

    1998-01-01

    This annual report serves to inform the United States Congress on the progress for fiscal year 1996 of programs under the Department of Energy's Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies (OAAT). This document complies with the legislative requirement to report on the implementation of Title III of the Automotive Propulsion Research and Development Act of 1978. Also reported are related activities performed under subsequent relevant legislation without specific reporting requirements. Furthermore, this report serves as a vital means of communication from the Department to all public and private sector participants. Specific requirements that are addressed in this report are: Discussion of how each research and development contract, grant, or project funded under the authority of this Act satisfies the requirements of each subsection; Current comprehensive program definition for implementing Title III; Evaluation of the state of automotive propulsion system research and development in the United States; Number and amount of contracts and grants awarded under Title III; Analysis of the progress made in developing advanced automotive propulsion system technology; and Suggestions for improvements in automotive propulsion system research and development, including recommendations for legislation

  7. DISAIN SIMULATOR AUTOMOTIVE AIR CONDITIONING UNTUK MENINGKATKAN KOMPETENSI MAHASISWA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kamin Sumardi

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Perkembangan teknologi automotive air conditioning dan aplikasinya sangat cepat, salah satunya dengan menerapkan green technology. Penerapan green technology pada teknologi air conditioning, karena masih menggunakan refrigeran yang mengandung unsur kimia yang merusak lapisan ozon dan pemanasan global. Alih teknologi bidang air conditioning yang ramah lingkungan, belum dibarengi dengan ketersediaan tenaga kerja pada tingkat SMK dan perguruan tinggi yang memadai, baik kuantitas maupun kompetensinya. Pada level SMK dan perguruan tinggi, kompetensi akademik dan vokasional bidang automotive air conditioning harus terus ditingkatkan dan diperbaharui sesuai dengan perkembangan teknologinya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menghasilkan simulator automotive air conditioner dan model pembelajaran tata udara pada otomotif berwawasan teknologi ramah lingkungan. Penelitian menggunakan metode research and development dengan langkah-langkah: studi pendahuluan, perencanaan, pengembangan melalui uji coba simulator, validasi, dan produk akhir. Simulator dibuat sesuai dengan kondisi di dunia kerja agar tidak terjadi miskonsepsi dan mala-praktek automotive air conditioning. Simulator ini dibuat secara kompak dan mobile atau dapat dipindah dan dibawa. Model pembelajaran disesuaikan dengan kebutuhan kompetensi yang dipersyaratkan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dengan bantuan simulator automotive air conditioner dan model pembelajaran yang tepat mahasiswa mampu menyerap konsep dan praktek lebih cepat 85%. Hasil belajar pada ranah afektif, kognitif, psikomotor dan kompetensi meningkat secara signifikan.

  8. Spike Train Auto-Structure Impacts Post-Synaptic Firing and Timing-Based Plasticity

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheller, Bertram; Castellano, Marta; Vicente, Raul; Pipa, Gordon

    2011-01-01

    Cortical neurons are typically driven by several thousand synapses. The precise spatiotemporal pattern formed by these inputs can modulate the response of a post-synaptic cell. In this work, we explore how the temporal structure of pre-synaptic inhibitory and excitatory inputs impact the post-synaptic firing of a conductance-based integrate and fire neuron. Both the excitatory and inhibitory input was modeled by renewal gamma processes with varying shape factors for modeling regular and temporally random Poisson activity. We demonstrate that the temporal structure of mutually independent inputs affects the post-synaptic firing, while the strength of the effect depends on the firing rates of both the excitatory and inhibitory inputs. In a second step, we explore the effect of temporal structure of mutually independent inputs on a simple version of Hebbian learning, i.e., hard bound spike-timing-dependent plasticity. We explore both the equilibrium weight distribution and the speed of the transient weight dynamics for different mutually independent gamma processes. We find that both the equilibrium distribution of the synaptic weights and the speed of synaptic changes are modulated by the temporal structure of the input. Finally, we highlight that the sensitivity of both the post-synaptic firing as well as the spike-timing-dependent plasticity on the auto-structure of the input of a neuron could be used to modulate the learning rate of synaptic modification. PMID:22203800

  9. The development of design method of nuclear piping system supported by elasto-plastic support structures (part 2)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Endo, R.; Murota, M.; Kawabata, J-I.; Hirose, J.; Nekomoto, Y.; Takayama, Y.; Kobayashi, H.

    1995-01-01

    The conventional seismic design method of nuclear piping system is very conservative because of the accumulation of various safety factors in the design process, and nuclear piping systems are thought to have a large safety margin. Considering this situations, research program was promoted to furthermore rationalize nuclear power plants by reducing the amount of support structures and reducing the piping's seismic response through vibration energy absorption resulting from the elasto-plastic behavior of piping support structures. The research had the following three stages. In the first stage, we selected conventional piping support structures in light-water reactors that exhibited elasto-plastic behavior, and studied the effect of displacement and the vibration frequency on the stiffness and on the energy absorption by testing these models. In the second stage, vibration tests were performed using piping models with support structures on shaking tables. The piping vibration characteristics were clarified by sinusoidal sweep tests and the piping response characteristics by seismic wave vibration tests when the support structures were in an elasto-plastic condition. In the third stage, a general method was developed to evaluate the characteristics of a variety of support structures in the tests. A simplified analysis method was also developed to evaluate the piping seismic response using the piping model test result. To expand the results mentioned above, we also established a new seismic design method of piping systems that allowed support structures to have elasto-plastic behavior. This paper reports the newly developed seismic design method based on the results of experiments conducted under the joint research program of Japanese electric power companies (The Japan Atomic Power Co., Hokkaido EPC, Tohoku EPC, Tokyo EPC, Chubu EPC, Hokuriku EPC, Kansai EPC, Chugoku EPC, Shikoku EPC, Kyushu EPC) and nuclear plant makers (Hitachi Ltd., Toshiba Co., MHI Ltd., HEC Ltd

  10. Smart cover glass for automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chung, Sang Kug

    2017-11-01

    This paper presents a smart cover glass based on electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) actuation for automotive applications. It can remove water droplets in a wide range of sizes to allow the camera's lens to get clean at any time. The proposed cover glass offers a simple design structure to be easily installed on any device but provides a fast and energy efficient droplet cleaning operation. As proof of concept, a real imaging test is carried out using a mobile smartphone camera and landscape photography. When water droplets with different volumes are on the camera cover glass, the image of landscape photography is distorted with blurred spots. However, the distorted image is restored by removing the droplets through EWOD actuation.

  11. Optimization and optimal control in automotive systems

    CERN Document Server

    Kolmanovsky, Ilya; Steinbuch, Maarten; Re, Luigi

    2014-01-01

    This book demonstrates the use of the optimization techniques that are becoming essential to meet the increasing stringency and variety of requirements for automotive systems. It shows the reader how to move away from earlier  approaches, based on some degree of heuristics, to the use of  more and more common systematic methods. Even systematic methods can be developed and applied in a large number of forms so the text collects contributions from across the theory, methods and real-world automotive applications of optimization. Greater fuel economy, significant reductions in permissible emissions, new drivability requirements and the generally increasing complexity of automotive systems are among the criteria that the contributing authors set themselves to meet. In many cases multiple and often conflicting requirements give rise to multi-objective constrained optimization problems which are also considered. Some of these problems fall into the domain of the traditional multi-disciplinary optimization applie...

  12. Rotordynamics of automotive turbochargers

    CERN Document Server

    Nguyen-Schäfer, Hung

    2015-01-01

    Rotordynamics of automotive turbochargers is dealt with in this book encompassing the widely working field of small turbomachines under real operating conditions at the very high rotor speeds up to 300000 rpm. The broadly interdisciplinary field of turbocharger rotordynamics involves 1) Thermodynamics and Turbo-Matching of Turbochargers 2) Dynamics of Turbomachinery 3) Stability Analysis of Linear Rotordynamics with the Eigenvalue Theory 4) Stability Analysis of Nonlinear Rotordynamics with the Bifurcation Theory 5) Bearing Dynamics of the Oil Film using the Two-Phase Reynolds Equation 6) Computation of Nonlinear Responses of a Turbocharger Rotor 7) Aero and Vibroacoustics of Turbochargers 8) Shop and Trim Balancing at Two Planes of the Rotor 9) Tribology of the Bearing Surface Roughness 10) Design of Turbocharger Platforms using the Similarity Laws The rotor response of an automotive turbocharger at high rotor speeds is studied analytically, computationally, and experimentally. Due to the nonlinear character...

  13. Sustainable supply chain management practices in Indian automotive industry

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mathivathanan, Deepak; Kannan, Devika; Haq, A. Noorul

    2018-01-01

    As one of the largest manufacturing sectors, the automotive industry has a deep impact on the society and environment. Automotive products provide mobility to millions and create jobs, but also threaten the environment. Consumer pressure, government regulations, and stakeholder demands for a comp......As one of the largest manufacturing sectors, the automotive industry has a deep impact on the society and environment. Automotive products provide mobility to millions and create jobs, but also threaten the environment. Consumer pressure, government regulations, and stakeholder demands...... into the traditional supply chain and that help an industry shift towards a sustainable supply chain are called SSCM practices. Firms have difficulty identifying the most useful practices and learning how these practices impact each other. Unfortunately, no existing research has studied the interrelated influences...... stakeholder perspectives are identified. The results reveal that management commitment towards sustainability and incorporating the triple bottom line approach in strategic decision making are the most influential practices for implementing the sustainable supply chain management. This study provides...

  14. The fuzzy outline of the Mediterranean automotive space (In French)

    OpenAIRE

    Jean-Bernard LAYAN (E3i-IFReDE-GRES); Yannick LUNG (E3i-IFReDE-GRES)

    2006-01-01

    The paper analyses the evolution of the automotive industry in the Mediterranean area during the last years. First part focuses on the impacts for this region of the geographical changes of the European automotive systems associated to location of multinational automotive firms in CEEC. This leads to difficulties for the automobile countries of the western part of the Mediterranean Europe (Italy, Spain, Portugal) on one side, and to a huge growth of the auto industry at the east, in Turkey, o...

  15. INJECTION MOLDING AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS IN METAL TO PLASTIC CONVERSION OF BOLTED FLANGE JOINT BY CAE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marian Blaško

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Many metal parts in various applications are being replaced by plastic parts. There are several reasons for that depending on actual application - minimize part cost, enhance corrosion resistance, integrating more components into one part etc. Most important steps of metal to plastic conversion are material selection and design of plastic part. Plastic part has to withstand the same load as metal part. To fulfill this requirement fiber reinforced engineering plastics are often used. Also it is convenient to substitute heavy wall sections with ribbed structure to increase load-carrying ability of part and decrease cycle time, eliminate voids, sink marks etc. Mechanical properties of such part could be highly affected by fiber orientation. Results of fiber orientation from injection molding filling analysis can be used in stress analysis for better prediction of part response to mechanical load. Such coupled analysis is performed here in this case study on bolted flange joint.

  16. Beneficial effects of benzodiazepine diazepam on chronic stress-induced impairment of hippocampal structural plasticity and depression-like behavior in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Yunan; Wang, Zhongli; Dai, Jianguo; Chen, Lin; Huang, Yufang; Zhan, Zhen

    2012-03-17

    Whether benzodiazepines (BZDs) have beneficial effects on the progress of chronic stress-induced impairment of hippocampal structural plasticity and major depression is uncertain. The present study designed four preclinical experiments to determine the effects of BZDs using chronic unpredictable stress model. In Experiment 1, several time course studies on behavior and hippocampus response to stress were conducted using the forced swim and tail suspension tests (FST and TST) as well as hippocampal structural plasticity markers. Chronic stress induced depression-like behavior in the FST and TST as well as decreased hippocampal structural plasticity that returned to normal within 3 wk. In Experiment 2, mice received p.o. administration of three diazepam dosages prior to each variate stress session for 4 wk. This treatment significantly antagonized the elevation of stress-induced corticosterone levels. Only low- (0.5mg/kg) and medium-dose (1mg/kg) diazepam blocked the detrimental effects of chronic stress. In Experiment 3, after 7 wk of stress sessions, daily p.o. diazepam administration during 1 wk recovery phase dose-dependently accelerated the recovery of stressed mice. In Experiment 4, 1 wk diazepam administration to control mice enhanced significantly hippocampal structural plasticity and induced an antidepressant-like behavioral effect, whereas 4 wk diazepam administration produced opposite effects. Hence, diazepam can slow the progress of chronic stress-induced detrimental consequences by normalizing glucocorticoid hormones. Considering the adverse effect of long-term diazepam administration on hippocampal plasticity, the preventive effects of diazepam may depend on the proper dose. Short-term diazepam treatment enhances hippocampal structural plasticity and is beneficial to recovery following chronic stress. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Degradation of automotive materials in palm biodiesel

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fazal, M.A.; Haseeb, A.S.M.A.; Masjuki, H.H.

    2012-01-01

    As compared to petroleum diesel, biodiesel is more corrosive for automotive materials. Studies on the characterization of corrosion products of fuel exposed automotive materials are scarce. Automotive fuel system and engine components are made from different ferrous and non-ferrous materials. The present study aims to investigate the corrosion products of different types of automotive materials such as copper, brass, aluminum and cast iron upon exposure to diesel and palm biodiesel. Changes in fuel properties due to exposure of different materials were also examined. Degradation of metal surface was characterized by digital camera, SEM/EDS and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Fuel properties were examined by measuring TAN (total acid number), density and viscosity. Among the metal investigated, copper is found to be least resistant in biodiesel and formed comparatively more corrosion products than other metals. Upon exposure of metals in biodiesel, TAN number crosses the limit given by standard while density and viscosity remain within the acceptable range of limit. -- Highlights: ► Order of incompatible metals in palm biodiesel: copper > brass > aluminum > cast iron. ► The possible reactions for the degradation of copper and cast iron have been discussed. ► For metal exposed biodiesel, only TAN number crosses the limit while density and viscosity remain within the limit. ► Copper and copper based alloy (brass) increase TAN number comparatively more than other metals.

  18. A strategy to compute plastic post-buckling of structures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Combescure, A.

    1983-08-01

    The paper gives a general framework to the different strategies used to compute the post-buckling of structures. Two particular strategies are studied in more details and it is shown how they can be applied in the plastic regime. All the methods suppose that the loads F are proportional to a simple parameter lambda; more precisely: eq (1) F = lambda F 0 . The paper shows how these methods can be implemented in a very simple way. In the elastic case we show the application of the method to the calculation of post buckling response of a clamped arch. The method is also applied to a very simple case of two bars which can be calculated analytically. In the plastic range, the method is applied to the post-buckling of an imperfect ring which can be calculated analytically. Another example is the comparison of the comparison of the computed post-buckling of a thin cylinder under axial compression, and of the experimental behavior on the same cylinder. The limitation of these types of strategies are also mentionned and the physical signifiance of calculations in the post-buckling regime are discussed

  19. Technological Development in Automotive Industry and Transformation in Corporate Governance System

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kazuyuki Shimizu

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available This study aims to understand how governance change is triggered by cybernetics issues, such as the development of automotive navigation systems in German, Japanese and US automotive industry. Six points are discussed for the central question which are 1 GDP Trends for Manufacturing Activities, 2 Organizational Structure for Supply Chain Management (SCM, 3 Viewpoint related to Internet of Things (IoT usability, 4 National IoT planning, 5 Definition of IoT, 6 Developing Navigation Systems. At first, the trend in manufacturing activity reveals two different trends: a downward trend in Japan and the USA, and a stable trend in Germany. We see several possible reasons for this difference; first, the “smiling curve concept” is applied to visualize the difference. And the organizational structure of SCM is concerned such as “Keiretsu” in Japan, “Konzern” in Germany and the “Anglo-American” model. Then, this paper addresses how the unique organizational features of SCM might react to the technological developments in the automotive industry such as autonomous driving, which has shaken the core of the industry. For this gradual change, the IoT technology is necessary. IoT means the progress of certain embedded system, which adds a network function into it. The embedded system for automobile orientation on a map (hardware and software has to be upgraded with the network function. These technological developments could influence their corporate governance system. Then, the discussion matrix is formed for the six points, which are discussed in this paper and reveal the boundaries between Japan, Germany and the US. According to Beer, the societary maps (the cybernetic maps are required for this structural progress to find the right way to go. Finally, we think a dynamic industrial movement is ensured by keeping fair competition, which ensures diversity as well as technological development. It could be the last resort to protect our

  20. Cortical and Subcortical Structural Plasticity Associated with the Glioma Volumes in Patients with Cerebral Gliomas Revealed by Surface-Based Morphometry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jinping Xu

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Postlesional plasticity has been identified in patients with cerebral gliomas by inducing a large functional reshaping of brain networks. Although numerous non-invasive functional neuroimaging methods have extensively investigated the mechanisms of this functional redistribution in patients with cerebral gliomas, little effort has been made to investigate the structural plasticity of cortical and subcortical structures associated with the glioma volume. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether the contralateral cortical and subcortical structures are able to actively reorganize by themselves in these patients. The compensation mechanism following contralateral cortical and subcortical structural plasticity is considered. We adopted the surface-based morphometry to investigate the difference of cortical and subcortical gray matter (GM volumes in a cohort of 14 healthy controls and 13 patients with left-hemisphere cerebral gliomas [including 1 patients with World Health Organization (WHO I, 8 WHO II, and 4 WHO III]. The glioma volume ranges from 5.1633 to 208.165 cm2. Compared to healthy controls, we found significantly increased GM volume of the right cuneus and the left thalamus, as well as a trend toward enlargement in the right globus pallidus in patients with cerebral gliomas. Moreover, the GM volumes of these regions were positively correlated with the glioma volumes of the patients. These results provide evidence of cortical and subcortical enlargement, suggesting the usefulness of surface-based morphometry to investigate the structural plasticity. Moreover, the structural plasticity might be acted as the compensation mechanism to better fulfill its functions in patients with cerebral gliomas as the gliomas get larger.

  1. Fatigue life of automotive rubber jounce bumper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sidhu, R S; Ali, Aidy

    2010-01-01

    It is evident that most rubber components in the automotive industry are subjected to repetitive loading. Vigorous research is needed towards improving the safety and reliability of the components. The study was done on an automotive rubber jounce bumper with a rubber hardness of 60 IRHD. The test was conducted in displacement-controlled environment under compressive load. The existing models by Kim, Harbour, Woo and Li were adopted to predict the fatigue life. The experimental results show strong similarities with the predicted models.

  2. Electrohydraulic Forming of Near-Net Shape Automotive Panels

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Golovaschenko, Sergey F.

    2013-09-26

    The objective of this project was to develop the electrohydraulic forming (EHF) process as a near-net shape automotive panel manufacturing technology that simultaneously reduces the energy embedded in vehicles and the energy consumed while producing automotive structures. Pulsed pressure is created via a shockwave generated by the discharge of high voltage capacitors through a pair of electrodes in a liquid-filled chamber. The shockwave in the liquid initiated by the expansion of the plasma channel formed between two electrodes propagates towards the blank and causes the blank to be deformed into a one-sided die cavity. The numerical model of the EHF process was validated experimentally and was successfully applied to the design of the electrode system and to a multi-electrode EHF chamber for full scale validation of the process. The numerical model was able to predict stresses in the dies during pulsed forming and was validated by the experimental study of the die insert failure mode for corner filling operations. The electrohydraulic forming process and its major subsystems, including durable electrodes, an EHF chamber, a water/air management system, a pulse generator and integrated process controls, were validated to be capable to operate in a fully automated, computer controlled mode for forming of a portion of a full-scale sheet metal component in laboratory conditions. Additionally, the novel processes of electrohydraulic trimming and electrohydraulic calibration were demonstrated at a reduced-scale component level. Furthermore, a hybrid process combining conventional stamping with EHF was demonstrated as a laboratory process for a full-scale automotive panel formed out of AHSS material. The economic feasibility of the developed EHF processes was defined by developing a cost model of the EHF process in comparison to the conventional stamping process.

  3. Structural evaluation method for class 1 vessels by using elastic-plastic finite element analysis in code case of JSME rules on design and construction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asada, Seiji; Hirano, Takashi; Nagata, Tetsuya; Kasahara, Naoto

    2008-01-01

    A structural evaluation method by using elastic-plastic finite element analysis has been developed and published as a code case of Rules on Design and Construction for Nuclear Power Plants (The First Part: Light Water Reactor Structural Design Standard) in the JSME Codes for Nuclear Power Generation Facilities. Its title is 'Alternative Structural Evaluation Criteria for Class 1 Vessels Based on Elastic-Plastic Finite Element Analysis' (NC-CC-005). This code case applies elastic-plastic analysis to evaluation of such failure modes as plastic collapse, thermal ratchet, fatigue and so on. Advantage of this evaluation method is free from stress classification, consistently use of Mises stress and applicability to complex 3-dimensional structures which are hard to be treated by the conventional stress classification method. The evaluation method for plastic collapse has such variation as the Lower Bound Approach Method, Twice-Elastic-Slope Method and Elastic Compensation Method. Cyclic Yield Area (CYA) based on elastic analysis is applied to screening evaluation of thermal ratchet instead of secondary stress evaluation, and elastic-plastic analysis is performed when the CYA screening criteria is not satisfied. Strain concentration factors can be directly calculated based on elastic-plastic analysis. (author)

  4. An Overview of NASA Automotive Component Reliability Studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampson, Michael J.

    2016-01-01

    The results of NASAs studies into the appropriateness of using US Automotive electronic parts in NASA spaceflight systems will be presented. The first part of the presentation provides an overview of the United States Automotive Electronics Councils AECQ standardization program, the second part provides a summary of the results of NASAs procurement and testing experiences and other lessons learned along with preliminary test results.

  5. Structural plasticity: how intermetallics deform themselves in response to chemical pressure, and the complex structures that result.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berns, Veronica M; Fredrickson, Daniel C

    2014-10-06

    Interfaces between periodic domains play a crucial role in the properties of metallic materials, as is vividly illustrated by the way in which the familiar malleability of many metals arises from the formation and migration of dislocations. In complex intermetallics, such interfaces can occur as an integral part of the ground-state crystal structure, rather than as defects, resulting in such marvels as the NaCd2 structure (whose giant cubic unit cell contains more than 1000 atoms). However, the sources of the periodic interfaces in intermetallics remain mysterious, unlike the dislocations in simple metals, which can be associated with the exertion of physical stresses. In this Article, we propose and explore the concept of structural plasticity, the hypothesis that interfaces in complex intermetallic structures similarly result from stresses, but ones that are inherent in a defect-free parent structure, rather than being externally applied. Using DFT-chemical pressure analysis, we show how the complex structures of Ca2Ag7 (Yb2Ag7 type), Ca14Cd51 (Gd14Ag51 type), and the 1/1 Tsai-type quasicrystal approximant CaCd6 (YCd6 type) can all be traced to large negative pressures around the Ca atoms of a common progenitor structure, the CaCu5 type with its simple hexagonal 6-atom unit cell. Two structural paths are found by which the compounds provide relief to the Ca atoms' negative pressures: a Ca-rich pathway, where lower coordination numbers are achieved through defects eliminating transition metal (TM) atoms from the structure; and a TM-rich path, along which the addition of spacer Cd atoms provides the Ca coordination environments greater independence from each other as they contract. The common origins of these structures in the presence of stresses within a single parent structure highlights the diverse paths by which intermetallics can cope with competing interactions, and the role that structural plasticity may play in navigating this diversity.

  6. Social media for knowledge sharing in automotive repair

    CERN Document Server

    Finkbeiner, Patric

    2017-01-01

    This book explores, describes and explains the predictors essential for the acceptance of social media as a digital platform to share professional knowledge in the field of automotive repair in Germany. It reports a rigorous literature review covering key elements of social media, knowledge management and technology acceptance studies. The book assumes a pragmatist approach and applies mixed methods in an exploratory sequential design, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure robust collection and analysis of the collected data. Based on a survey on German automotive repair shops, the author provides a framework, for various stakeholders, to comprehend the motivations for knowledge sharing for automotive repair professionals in Germany. This book not only adds to the existing academic body of knowledge but also provides implications for industry and legislation on a European scale. .

  7. A Low Cost Ferritic Stainless Steel Microalloyed by Higher Nb for Automotive Exhaust System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Erhu; Wang, Xuelin; Shang, Chengjia

    Automotive engine exhaust gas after combustion of fuel, and the gas will be liquefied in the rear of automotive exhaust system. A lot of corrosive anions existing in the condensate make corrosion of the exhaust system materials. Therefore, once pitting perforation, automotive exhaust system will fail directly. In 1980s, automotive exhaust manifold was made of Si-Mo ductile iron, mufflers and the tail pipe were made of carbon steel or aluminized steel. But with higher emission standards carried out, the improvement of engine performance and the higher exhaust temperature as well as the needs of the automotive light-weighting, we need the higher corrosion resistance of the material for automotive exhaust systems to meet the requirements.

  8. The development of the design method of nuclear piping system supported by elasto-plastic support structures (Part 1)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Endo, R.; Murota, M.; Kawahata, J.-I.; Sato, T.; Mekomoto, Y.; Takayama, Y.; Kobayashi, H.; Hirose, J.

    1993-01-01

    The conventional aseismic design method of nuclear piping system is very conservative because of the accumulation of various safety factors in the design process, and nuclear piping systems are thought to have a large safety margin. Considering this situation, we promoted research to further rationalize nuclear power plants by reducing the amount of support structures and reducing the piping seismic response through vibration energy absorption resulting from the elasto-plastic behavior of piping support structures. The research has the following three stages. In the first stage, we select conventional piping support structures in Japanese light-water reactors that exhibit elasto-plastic behavior, and study the displacement dependency and the vibration frequency dependency on the stiffness and the energy absorption by testing their model. In the second stage, we make a piping test model with support structures whose characteristics have already been obtained, and perform vibration tests on a shaking table. In this way, we analyze the piping vibration characteristics by sinusoidal wave sweep tests and the piping response characteristics by seismic wave vibration tests, when the support structures are in an elasto-plastic condition. In the third stage, a general method is developed to evaluate the characteristics of the support structures obtained in the tests and it is applied to the evaluation of the characteristics of general support structures. A simplified analysis method is developed to evaluate the piping seismic response using the piping model test result. To expand the results mentioned above, we are developing a seismic design method of piping systems that allows support structures to have elasto-plastic behaviour. This paper reports the results of experiments conducted under the joint research program of Japanese electric power companies with support elements in the first stage and those with piping models in the second stage

  9. Advanced Automotive Technologies annual report to Congress, fiscal year 1996

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1998-03-01

    This annual report serves to inform the United States Congress on the progress for fiscal year 1996 of programs under the Department of Energy`s Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies (OAAT). This document complies with the legislative requirement to report on the implementation of Title III of the Automotive Propulsion Research and Development Act of 1978. Also reported are related activities performed under subsequent relevant legislation without specific reporting requirements. Furthermore, this report serves as a vital means of communication from the Department to all public and private sector participants. Specific requirements that are addressed in this report are: Discussion of how each research and development contract, grant, or project funded under the authority of this Act satisfies the requirements of each subsection; Current comprehensive program definition for implementing Title III; Evaluation of the state of automotive propulsion system research and development in the United States; Number and amount of contracts and grants awarded under Title III; Analysis of the progress made in developing advanced automotive propulsion system technology; and Suggestions for improvements in automotive propulsion system research and development, including recommendations for legislation.

  10. A proposed centralised distribution model for the South African automotive component industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Micheline J. Naude

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: This article explores the possibility of developing a distribution model, similar to the model developed and implemented by the South African pharmaceutical industry, which could be implemented by automotive component manufacturers for supply to independent retailers. Problem Investigated: The South African automotive components distribution chain is extensive with a number of players of varying sizes, from the larger spares distribution groups to a number of independent retailers. Distributing to the smaller independent retailers is costly for the automotive component manufacturers. Methodology: This study is based on a preliminary study of an explorative nature. Interviews were conducted with a senior staff member from a leading automotive component manufacturer in KwaZulu Natal and nine participants at a senior management level at five of their main customers (aftermarket retailers. Findings: The findings from the empirical study suggest that the aftermarket component industry is mature with the role players well established. The distribution chain to the independent retailer is expensive in terms of transaction and distribution costs for the automotive component manufacturer. A proposed centralised distribution model for supply to independent retailers has been developed which should reduce distribution costs for the automotive component manufacturer in terms of (1 the lowest possible freight rate; (2 timely and controlled delivery; and (3 reduced congestion at the customer's receiving dock. Originality: This research is original in that it explores the possibility of implementing a centralised distribution model for independent retailers in the automotive component industry. Furthermore, there is a dearth of published research on the South African automotive component industry particularly addressing distribution issues. Conclusion: The distribution model as suggested is a practical one and should deliver added value to automotive

  11. Earthquake excited elasto-plastic structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Randrup-thomsen, Søren; Heuer, R.

    1996-01-01

    Studies of the single degree of freedom elasto-plastic oscillator is well-known in the literature. Some of these works use an associated linear system to describe special features in non-linear domains. One very successful work of this kind uses the socalled Slepian model process related to the a...

  12. Brakes Specialist. Teacher Edition. Automotive Service Series. Second Edition.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oklahoma State Dept. of Vocational and Technical Education, Stillwater. Curriculum and Instructional Materials Center.

    This curriculum guide for automatic brakes service is one in a series of automotive service speciality publications that is based on the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence task lists. The curriculum is composed of four units. Each unit of instruction may contain some or all of the following components: objective sheet, suggested…

  13. Automotive Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meisner, Gregory P.

    2015-03-01

    Considerable fuel energy, as much as 70%, is not converted to useful work by internal combustion engines but is instead rejected as waste heat, and more than half of the waste heat, nearly 40% of fuel energy, is contained in vehicle exhaust gas. This provides an opportunity to recover some of the wasted fuel energy and convert it from heat into useful work, subject to the laws of thermodynamics, and thereby improve vehicle energy efficiency. Thermoelectric (TE) materials have been extensively researched and TE devices are now being developed for operation at high temperatures corresponding to automotive exhaust gases for direct solid-state conversion of heat into electricity. This has stimulated substantial progress in the development of practical TE generator (TEG) systems for large-scale commercialization. A significant enabler of this progress has been the US Department of Energy's Vehicle Technologies Program through funding for low cost solutions for automotive TE waste heat recovery to improve fuel economy. Our current project at General Motors has culminated in the identification of the potential supply chain for all components and assembly of an automotive TEG. A significant focus has been to develop integrated and iterative modeling tools for a fully optimized TEG design that includes all components and subsystems (TE modules, heat exchangers, thermal interfaces, electrical interconnects, power conditioning, and vehicle integration for maximal use of TEG power). We have built and tested a new, low-cost Initial TEG prototype based on state-of-the-art production-scale skutterudite TE modules, novel heat exchanger designs, and practical solutions to the many technical challenges for optimum TEG performance. We will use the results for our Initial TEG prototype to refine our modeling and design tools for a Final automotive TEG system prototype. Our recent results will be presented. Thanks to: J.R. Salvador, E.R. Gundlach, D. Thompson, N.K. Bucknor, M

  14. Automotive sensors: past, present and future

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Prosser, S J

    2007-01-01

    This paper will provide a review of past, present and future automotive sensors. Today's vehicles have become highly complex sophisticated electronic control systems and the majority of innovations have been solely achieved through electronics and the use of advanced sensors. A range of technologies have been used over the past twenty years including silicon microengineering, thick film, capacitive, variable reluctance, optical and radar. The automotive sensor market continues to grow with respect to vehicle production level in recognition of the transition to electronically controlled electrically actuated systems. The environment for these sensors continues to be increasingly challenging with respect to robustness, reliability, quality and cost

  15. Automotive sensors: past, present and future

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prosser, S. J.

    2007-07-01

    This paper will provide a review of past, present and future automotive sensors. Today's vehicles have become highly complex sophisticated electronic control systems and the majority of innovations have been solely achieved through electronics and the use of advanced sensors. A range of technologies have been used over the past twenty years including silicon microengineering, thick film, capacitive, variable reluctance, optical and radar. The automotive sensor market continues to grow with respect to vehicle production level in recognition of the transition to electronically controlled electrically actuated systems. The environment for these sensors continues to be increasingly challenging with respect to robustness, reliability, quality and cost.

  16. Automotive Lithium-ion Cell Manufacturing: Regional Cost Structures and Supply Chain Considerations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Donald Chung, Emma Elgqvist, and Shriram Santhanagopalan

    2016-04-01

    Manufacturing capacity for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) — which power many consumer electronics and are increasingly used to power electric vehicles — is heavily concentrated in East Asia. To illuminate the factors that drive regional competitiveness in automotive LIB cell production, this study models cell manufacturing cost and minimum sustainable price, and examines development of LIB supply chains and current LIB market conditions. The study shows that factors driving the cost competitiveness of LIB manufacturing locations are mostly built—supply chain developments and competition, access to materials, and production expertise. Some regional costs — including cost of capital, labor, and materials — are significant and should be considered.

  17. Consideration of plasticity within the design of timber structures due to connection ductility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Brühl, F.; Kuhlmann, U.; Jorissen, A.J.M.

    2011-01-01

    The plastic behavior of fasteners in timber structures has gained more and more interest within recent years. In particular, dowel type fasteners show a significant ductile behavior if a certain embedded length of the dowel is ensured. The embedded length is either found by using the formulas based

  18. Thermal degradation and plasticizing mechanism of poly(vinyl chloride) plasticized with a novel cardanol derived plasticizer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, J.; Nie, X. A.; Jiang, J. C.; Zhou, Y. H.

    2018-01-01

    A natural plasticizer cardanol derivatives glycidyl ether (CGE) was synthesized and employed as a plasticizer for the poly(vinyl chloride). The effect of CGE on thermal degradation of PVC films and its plasticizing mechanism were firstly reported. The molecular structure of CGE was characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Thermal properties, degradation properties and compatibility of the PVC films were investigated by Differential scanning calorimeter analysis (DSC), Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and FTIR, respectively. Compared with the commercial plasticizers dioctylphthalate (DOP), CGE can endow PVC film with a decrease of 4.31 °C in glass transition temperature (Tg), an increase of 24.01 °C and 25.53 °C in 10% weight loss (T 10) and 50% weight loss (T 50) respectively, and a higher activetion energy of thermal degradation (Ea ).

  19. Are today's automotive technician students ready for the increased use of ethanol fuels: A study of students' perceptions of ethanol and the effects of E20

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mead, Gary R.

    As the price of petroleum rises, the use of alternative fuels such as ethanol will continue to increase. As ethanol use increases, consumers are asking automotive technicians questions about the fuel. But how much do automotive technicians know about ethanol? In order to answer this question, a study was conducted to describe automotive technician students' knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of ethanol as a vehicle fuel. Automotive students were chosen because they will be tomorrow's generation of technicians who will be working on vehicles that have used ethanol fuels along with flex fuel vehicles. The students were selected from six two-year technical colleges located in southern Minnesota. The six schools were chosen because they are located in areas where ethanol use is prevalent. The study used a 33-question pencil-and-paper survey to measure 184 automotive students' perceptions of ethanol. The survey revealed that students' knowledge of ethanol is very superficial. They know well advertised terms and facts, but lack an in-depth knowledge of the fuel. Also, it was discovered that several myths about ethanol still exist. Because of the lack of knowledge on technical aspects of the fuel, it is recommended that instructors in automotive programs incorporate a one to two hour class covering ethanol fuels into their courses. The second part of this study was a review of several material compatibility studies conducted at Minnesota State University, Mankato on 20% ethanol blends. The studies were conducted on fuel system rubbers, plastics, and metals. Minnesota recently enacted a law that will require all gasoline sold in the state to contain 20% ethanol. These studies were reviewed to see if 20% ethanol, E20, will cause any vehicle fuel system problems that automotive technicians should know about. After reviewing the studies it was determined that the likelihood of fuel system problems from E20 would be very small and isolated. Even though the potential for

  20. Beyond survival: Challenges facing South African automotive component exporters

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Naude

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Purpose and Objective: The South African automotive component industry faces huge challenges in a very competitive global market. The primary focus of this research article is to determine the challenges facing exporters within this industry with special reference to selected sub-sectors. The challenges are approached from a supply chain perspective only. Problem Investigated: The research problem of this study was to identify these unique challenges and ascertain whether the implementation of a 'philosophy of continuous improvement' could be used as a strategic tool to address the challenges they face in the market. Methodology: This study included a combination of literature review, interviews with managers in the selected sub-groups and questionnaires sent out to determine the challenges facing automotive component exporters. In order to test the content validity and the reliability of the questionnaire, a pilot study was conducted at two organisations that are the main suppliers of automotive filters for passenger vehicles. The non-probability convenience sample technique was used to select the sample and consisted of selected sub-sectors that contribute 64,1% of the total value of automotive component exports in South Africa. Out of twenty-seven questionnaires sent out, twenty (74% response rate were duly completed by the respondents and returned to the researcher. Findings: South Africa faces unique challenges and these are listed and ranked according to priority from most to least important as follows: 1. The reduction of production costs; 2. R/US$ exchange rate effect on the respondent's export sales and profit margin; 3. Exchange rate fluctuations; 4. Threats to the local automotive component market; and 5. Increased competition by way of manufactured imports being sold in the South African market. Value of Research: The study provides recommendations that can be used within the automotive component industry.

  1. Bosch automotive electrics and automotive electronics systems and components, networking and hybrid drive

    CERN Document Server

    2014-01-01

    The significance of electrical and electronic systems has increased considerably in the last few years and this trend is set to continue. The characteristics feature of innovative systems is the fact that they can work together in a network. This requires powerful bus systems that the electronic control units can use to exchange information. Networking and the various bus systems used in motor vehicles are the prominent new topic in the 5th edition of the "Automotive Electric, Automotive Electronics" technical manual. The existing chapters have also been updated, so that this new edition brings the reader up to date on the subjects of electrical and electronic systems in the motor vehicle. Content Electrical and electronical systems – Basic principles of networking - Examples of networked vehicles – Bus systems – Architecture of electronic systems – Mechatronics – Elektronics – Electronic control Units – Software – Sensors – Actuators – Hybrid drives – Vehicle electrical system – Start...

  2. Molecular studies and plastic optical fiber device structures for nonlinear optical applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dirk, Carl W.; Nagarur, Aruna R.; Lu, Jin J.; Zhang, Lixia; Kalamegham, Priya; Fonseca, Joe; Gopalan, Saytha; Townsend, Scott; Gonzalez, Gabriel; Craig, Patrick; Rosales, Monica; Green, Leslie; Chan, Karen; Twieg, Robert J.; Ermer, Susan P.; Leung, Doris S.; Lovejoy, Steven M.; Lacroix, Suzanne; Godbout, Nicolas; Monette, Etienne

    1995-10-01

    Summarized are two project areas: First, the development of a quantitative structure property relationship for analyzing thermal decomposition differential scanning calorimetry data of electro-optic dyes is presented. The QSPR relationship suggest that thermal decomposition can be effectively correlated with structure by considering the kinds of atoms, their hybridization, and their nearest neighbor bonded atoms. Second, the simple preparation of clad plastic optical fibers (POF) is discussed with the intention of use for nonlinear optical applications. We discuss preparation techniques for single core and multiple core POF, and present some recent data on index profiles and the optimization of thermal stability in acrylate-based POF structures.

  3. Ceramic technologies for automotive industry: Current status and perspectives

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okada, Akira

    2009-01-01

    The automotive industry has developed substantially through advances in mechanical technologies, and technologies such as electronics and advanced materials have also contributed to further advances in automobiles. The contribution of ceramic materials to automobile technologies ranges over driving performance, exhaust gas purification, and fuel efficiency improvements. Several ceramic components, such as knock sensors, oxygen sensors, exhaust gas catalysts, and silicon nitride parts for automotive engines, have been successfully applied to automobiles. This paper focuses on the contribution of ceramics to automotive technologies. It also mentions potential contributions in the future, including adiabatic turbo-compound diesels, ceramic gas turbines, fuel cells, and electric vehicles because ceramic technologies have been intensively involved in the challenge to achieve advanced power sources.

  4. Automotive fuels survey. Part 4. Innovations or illusions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Troelstra, W.P.; Van Walwijk, M.; Bueckmann, M.

    1999-01-01

    Volumes 1 to 3 of the IEA/AFIS Automotive Fuels Survey, address the most well-known automotive fuels and fuel production routes. Less well-known fuels and energy sources that are not used in combustion engines, e.g. electricity, were excluded from these volumes. In this report fuel routes and fuels that have not been addressed in the first volumes will be analysed. In this report, each chapter starts with a short description of the fuel(route) and its status of development (e.g. if the idea has been abandoned or if the fuel is already sold at a fuel station). Then the different aspects of that fuel are described as far as the information is available. This is limited to information that can not be found in volumes one and two of the Automotive Fuels Survey. For example: for the diesel-water mixtures, the production of diesel is not be described. If comparisons are made, they are made either relative to an already described fuel(route) that is related (e.g. biogas will be compared with natural gas) or relative to diesel and gasoline as was done in volume 1 and 2 of the Automotive Fuels Survey. For some of the fuels, the relation with a fuel already covered in volume one and two is very strong. For these fuels more information can be found in the chapters on the related fuel in the other volumes of the Automotive Fuels Survey. The following fuels are covered in this report: biodiesel from used oil and fat, biodiesel and biogasoline from algae, diesel from hydrothermal upgrading, biogas, hythane, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, diesel-water blends, higher ethers, and electricity. 74 refs

  5. Evaluation of the Benefits Attributable to Automotive Lightweight Materials Program Research and Development Projects; TOPICAL

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Das, S

    2001-01-01

    The purpose of this project is to identify and test methods appropriate for estimating the benefits attributable to research and development (R and D) projects funded by the Automotive Lightweight Materials (ALM) Program of the Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies (OAAT) of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Funded projects range from basic materials science research to applied research in production environments. Collaborators on these projects include national laboratories, universities, and private sector firms, such as leading automobile manufacturers and their suppliers. Three ALM R and D projects were chosen for this pilot evaluation: Low-Cost, Continuous Cast Aluminum Sheet; Advanced Forming Technologies for Aluminum; and Manufacturing of Composite Automotive Structures. These projects were chosen because they represent a range of benefits evaluation situations. The first project resulted in an improved process that may be commercialized. The second project is on going and has two distinct components. The third project has yielded an improved technology that has been commercialized. This completed project also benefited from numerous complementary projects

  6. The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Education Program

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Robyn Ready

    2011-12-31

    The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Education Program conducted education and outreach activities and used the competition's technical goals and vehicle demonstrations as a means of attracting students and the public to learn more about advanced vehicle technologies, energy efficiency, climate change, alternative fuels, and the science and math behind efficient vehicle development. The Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE Education Program comprised three integrated components that were designed to educate the general public and create a multi-tiered initiative to engage students and showcase the 21st century skills students will need to compete in our global economy: teamwork, creativity, strong literacy, math and science skills, and innovative thinking. The elements included an Online Experience, a National Student Contest, and in person education events and activites. The project leveraged online connections, strategic partnerships, in-classroom, and beyond-the-classroom initiatives, as well as mainstream media. This education program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) also funded the specification of vehicle telemetry and the full development and operation of an interactive online experience that allowed internet users to follow the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE vehicles as they performed in real-time during the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition events.

  7. RESIDUAL VALUE RISK IN AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING LEASE CONTRACTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ivan Tot

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The subject of the research in this paper are automotive operating lease contracts in the Croatian business practice. The provisions of the general terms and conditions for operating lease contracts of the Croatian leasing companies are being analysed, particulary those relating to the rights and obligations of the parties to the contract after the operating lease contract was terminated and the motor vehicle returned to the lessor. The existence of three contractual models of the automotive operating lease contract in the Croatian business practice is established, which vary with regard to the assignment and the distribution of the residual value risk. Those contractual models are being compared with the two most common contractual models of automotive lease contracts in the Austrian and German business practice: the lease contract with the excess mileage adjustment and the lease contract with the terminal rent adjustment. On the basis of the results of this comparison, applicability of the legal solutions, developed in the Austrian and German jurisprudence and legal literature regarding the lease contract with the excess mileage adjustment and the lease contract with the terminal rent adjustment, to the automotive operating lease contract within the framework of Croatian law, is being examinded.

  8. Automotive SOI-BCD Technology Using Bonded Wafers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Himi, H.; Fujino, S.

    2008-01-01

    The SOI-BCD device is excelling in high temperature operation and noise immunity because the integrated elements can be electrically separated by dielectric isolation. We have promptly paid attention to this feature and have concentrated to develop SOI-BCD devices seeking to match the automotive requirement. In this paper, the feature technologies specialized for automotive SOI-BCD devices, such as buried N + layer for impurity gettering and noise shielding, LDMOS with improved ESD robustness, crystal defect-less process, and wafer direct bonding through the amorphous layer for intelligent power IC are introduced.

  9. Evolution of the Automotive Body Coating Process—A Review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nelson K. Akafuah

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Automotive coatings and the processes used to coat automobile surfaces exemplify the avant-garde of technologies that are capable of producing durable surfaces, exceeding customers’ expectations of appearance, maximizing efficiency, and meeting environmental regulations. These accomplishments are rooted in 100 years of experience, trial-and-error approaches, technique and technology advancements, and theoretical assessments. Because of advancements directed at understanding the how, why, when, and where of automobile coatings, the progress in controlling droplets and their deposition attributes, and the development of new technologies and paint chemistries, a comprehensive and up-to-date review of automobile coatings and coating technologies was considered to be of value to industrial practitioners and researchers. Overall, the critical performance factors driving the development and use of advanced automotive coatings and coating technologies are (a aesthetic characteristics; (b corrosion protection; (c mass production; (d cost and environmental requirements; and (e appearance and durability. Although the relative importance of each of these factors is debatable, the perfection of any one at the expense of another would be unacceptable. Hence, new developments in automotive coatings are described and discussed in the following review, and then related to improvements in production technologies and paints. Modern automotive coating procedures are also discussed in detail. Finally, an extrapolation into the future of automotive coating is offered with a view of the developments and technologies needed for an increasingly efficient and more sustainable coatings industry.

  10. Radial basis function neural network in fault detection of automotive ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Radial basis function neural network in fault detection of automotive engines. ... Five faults have been simulated on the MVEM, including three sensor faults, one component fault and one actuator fault. The three sensor faults ... Keywords: Automotive engine, independent RBFNN model, RBF neural network, fault detection

  11. Design of a tubular permanent magnet actuator for automotive applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Janssen, J.L.G.; Paulides, J.J.H.; Lomonova, E.A.; Vandenput, A.J.A.

    2006-01-01

    Recently, the number of electrical applications in automotive systems has increased rapidly. The demand on these new electrical auxiliary systems suggests that this development will continue in the foreseeable future. At the moment, a major concern of the automotive technology is active safety and

  12. Multidimensional Structure for Definingthe Effect of Organizational Culture and Supply Chain Culture on Knowledge Sharing in Supply Chain of Automotive Industry: With Emphasis on Improving Supply Chain Performance

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mohsen Shafiei Nikabadi

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available : One of the key aspects of knowledge management is organizational culture. Finding an appropriate culture and key indicators for culture in implementation and execution of knowledge management are one the most important matter in knowledge management implementation in any organization. So, the main purpose of this article was presenting a multidimensional structure for organizational culture and supply chain culture with the aim of effective knowledge sharing in supply chain of automotive industry of Iran. First, according to the literature review, key indicators for any dimension of multidimensional structure of the research were defined. Then, key indicators were revised, adjusted and modified by three industry experts and three college professors, so 4 questions and 5 hypotheses were offered. Next, that multidimensional structure has been assessed as a survey and cause-effect study in supply chains of Iran Khodro Company and Saipa Company.115 industry professionals have participated in this study. In the research, after testing co-linearity between variables, relations between different dimensions of the multidimensional structure have been assessed with the help of path analysis. Research findings showed that the multidimensional structure introduced in the study had an appropriate fitness in automotive industry. The results of path analysis also showed that the culture of the supply chain has had the greatest impact of Business culture. On the other hand, business culture had a strong but indirect effect on supply chain performance. And finally, the greatest effect of knowledge sharing and transferring was on non-financial performance of supply chain.

  13. Automotive sensors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marek, Jiri; Illing, Matthias

    2003-01-01

    Sensors are an essential component of most electronic systems in the car. They deliver input parameters for comfort features, engine and emission control as well as for the active and passive safety systems. New technologies such as silicon micromachining play an important role for the introduction of these sensors in all vehicle classes. The importance and use of these sensor technologies in today"s automotive applications will be shown in this article. Finally an outlook on important current developments and new functions in the car will be given.

  14. General Mechanical Repair. Minor Automotive Maintenance. Volume 1. Teacher's Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    East Texas State Univ., Commerce. Occupational Curriculum Lab.

    Fourteen units on minor automotive maintenance are presented in this teacher's guide. The units are the following: introduction to minor automotive maintenance, shop safety, engine principles, fuel system operation and repair, electrical system, ignition system, lubrication system, engine cooling system, exhaust system, wheel bearings and tires,…

  15. Building best practice automotive after sales network : The Volkswagen case

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Mikolik, Gerlinde

    2017-01-01

    This thesis aims to analyze the service operations and networks in the automotive industry as research into the automotive After Sales service network lacks the necessary fine details and industrial feedback. Its purpose is to present the insights and lessons learned from studying the After Sales

  16. Antenna Arrays and Automotive Applications

    CERN Document Server

    Rabinovich, Victor

    2013-01-01

    This book throws a lifeline to designers wading through mounds of antenna array patents looking for the most suitable systems for their projects. Drastically reducing the research time required to locate solutions to the latest challenges in automotive communications, it sorts and systematizes material on cutting-edge antenna arrays that feature multi-element communication systems with enormous potential for the automotive industry. These new systems promise to make driving safer and more efficient, opening up myriad applications, including vehicle-to-vehicle traffic that prevents collisions, automatic toll collection, vehicle location and fine-tuning for cruise control systems. This book’s exhaustive coverage begins with currently deployed systems, frequency ranges and key parameters. It proceeds to examine system geometry, analog and digital beam steering technology (including "smart" beams formed in noisy environments), maximizing signal-to-noise ratios, miniaturization, and base station technology that ...

  17. Non-Destructive Thermography Analysis of Impact Damage on Large-Scale CFRP Automotive Parts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maier, Alexander; Schmidt, Roland; Oswald-Tranta, Beate; Schledjewski, Ralf

    2014-01-01

    Laminated composites are increasingly used in aeronautics and the wind energy industry, as well as in the automotive industry. In these applications, the construction and processing need to fulfill the highest requirements regarding weight and mechanical properties. Environmental issues, like fuel consumption and CO2-footprint, set new challenges in producing lightweight parts that meet the highly monitored standards for these branches. In the automotive industry, one main aspect of construction is the impact behavior of structural parts. To verify the quality of parts made from composite materials with little effort, cost and time, non-destructive test methods are increasingly used. A highly recommended non-destructive testing method is thermography analysis. In this work, a prototype for a car’s base plate was produced by using vacuum infusion. For research work, testing specimens were produced with the same multi-layer build up as the prototypes. These specimens were charged with defined loads in impact tests to simulate the effect of stone chips. Afterwards, the impacted specimens were investigated with thermography analysis. The research results in that work will help to understand the possible fields of application and the usage of thermography analysis as the first quick and economic failure detection method for automotive parts. PMID:28788464

  18. Non-Destructive Thermography Analysis of Impact Damage on Large-Scale CFRP Automotive Parts

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander Maier

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Laminated composites are increasingly used in aeronautics and the wind energy industry, as well as in the automotive industry. In these applications, the construction and processing need to fulfill the highest requirements regarding weight and mechanical properties. Environmental issues, like fuel consumption and CO2-footprint, set new challenges in producing lightweight parts that meet the highly monitored standards for these branches. In the automotive industry, one main aspect of construction is the impact behavior of structural parts. To verify the quality of parts made from composite materials with little effort, cost and time, non-destructive test methods are increasingly used. A highly recommended non-destructive testing method is thermography analysis. In this work, a prototype for a car’s base plate was produced by using vacuum infusion. For research work, testing specimens were produced with the same multi-layer build up as the prototypes. These specimens were charged with defined loads in impact tests to simulate the effect of stone chips. Afterwards, the impacted specimens were investigated with thermography analysis. The research results in that work will help to understand the possible fields of application and the usage of thermography analysis as the first quick and economic failure detection method for automotive parts.

  19. Non-Destructive Thermography Analysis of Impact Damage on Large-Scale CFRP Automotive Parts.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maier, Alexander; Schmidt, Roland; Oswald-Tranta, Beate; Schledjewski, Ralf

    2014-01-14

    Laminated composites are increasingly used in aeronautics and the wind energy industry, as well as in the automotive industry. In these applications, the construction and processing need to fulfill the highest requirements regarding weight and mechanical properties. Environmental issues, like fuel consumption and CO₂-footprint, set new challenges in producing lightweight parts that meet the highly monitored standards for these branches. In the automotive industry, one main aspect of construction is the impact behavior of structural parts. To verify the quality of parts made from composite materials with little effort, cost and time, non-destructive test methods are increasingly used. A highly recommended non-destructive testing method is thermography analysis. In this work, a prototype for a car's base plate was produced by using vacuum infusion. For research work, testing specimens were produced with the same multi-layer build up as the prototypes. These specimens were charged with defined loads in impact tests to simulate the effect of stone chips. Afterwards, the impacted specimens were investigated with thermography analysis. The research results in that work will help to understand the possible fields of application and the usage of thermography analysis as the first quick and economic failure detection method for automotive parts.

  20. Automated Freedom from Interference Analysis for Automotive Software

    OpenAIRE

    Leitner-Fischer , Florian; Leue , Stefan; Liu , Sirui

    2016-01-01

    International audience; Freedom from Interference for automotive software systems developed according to the ISO 26262 standard means that a fault in a less safety critical software component will not lead to a fault in a more safety critical component. It is an important concern in the realm of functional safety for automotive systems. We present an automated method for the analysis of concurrency-related interferences based on the QuantUM approach and tool that we have previously developed....

  1. Auxetic hexachiral structures with wavy ligaments for large elasto-plastic deformation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yilin; Wang, Zhen-Pei; Hien Poh, Leong

    2018-05-01

    The hexachiral structure is in-plane isotropic in small deformation. When subjected to large elasto-plastic deformation, however, the hexachiral structure tends to lose its auxeticity and/or isotropy—properties which are desirable in many potential applications. The objective of this study is to improve these two mechanical properties, without significantly compromising the effective yield stress, in the regime with significant material and geometrical nonlinearity effects. It is found that the deformation mechanisms underlying the auxeticity and isotropy properties of a hexachiral structure are largely influenced by the extent of rotation of the central ring in a unit cell. To facilitate the development of this deformation mechanism, an improved design with wavy ligaments is proposed. The improved performance of the proposed hexachiral structure is demonstrated. An initial study on possible applications as a protective material is next carried out, where the improved hexachiral design is shown to exhibit higher specific energy absorption capacity compared to the original design, as well as standard honeycomb structures.

  2. Validity of a structured method of selecting abstracts for a plastic surgical scientific meeting

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van der Steen, LPE; Hage, JJ; Kon, M; Monstrey, SJ

    In 1999, the European Association of Plastic Surgeons accepted a structured method to assess and select the abstracts that are submitted for its yearly scientific meeting. The two criteria used to evaluate whether such a selection method is accurate were reliability and validity. The authors

  3. Mountain Plains Learning Experience Guide: Automotive Repair. Course: Emission Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Schramm, C.; Osland, Walt

    One of twelve individualized courses included in an automotive repair curriculum, this course covers the theory, testing, and servicing of automotive emission control systems. The course is comprised of one unit, Fundamentals of Emission Systems. The unit begins with a Unit Learning Experience Guide that gives directions for unit completion. The…

  4. A unified approach to the analysis and design of elasto-plastic structures with mechanical contact

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bendsoe, Martin P.; Olhoff, Niels; Taylor, John E.

    1990-01-01

    With structural design in mind, a new unified variational model has been developed which represents the mechanics of deformation elasto-plasticity with unilateral contact conditions. For a design problem formulated as maximization of the load carrying capacity of a structure under certain constraints, the unified model allows for a simultaneous analysis and design synthesis for a whole range of mechanical behavior.

  5. Slepian Simulations of Plastic Displacements of Randomly Excited Hysteretic Structures

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lazarov, Boyan Stefanov

    2003-01-01

    The object of the study is a fast simulation method for generation and analysis of the plastic response of a randomly excited MDOF oscillatro with several potential elements with elasto-plastic constitutive behavior. The oscillator is statically determinate with linear damping. The external...... approximately as a stationary Gaussian process. This requires that the standard deviation of the stationary response is not too large as compared to the plastic yield limits. The Slepian model process for the behavior of the linear response is then simply the conditional mean (linear regression) of the process...... noise excited linear oscillator obtained from the elasto-plastic oscillator by totally removing the plastic domain. Thus the key to the applicability of the method is that the oscillator has a linear domain within which the response stays for a sufficiently long time to make the random response behave...

  6. Relationship value antecedents in the South African automotive component supply chain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aletta S. Tolmay

    2017-05-01

    Practical/managerial implications: It is suggested that superior supply chain practices within the South African automotive industry might secure business retention. Automotive component suppliers are therefore advised to implement relationship value strategies to promote higher value through personal interaction.

  7. Plasticity characteristic obtained by indentation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mil'man, Yu.V.; Chugunova, S.I.; Goncharova, I.V.

    2011-01-01

    Methods for determination plasticity characteristic δH in the measurement of hardness and nanohardness are considered. Parameter δH characterizes the plasticity of a material by the part of plastic deformation in the total elastic-plastic deformation. The value of δH is defined for metals with different types of crystal lattice, covalent and partially covalent crystals, intermetallics, metallic glasses and quasicrystals. It is discussed the dependence of the plasticity characteristic δH on structural factors and temperature. Parameter δH allows to analyze and compare the plasticity of materials which are brittle at standard mechanical tests. The combination of hardness H, as the strength characteristic, and the plasticity characteristic δH makes possible the better characterization of mechanical behavior of materials than only the hardness H. The examples of plasticity characteristic δH application are represented.

  8. Determination of the structural changes by Raman and {sup 13}C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy on native corn starch with plasticizers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cozar, O. [Academy of Romanian Scientists, Splaiul Independentei 54, 050094, Bucharest, Romania and National Institute of Research-Development for Machines and Installations Designed to Agriculture and Food Industry - INMA Bucureşti - Cluj-Napoca Branch (Romania); Filip, C.; Tripon, C. [National Institute for Research and Development of Isotopic and Molecular Technologies, 65-103 Donath, 400293 Cluj-Napoca (Romania); Cioica, N.; Coţa, C.; Nagy, E. M. [National Institute of Research-Development for Machines and Installations Designed to Agriculture and Food Industry - INMA Bucureşti - Cluj-Napoca Branch, RO-400458 Cluj-Napoca (Romania)

    2013-11-13

    The plasticizing - antiplasticizing effect of water and glycerol contents on native corn starch samples is investigated by FT-Raman and {sup 13}C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The presence of both amorphous and crystalline structural phases was evidenced in pure native corn starch and also in the samples containing plasticizers. Among the crystalline starch structures, the A- and V- types were suggested by CP/MAS NMR spectra.

  9. Financial Crises and Automotive Industry Development in Southeast Asia

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Doner, Richard F.; Wad, Peter

    2014-01-01

    The automotive industries of Southeast Asia have grown significantly but unevenly. Thailand has outperformed its neighbours in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines with regard to production and, most notably, export volumes. But the Thai auto industry has not exhibited the level of local...... (indigenous) technology capacity and input growth seen in South Korea, Taiwan and, increasingly, in China. The 1997–98 and 2008 financial and economic crises generally reinforced pre-existing national automotive strategies, but to different degrees: They strongly accelerated an earlier Thai move to exports...... whose very success weakened pressures for upgrading; encouraged more moderate automotive liberalisation in Indonesia and, to a lesser extent, in the Philippines; but promoted only minimal changes to Malaysia’s relatively protectionist national car strategy. The fact that the crises served more...

  10. Making aerospace technology work for the automotive industry - Introduction

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, W. T.

    1978-01-01

    In many cases it has been found that advances made in one technical field can contribute to other fields. An investigation is in this connection conducted concerning subjects from contemporary NASA programs and projects which might have relevance and potential usefulness to the automotive industry. Examples regarding aerospace developments which have been utilized by the automotive industry are related to electronic design, computer systems, quality control experience, a NASA combustion scanner and television display, exhaust gas analyzers, and a device for suppressing noise propagated through ducts. Projects undertaken by NASA's center for propulsion and power research are examined with respect to their value for the automotive industry. As a result of some of these projects, a gas turbine engine and a Stirling engine might each become a possible alternative to the conventional spark ignition engine.

  11. OASIS: An automotive analysis and safety engineering instrument

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mader, Roland; Armengaud, Eric; Grießnig, Gerhard; Kreiner, Christian; Steger, Christian; Weiß, Reinhold

    2013-01-01

    In this paper, we describe a novel software tool named OASIS (AutOmotive Analysis and Safety EngIneering InStrument). OASIS supports automotive safety engineering with features allowing the creation of consistent and complete work products and to simplify and automate workflow steps from early analysis through system development to software development. More precisely, it provides support for (a) model creation and reuse, (b) analysis and documentation and (c) configuration and code generation. We present OASIS as a part of a tool chain supporting the application of a safety engineering workflow aligned with the automotive safety standard ISO 26262. In particular, we focus on OASIS' (1) support for property checking and model correction as well as its (2) support for fault tree generation and FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis) table generation. Finally, based on the case study of hybrid electric vehicle development, we demonstrate that (1) and (2) are able to strongly support FTA (Fault Tree Analysis) and FMEA

  12. Hippocampal Structural Plasticity Accompanies the Resulting Contextual Fear Memory Following Stress and Fear Conditioning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giachero, Marcelo; Calfa, Gaston D.; Molina, Victor A.

    2013-01-01

    The present research investigated the resulting contextual fear memory and structural plasticity changes in the dorsal hippocampus (DH) following stress and fear conditioning. This combination enhanced fear retention and increased the number of total and mature dendritic spines in DH. Intra-basolateral amygdala (BLA) infusion of midazolam prior to…

  13. 3D modeling design and engineering analysis of automotive suspension beam

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ju Zhi Lan

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Automotive suspension is an important device for transmission and torque. The main parameters and dimensions of 40 tons of heavy duty truck spring suspension system are designed in the paper. According to the data, the 3D modeling and virtual assembly of the leaf spring suspension are carried out by using parametric design. Structural stress of spring suspension is analyzed which can provide a guide and basis for the design of the leaf spring suspension.

  14. Plastic damage induced fracture behaviors of dental ceramic layer structures subjected to monotonic load.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Raorao; Lu, Chenglin; Arola, Dwayne; Zhang, Dongsheng

    2013-08-01

    The aim of this study was to compare failure modes and fracture strength of ceramic structures using a combination of experimental and numerical methods. Twelve specimens with flat layer structures were fabricated from two types of ceramic systems (IPS e.max ceram/e.max press-CP and Vita VM9/Lava zirconia-VZ) and subjected to monotonic load to fracture with a tungsten carbide sphere. Digital image correlation (DIC) and fractography technology were used to analyze fracture behaviors of specimens. Numerical simulation was also applied to analyze the stress distribution in these two types of dental ceramics. Quasi-plastic damage occurred beneath the indenter in porcelain in all cases. In general, the fracture strength of VZ specimens was greater than that of CP specimens. The crack initiation loads of VZ and CP were determined as 958 ± 50 N and 724 ± 36 N, respectively. Cracks were induced by plastic damage and were subsequently driven by tensile stress at the elastic/plastic boundary and extended downward toward to the veneer/core interface from the observation of DIC at the specimen surface. Cracks penetrated into e.max press core, which led to a serious bulk fracture in CP crowns, while in VZ specimens, cracks were deflected and extended along the porcelain/zirconia core interface without penetration into the zirconia core. The rupture loads for VZ and CP ceramics were determined as 1150 ± 170 N and 857 ± 66 N, respectively. Quasi-plastic deformation (damage) is responsible for crack initiation within porcelain in both types of crowns. Due to the intrinsic mechanical properties, the fracture behaviors of these two types of ceramics are different. The zirconia core with high strength and high elastic modulus has better resistance to fracture than the e.max core. © 2013 by the American College of Prosthodontists.

  15. NMDA Receptors Regulate the Structural Plasticity of Spines and Axonal Boutons in Hippocampal Interneurons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Perez-Rando

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs are present in both pyramidal neurons and interneurons of the hippocampus. These receptors play an important role in the adult structural plasticity of excitatory neurons, but their impact on the remodeling of interneurons is unknown. Among hippocampal interneurons, somatostatin-expressing cells located in the stratum oriens are of special interest because of their functional importance and structural characteristics: they display dendritic spines, which change density in response to different stimuli. In order to understand the role of NMDARs on the structural plasticity of these interneurons, we have injected acutely MK-801, an NMDAR antagonist, to adult mice which constitutively express enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP in these cells. We have behaviorally tested the animals, confirming effects of the drug on locomotion and anxiety-related behaviors. NMDARs were expressed in the somata and dendritic spines of somatostatin-expressing interneurons. Twenty-four hours after the injection, the density of spines did not vary, but we found a significant increase in the density of their en passant boutons (EPB. We have also used entorhino-hippocampal organotypic cultures to study these interneurons in real-time. There was a rapid decrease in the apparition rate of spines after MK-801 administration, which persisted for 24 h and returned to basal levels afterwards. A similar reversible decrease was detected in spine density. Our results show that both spines and axons of interneurons can undergo remodeling and highlight NMDARs as regulators of this plasticity. These results are specially relevant given the importance of all these players on hippocampal physiology and the etiopathology of certain psychiatric disorders.

  16. A Development Curriculum Plan To Achieve a Sequenced Curriculum between High School Courses in Automotive Mechanics and the Mattatuck Community College Automotive Technician Program. Final Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mattatuck Community Coll., Waterbury, CT.

    This document contains a developmental curriculum plan for an articulated curriculum in automotive mechanics for Connecticut's Mattatuck Community College and area high schools. The curriculum guide includes a course description, criteria for evaluation, attendance policy, objectives, a curriculum outline, a three-part automotive technician test,…

  17. NEW TRENDS AND CHELLENGES IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY LOGISTICS OPERATIONS

    OpenAIRE

    Dušan Sabadka

    2015-01-01

    This paper lays out the main features of the global automotive industry and identifies several important trends. Logistics operations (inbound and outbound) in the automotive supply chain are complex and account for large expenses and therefore are segments in the value chainwhere improvements can be made. Better coordination between inbound and outbound logistics contributes to optimising the supply chains, to reducing inventories and to responding to consumer requests. As econom...

  18. Automotive HMI design and participatory user involvement: review and perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    François, Mathilde; Osiurak, François; Fort, Alexandra; Crave, Philippe; Navarro, Jordan

    2017-04-01

    Automotive human-machine interface (HMI) design is facing new challenges due to the technological advances of the last decades. The design process has to be adapted in order to address human factors and road safety challenges. It is now widely accepted that user involvement in the HMI design process is valuable. However, the current form of user involvement in industry remains at the stages of concept assessment and usability tests. Moreover, the literature in other fields (e.g. information systems) promotes a broader user involvement with participatory design (i.e. the user is fully involved in the development process). This article reviews the established benefits of participatory design and reveals perspectives for automotive HMI quality improvement in a cognitive ergonomic framework. Practitioner Summary: Automotive HMI quality determines, in part, drivers' ability to perform primary driving tasks while using in-vehicle devices. User involvement in the design process is a key point to contribute to HMI quality. This article reports the potential benefits of a broad involvement from drivers to meet automotive HMI design challenges.

  19. The Implementation of Corporate Sustainability in the European Automotive Industry: An Analysis of Sustainability Reports

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martina Sukitsch

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The acceptance of corporate sustainability implementation and sustainability reporting has continued to grow steadily in recent years. This is particularly true for companies in the automotive industry. Increasing regulatory demands, for example, with respect to CO2 emissions, are one clear reason for this. In this paper the sustainability reports of 14 manufacturers in the European automotive industry are analyzed with respect to issues of corporate sustainability implementation. This entails content analysis of sustainability reports from 2012, and of their earliest available equivalents. The analysis of corporate sustainability implementation in the selected companies is provided with the purpose to help understand how manufacturers in the European automotive industry implement corporate sustainability. Results confirm the importance of specific policy instruments in implementation, such as the use of environmental management systems and standards, and of related changes in organizational structures. The latter include suitable adaptation of corporate strategy, philosophy, objectives, measures, and activities, as well as the need to integrate stakeholders in the adjustment process. The analysis shows that while companies are well-aware of the significance of sustainability for their industry, some tend to be leaders, and others laggards, as far as implementation is concerned.

  20. Occupational skin diseases in automotive industry workers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yakut, Yunus; Uçmak, Derya; Akkurt, Zeynep Meltem; Akdeniz, Sedat; Palanci, Yilmaz; Sula, Bilal

    2014-03-01

    Studies on occupational skin diseases in workers of the automotive industry are few. To investigate the prevalence of occupational skin diseases in workers of the automotive industry. Between September and December 2011, a total of 405 workers from the automotive repair industry in Diyarbakır were interviewed. They were active workers in the repair industry who had been employed for at least six months. Business owners, sellers of spare parts and accounting officers were not included. The employees were examined at their workplaces and the working conditions were observed. Detailed dermatological examination was performed. The mean age of the 405 workers who participated in the study was 27.7 ± 10.3. The mean working time of employees was 13.3 ± 10.4 years. All of the employees were male. Dermatological diseases were not detected in 144 out of 405 workers (35.6%) and at least one condition was diagnosed in 261 (64.4%). The most frequent diagnosis was callus, hyperkeratosis, clavus (27.7%), followed by nail changes (16.8%) and superficial mycoses (12.1%). Contact dermatitis was seen at a rate of 5.9%. Traumatic lesions such as hyperkeratotic lesions and nail changes were found most frequently. Traumatic lesions were common among individuals who did not use gloves. Most nail changes were localized leuconychia, a finding not reported in the studies on automotive industry workers. In accordance with the literature, irritant contact dermatitis was observed in patients with a history of atopy and who had been working for a long time. Occupational skin diseases comprise an important field in dermatology, deserving much attention. Further studies on occupational dermatology are necessary.

  1. THE KEY ACTIVITIES OF GREEN LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT IN THE THAI AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

    OpenAIRE

    Thanyaphat Muangpan; Mana Chaowarat; Jutaporn Neamvonk

    2016-01-01

    Thai automotive industry needs to be developed for understanding activities management on inbound logistics that is an essential element of business operations for a manufacturing firm. The purpose of research is to study the main activities of green logistics management (inbound logistics) in the Thai automotive industry. Survey research was used in this study to collect data by sampling from the people in the field of logistics and environmental management of Thai automotive industry to exa...

  2. Structural test and analysis of a model of a BWR suppression chamber support in the plastic regime

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blumer, U.R.; Klaeui, E.; Bosshard, E.P.

    1991-01-01

    A BWR Mark I suppression pool support has been analysed and tested in the laboratory. The aim was the demonstration of the acceptability of hypothetical dynamic loadings resulting from simultaneous steam blowdown through all safety relief valves. The analysis has shown that plastic deformation will locally occur, which is difficult to assess purely theoretical. Therefore tests in reduced scale were performed that show the amount and distribution of plastic flow in the supports. The paper describes the elastic analysis, the theory of the scaling laws for the reduced scale test, the test and its results. It also shows the thermographical method that has been used to determine the plastic material flow in the support structure. (author)

  3. Modeling elasto-plastic behavior of polycrystalline grain structure of steels at mesoscopic level

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kovac, Marko; Cizelj, Leon

    2005-01-01

    The multiscale model is proposed to explicitly account for the inhomogeneous structure of polycrystalline materials. Grains and grain boundaries are modeled explicitly using Voronoi tessellation. The constitutive model of crystal grains utilizes anisotropic elasticity and crystal plasticity. Commercially available finite element code is applied to solve the boundary value problem defined at the macroscopic scale. No assumption regarding the distribution of the mesoscopic strain and stress fields is used, apart the finite element discretization. The proposed model is then used to estimate the minimum size of polycrystalline aggregate of selected reactor pressure vessel steel (22 NiMoCr 3 7), above which it can be considered macroscopically homogeneous. Elastic and rate-independent plastic deformation modes are considered. The results are validated by the experimental and simulation results from the literature

  4. Translational control of auditory imprinting and structural plasticity by eIF2α

    Science.gov (United States)

    Batista, Gervasio; Johnson, Jennifer Leigh; Dominguez, Elena; Costa-Mattioli, Mauro; Pena, Jose L

    2016-01-01

    The formation of imprinted memories during a critical period is crucial for vital behaviors, including filial attachment. Yet, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms. Using a combination of behavior, pharmacology, in vivo surface sensing of translation (SUnSET) and DiOlistic labeling we found that, translational control by the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha (eIF2α) bidirectionally regulates auditory but not visual imprinting and related changes in structural plasticity in chickens. Increasing phosphorylation of eIF2α (p-eIF2α) reduces translation rates and spine plasticity, and selectively impairs auditory imprinting. By contrast, inhibition of an eIF2α kinase or blocking the translational program controlled by p-eIF2α enhances auditory imprinting. Importantly, these manipulations are able to reopen the critical period. Thus, we have identified a translational control mechanism that selectively underlies auditory imprinting. Restoring translational control of eIF2α holds the promise to rejuvenate adult brain plasticity and restore learning and memory in a variety of cognitive disorders. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.17197.001 PMID:28009255

  5. New market strategies in the automotive industry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kokić Miljko

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available The world automotive industry has about 30% of excessive capacity. Regardless of that, the new plants are being constantly built. The countries of the East Europe, China and India are selected as suitable areas by almost all world leading car manufactures to build their additional plants in order to make profits. An open world market is subject to an uncompromising striving for each customer. Our manufacturers have to meet the same requirements if want to offer their products in the world market. Finding out of foreign strategic partners is the fastest way to recover a domestic automotive industry and to increase an employment rate.

  6. Advances and trends in structures and dynamics; Proceedings of the Symposium, Washington, DC, October 22-25, 1984

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noor, A. K. (Editor); Hayduk, R. J. (Editor)

    1985-01-01

    Among the topics discussed are developments in structural engineering hardware and software, computation for fracture mechanics, trends in numerical analysis and parallel algorithms, mechanics of materials, advances in finite element methods, composite materials and structures, determinations of random motion and dynamic response, optimization theory, automotive tire modeling methods and contact problems, the damping and control of aircraft structures, and advanced structural applications. Specific topics covered include structural design expert systems, the evaluation of finite element system architectures, systolic arrays for finite element analyses, nonlinear finite element computations, hierarchical boundary elements, adaptive substructuring techniques in elastoplastic finite element analyses, automatic tracking of crack propagation, a theory of rate-dependent plasticity, the torsional stability of nonlinear eccentric structures, a computation method for fluid-structure interaction, the seismic analysis of three-dimensional soil-structure interaction, a stress analysis for a composite sandwich panel, toughness criterion identification for unidirectional composite laminates, the modeling of submerged cable dynamics, and damping synthesis for flexible spacecraft structures.

  7. NEPP Evaluation of Automotive Grade Tantalum Chip Capacitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sampson, Mike; Brusse, Jay

    2018-01-01

    Automotive grade tantalum (Ta) chip capacitors are available at lower cost with smaller physical size and higher volumetric efficiency compared to military/space grade capacitors. Designers of high reliability aerospace and military systems would like to take advantage of these attributes while maintaining the high standards for long-term reliable operation they are accustomed to when selecting military-qualified established reliability tantalum chip capacitors (e.g., MIL-PRF-55365). The objective for this evaluation was to assess the long-term performance of off-the-shelf automotive grade Ta chip capacitors (i.e., manufacturer self-qualified per AEC Q-200). Two (2) lots of case size D manganese dioxide (MnO2) cathode Ta chip capacitors from 1 manufacturer were evaluated. The evaluation consisted of construction analysis, basic electrical parameter characterization, extended long-term (2000 hours) life testing and some accelerated stress testing. Tests and acceptance criteria were based upon manufacturer datasheets and the Automotive Electronics Council's AEC Q-200 qualification specification for passive electronic components. As-received a few capacitors were marginally above the specified tolerance for capacitance and ESR. X-ray inspection found that the anodes for some devices may not be properly aligned within the molded encapsulation leaving less than 1 mil thickness of the encapsulation. This evaluation found that the long-term life performance of automotive grade Ta chip capacitors is generally within specification limits suggesting these capacitors may be suitable for some space applications.

  8. The future for fuel cells in the automotive industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wells, P.E.

    2004-01-01

    'Full text:' This paper presents the view that the automotive industry, seen as a vital potential market for hydrogen fuel cell applications, is one that will be characterised in the future by an unprecedented combination of technological and economic diversity. This highly volatile and uncertain future has profound implications for those involved in government policy related to energy use and transportation, as well as those involved in the fuel cell industry. Most significantly, it is argued that the industry that applies hydrogen fuel cells twenty to thirty years from now will have a quite different structure and economic logic to that which currently prevails. Suppliers of hydrogen fuel cell solutions and systems need to have considerable flexibility in their business models. The themes of diversity and co-existence are developed from extensive research into the contemporary automotive industry, as well as an active involvement in the government policy arena at national, EU and international levels. The continued search for sustainability will not just entail the insertion of technology into otherwise familiar products by otherwise familiar manufacturing processes. It will enable and require the transformation of industry. This paper seeks to outline some of the ways in which the changes could unfold. (author)

  9. Analysis of Intra-Industry Trade in Turkish Automotive Sector

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Füsun YENİLMEZ

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available The automotive sector is one of the important sectors affecting the economy of a country. Considering the export and import size of the sector, any kind of work to be done for the sector is important. The analysis of Turkey's situation in the sector will contribute to R&D studies to develop the sector, strategic planning and determination of short, medium and long term targets. The aim of the paper is to determine the location of the Turkish automotive industry in world trade. For this purpose, firstly products in the automotive sector foreign trade were reduced to three sub-digit and included in the evaluation. Grubel-Lloyd index is used in the analysis. As a result of the analyzes, Turkey has been determined separately according to the product groups of the countries that have the most intensive trade in industry.

  10. Industrial Upgrading in Global Production Networks: The Case of the Chinese Automotive Industry

    OpenAIRE

    Yansheng LI; Xin Xin KONG; Miao ZHANG

    2015-01-01

    This article examines the development of China’s automotive industry. The evidence shows that integration in global production networks has stimulated upgrading of technological capabilities among automotive firms. However, the competitiveness and intra-industry analyses show mixed results. Although intraindustry trade in automotive products has improved since 2000, the trade competitiveness of completely built up vehicles has largely remained in low value added activities. Nevertheless, firm...

  11. Future perspectives on automotive CAE

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bensler, Henry; Eller, Tom; Kabat vel Job, Alexander; Magoulas, Nikolaos; Yigit, Emrah; Van Tongeren, A.

    2014-01-01

    Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) is an integral part of today’s automotive design process. Very often OEM’s rely solely on software vendors to provide appropriate solutions. On the other hand, some companies still use in-house developed software for specific applications. It is, however, a

  12. Many Activities, One Structure: Functional Plasticity of Ribozyme Folds

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew W.L. Lau

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Catalytic RNAs, or ribozymes, are involved in a number of essential biological processes, such as replication of RNA genomes and mobile genetic elements, RNA splicing, translation, and RNA degradation. The function of ribozymes requires the formation of active sites decorated with RNA functional groups within defined three-dimensional (3D structures. The genotype (sequence of RNAs ultimately determines what 3D structures they adopt (as a function of their environmental conditions. These 3D structures, in turn, give rise to biochemical activity, which can further elaborate them by catalytic rearrangements or association with other molecules. The fitness landscape of a non-periodic linear polymer, such as RNA, relates its primary structure to a phenotype. Two major challenges in the analysis of ribozymes is to map all possible genotypes to their corresponding catalytic activity (that is, to determine their fitness landscape experimentally, and to understand whether their genotypes and three-dimensional structures can support multiple different catalytic functions. Recently, the combined results of experiments that employ in vitro evolution methods, high-throughput sequencing and crystallographic structure determination have hinted at answers to these two questions: while the fitness landscape of ribozymes is rugged, meaning that their catalytic activity cannot be optimized by a smooth trajectory in sequence space, once an RNA achieves a stable three-dimensional fold, it can be endowed with distinctly different biochemical activities through small changes in genotype. This functional plasticity of highly structured RNAs may be particularly advantageous for the adaptation of organisms to drastic changes in selective pressure, or for the development of new biotechnological tools.

  13. Sustainable automotive energy system in China

    CERN Document Server

    CAERC, Tsinghua University

    2014-01-01

    This book identifies and addresses key issues of automotive energy in China. It covers demography, economics, technology and policy, providing a broad perspective to aid in the planning of sustainable road transport in China.

  14. Experimental Study of Stress-Strain Behaviour of Open-Cell Aluminium Foam Sandwich Panel for Automotive Structural Part

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nur Asmawiyah Ibrahim

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Because of high stiffness and strength to weight ratio, aluminium foam sandwich (AFS has huge advantage in automotive industries in order to reduce the vehicle’s weight which consequently will reduce the fuel consumption. While reducing the weight, AFS must also maintain high strength and durability compared to other competitive materials used which perform same functionalities. AFS had been proved its suitability for industrial application by previous researchers such as in aerospace, automotive and architecture. However, there is still a gap need to be filled in order to expand the use of the AFS in another application. In this paper, the tensile strength of AFS panel made of from aluminium skin sheets and open-cell aluminium foam core with various thickness is investigated. Design of experiment was developed according to JUMP (JMP statistical software and experimental work was done using universal testing machine. The stress-strain behavior was analysed. The result shows that the effect of skin to core ratio is significant on the stress-strain behavior.

  15. Finite element elasto-plastic analysis of thin walled structures of reinforced concrete as applied to reactor facilities

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, F.; Tsuboi, Y.

    1981-01-01

    The authors developed a new program of elasto-plastic analysis of reinforced concrete shells, in which the simplest model of shell element and an orthotropic constitutive relation are adopted, and verified its validity with reference to the results of model experiments of containers and box-wall structures with various loading conditions. For the two-dimensional stress-strain relationship of concrete, an orthotropic nonlinear formula proposed by one of the authors was adopted. For concrete, the octahedral shear failure and tension cut-off criteria were also imposed. The Kirchhoff-Love's assumptions were assumed to be valid for the whole range of the analysis and the layered approach of elasto-plastic stiffness evaluation. Derivation of the shell element is outlined with examination of its accuracy in elastic range and the assumption of elasto-plastic material property and the procedure of nonlinear analysis are described. As examples, the method is applied to the analysis of a cylindrical container and a box-wall structure. Comparison of the computed results with the corresponding experimental data indicates the applicability of the proposed method. (orig./HP)

  16. Lightweighting Automotive Materials for Increased Fuel Efficiency and Delivering Advanced Modeling and Simulation Capabilities to U.S. Manufacturers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hale, Steve

    2013-09-11

    Abstract The National Center for Manufacturing Sciences (NCMS) worked with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), to bring together research and development (R&D) collaborations to develop and accelerate the knowledgebase and infrastructure for lightweighting materials and manufacturing processes for their use in structural and applications in the automotive sector. The purpose/importance of this DOE program: • 2016 CAFÉ standards. • Automotive industry technology that shall adopt the insertion of lightweighting material concepts towards manufacturing of production vehicles. • Development and manufacture of advanced research tools for modeling and simulation (M&S) applications to reduce manufacturing and material costs. • U.S. competitiveness that will help drive the development and manufacture of the next generation of materials. NCMS established a focused portfolio of applied R&D projects utilizing lightweighting materials for manufacture into automotive structures and components. Areas that were targeted in this program: • Functionality of new lightweighting materials to meet present safety requirements. • Manufacturability using new lightweighting materials. • Cost reduction for the development and use of new lightweighting materials. The automotive industry’s future continuously evolves through innovation, and lightweight materials are key in achieving a new era of lighter, more efficient vehicles. Lightweight materials are among the technical advances needed to achieve fuel/energy efficiency and reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions: • Establish design criteria methodology to identify the best materials for lightweighting. • Employ state-of-the-art design tools for optimum material development for their specific applications. • Match new manufacturing technology to production volume. • Address new process variability with new production-ready processes.

  17. Should HIV and AIDS workplace programmes still be advocated in the automotive industry?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liana Steenkamp

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: In light of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV pandemic, and in order to improve competitiveness in the South African private sector, many structures have implemented subsidised workplace programmes. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to collect baseline data regarding the knowledge, attitudes, practices and belief (KAPB of employees in the automotive industry in relation to HIV and AIDS, in order to assess the need for HIV and AIDS workplace programmes. Motivation for the study: Given the abundance of HIV and AIDS information, the question is whether these workplace programmes’ efforts are still relevant. Research design, approach and method: A quantitative descriptive study design was used using a self-administered questionnaire covering questions about KAPB with regard to HIV and AIDS. The data collection took place in seven automotive supplier companies in South Africa (n = 733 who were going to implement HIV and AIDS workplace programmes with the support of the Automotive Industry Development Centre in the Eastern Cape. Main findings: High-risk behaviour, as indicated by sexual relations with more than one partner in the last 12 months, occurred in between 12% (management and 42% (cleaners of employees. All risk behaviour indicators showed significant differences (p < 0.05 between management and administrative staff on the one hand and technicians, operators and cleaners on the other. Despite being aware of an HIV policy, more than 50% of employees indicated that they would not be willing to disclose their status. Practical/managerial implications: As HIV and AIDS risk behaviour and stigma remain a problem, HIV infection with associated health problems may threaten productivity in the automotive industry if no measures are taken to address the impact on employees and the company. Contribution: This study strongly supports the conclusion that KAPB studies can still provide important information to tailor HIV

  18. Profiles of Major Suppliers to the Automotive Industry : Vol. 5. Multinational Automotive Parts and Components Suppliers

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-08-01

    This study summarizes extensive information collected over a two-year period (October 1978 to October 1980) on suppliers of parts and components, materials, and machine tools to the automotive industry in the United States. The objective of the study...

  19. Profiles of Major Suppliers to the Automotive Industry : Vol. 6. Foreign Automotive Parts and Components Suppliers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-08-01

    This study summarizes extensive information collected over a two-year period (October 1978 to October 1980) on suppliers of parts and components, materials, and machine tools to the automotive industry in the United States. The objective of the study...

  20. Learning to Perceive Structure from Motion and Neural Plasticity in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Nam-Gyoon; Park, Jong-Hee

    2010-01-01

    Recent research has demonstrated that Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects the visual sensory pathways, producing a variety of visual deficits, including the capacity to perceive structure-from-motion (SFM). Because the sensory areas of the adult brain are known to retain a large degree of plasticity, the present study was conducted to explore whether…

  1. THE GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION IN CATIA V5 OF AN AUTOMOTIVE TRANSMISSION

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BOGHIAN Gabriel Marcel

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available In the present paper is defined and presented the method of representation of an automotive transmission using CATIA V5 software, having as reference the Dacia Duster automobile. This paper contains the steps required for 3D modeling of transmission for a better understanding of functionality and the role fulfilled in the vehicle. Creating the virtual model for the car transmission allows us to emphasize the compatibility between elements and the subassemblies of the front and rear axle’s structure.

  2. Automotive Electronics. Teacher Edition (Revised).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mackert, Howard C.; Heiserman, Russell L.

    This learning module addresses computers and their applications in contemporary automobiles. The text provides students with information on automotive microcomputers and hands-on activities that will help them see how semiconductors and digital logic devices fit into the modern repair facility. The module contains nine instructional units that…

  3. Innovative Technology in Automotive Technology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, John

    2007-01-01

    Automotive Technology combines hands-on training along with a fully integrated, interactive, computerized multistationed facility. Our program is a competency based, true open-entry/open-exit program that utilizes flexible self-paced course outlines. It is designed around an industry partnership that promotes community and economic development,…

  4. Studies of elastic-plastic instabilities

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tvergaard, Viggo

    1999-01-01

    Analyses of plastic instabilities are reviewed, with focus on results in structural mechanics as well as continuum mechanics. First the basic theories for bifurcation and post-bifurcation behavior are briefly presented. Then, localization of plastic flow is discussed, including shear band formati...

  5. Corporate brand positioning and differentiation in the luxury automotive industry

    OpenAIRE

    Kotiranta, V. (Ville)

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Global luxury automotive industry faces one of the most competitive and dynamic markets in the world. The focus of this research has been to discover the corporate strategies relating to competitive positioning and differentiation via brand personality. Both Aaker brand personality framework and specifically for this industry developed luxury automotive strategy framework are applied for content analysis data, whic...

  6. Twenty-five years after introduction of automotive catalysts. What next?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shelef, M.; McCabe, R.W. [Chemical and Physical Sciences Laboratory, Ford Research Laboratory, Ford Motor Company, MD-3179, SRL, PO Box 2053, 48121 Dearborn, MI (United States)

    2000-09-25

    The union of catalysts and the automobile has been one of the greatest successes of heterogeneous catalysis over the last 25 years. Here, the history of automotive catalysis is briefly reviewed, followed by an assessment of where automotive catalysis stands today and where it is headed in the future. A key distinction between past automotive catalysis experience and that projected for the future is an increased focus on catalysts in upstream of power plant applications, such as on-board fuel processing units for fuel cell vehicles. Driven by ever tighter regulations, there will be continued research and development activity focused also on downstream applications (i.e. exhaust emission aftertreatment), especially for fuel-efficient, lean-burn vehicles, both diesel and spark-ignited.

  7. Elastic plastic fracture mechanics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Simpson, L.A.

    1978-07-01

    The application of linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) to crack stability in brittle structures is now well understood and widely applied. However, in many structural materials, crack propagation is accompanied by considerable crack-tip plasticity which invalidates the use of LEFM. Thus, present day research in fracture mechanics is aimed at developing parameters for predicting crack propagation under elastic-plastic conditions. These include critical crack-opening-displacement methods, the J integral and R-curve techniques. This report provides an introduction to these concepts and gives some examples of their applications. (author)

  8. Modeling and Analysis of Size-Dependent Structural Problems by Using Low- Order Finite Elements with Strain Gradient Plasticity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Moon Shik; Suh, Yeong Sung; Song, Seung

    2011-01-01

    An elasto-plastic finite element method using the theory of strain gradient plasticity is proposed to evaluate the size dependency of structural plasticity that occurs when the configuration size decreases to micron scale. For this method, we suggest a low-order plane and three-dimensional displacement-based elements, eliminating the need for a high order, many degrees of freedom, a mixed element, or super elements, which have been considered necessary in previous researches. The proposed method can be performed in the framework of nonlinear incremental analysis in which plastic strains are calculated and averaged at nodes. These strains are then interpolated and differentiated for gradient calculation. We adopted a strain-gradient-hardening constitutive equation from the Taylor dislocation model, which requires the plastic strain gradient. The developed finite elements are tested numerically on the basis of typical size-effect problems such as micro-bending, micro-torsion, and micro-voids. With respect to the strain gradient plasticity, i.e., the size effects, the results obtained by using the proposed method, which are simple in their calculation, are in good agreement with the experimental results cited in previously published papers

  9. Japanese automotive transportation sector's impact upon global warming

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Imaseki, Takashi

    1998-01-01

    Automobiles are still increasing in number in Japan. If this continues, CO 2 emissions in this sector may increase through the first half of the 21st century. Consequently, a study of measures for reducing these CO 2 emissions is essential. In this paper, possible automotive technologies, improvements in fuel consumption and the introduction of electric vehicles are discussed. These measures are then evaluated for the Japanese case. Furthermore, market penetration of these technologies is evaluated, using life-cycle cost analysis based on initial cost and annual fuel cost. It is concluded that reducing CO 2 emissions to 1995 levels by 2010 is possible. This would require the simultaneous implementation of fuel-consumption improvements and the introduction of electric vehicles. However, automotive consumers would be reluctant to accept these technologies, particularly electric vehicles, because of their high purchase-price and low benefits in terms of operating economy. Acceptance will require financial and institutional support from the public sector in introducing these automotive technologies into the Japanese transportation sector. (author)

  10. Numerical simulation of heat transfer process in automotive brakes

    OpenAIRE

    Gonzalo Voltas, David

    2013-01-01

    This master thesis concerns the theoretical investigations of the heat transfer process in automotive brakes. The process of heat generation and heat transfer to ambient air in automotive brake was presented. The two–dimensional, axi-symmetrical model of transient heat conduction for the brake was applied. The relevant boundary conditions, that describe the heat generated in the brake and the heat transferred to ambient air, were used. The unsteady heat conduction problem was solved by the...

  11. Exposure to automotive pollution increases plasma susceptibility to oxidation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharman, James E; Coombes, Jeff S; Geraghty, Dominic P; Fraser, David I

    2002-01-01

    Low-density lipoprotein oxidation is implicated in the development of atherosclerosis. Plasma susceptibility to oxidation may be used as a marker of low-density lipoprotein oxidation and thus predict atherosclerotic risk. In this study the authors investigated the relationship between plasma susceptibility to oxidation and exposure to automotive pollution in a group of automobile mechanics (n = 16) exposed to high levels of automotive pollution, vs. matched controls (n = 13). The authors induced plasma oxidation by a free radical initiator and they determined susceptibility to oxidation by (1) change in absorbance at 234 nm, (2) lag time to conjugated diene formation, and (3) linear slope of the oxidation curve. Mechanics had significantly higher values (mean +/- standard error) for change in absorbance (1.60 +/- 0.05 vs. 1.36 +/- 0.05; p automotive pollutants increases plasma susceptibility to oxidation and may, in the long-term, increase the risk of developing atherosclerosis.

  12. Automotive Stirling engine: Mod 2 design report

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nightingale, Noel P.

    1986-01-01

    The design of an automotive Stirling engine that achieves the superior fuel economy potential of the Stirling cycle is described. As the culmination of a 9-yr development program, this engine, designated the Mod 2, also nullifies arguments that Stirling engines are heavy, expensive, unreliable, demonstrating poor performance. Installed in a General Motors Chevrolet Celebrity car, this engine has a predicted combined fuel economy on unleaded gasoline of 17.5 km/l (41 mpg)- a value 50% above the current vehicle fleet average. The Mod 2 Stirling engine is a four-cylinder V-drive design with a single crankshaft. The engine is also equipped with all the controls and auxiliaries necessary for automotive operation.

  13. Methodology for Analysing the NOx-NH3 Trade-off for the Heavy-duty Automotive SCR Catalyst

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Åberg, Andreas; Widd, Anders; Abildskov, Jens

    2017-01-01

    This paper presents a methodology where pareto fronts were used to analyse how changes in the control structure for the urea dosing to the automotive SCR catalyst can improve the trade-o_ between NOx slip and NH3 slip. A previously developed simulation model was used to simulate the European...

  14. On Ugliness and the Automotive

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herriott, Richard

    2016-01-01

    The function of this essay is to to see what consequences a consideration of ugliness in automotive styling has for the theories of three writers on aesthetics in design: David Pye, Roger Scruton and Ralf Weber. As such, the concepts of beauty and ugliness will be treated in brief before moving...

  15. Managing knowledge boundaries for open innovation - lessons from the automotive industry : lessons from the automotive industry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilhelm, Miriam; Dolfsma, Wilfred

    2018-01-01

    Purpose - The rising need to innovate and obtain knowledge from more distant knowledge sources calls for new innovation strategies and a better integration of other external actors who lie outside the traditional automotive supply chain. Such an open innovation strategy challenges organizational

  16. Hydraulic pressure pulses with elastic and plastic structural flexibility: test and analysis (LWBR Development Program)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schwirian, R.E.

    1978-03-01

    Pressure pulse tests were conducted with a flexible test section in a test vessel filled with room temperature water. The pressure pulses were generated with a drop hammer and piston pulse generator and were of a sufficient magnitude to cause plastic deformation of the test section. Because of the strong pressure relief effect of the deforming test section, pressure pulse magnitudes were below 265 psig in magnitude and had durations of 50 to 55 msecs. Calculations performed with the FLASH-35 bi-linear hysteresis model of structural deformation show good agreement with experiment. In particular, FLASH 35 adequately predicts the decrease in peak pressure and the increase in pulse duration due to elastic and plastic deformation of the test section. Predictions of flexible member motion are good, but are less satisfactory than the pressure pulse results due to uncertainties in the values of yield point and beyond yield stiffness used to model the various flexible members. Coupled with this is a strong sensitivity of the FLASH 35 predictions to the values of yield point and beyond yield stiffness chosen for the various flexible members. The test data versus calculation comparisons presented here provide preliminary qualification for FLASH 35 calculations of transient hydraulic pressures and pressure differentials in the presence of flexible structural members which deform both elastically and plastically

  17. Analysis of Strengthening Steel Distribution Channel in Domestic Automotive Industry

    OpenAIRE

    Pangraksa, Sugeng; Djajadiningrat, Surna Tjahja

    2013-01-01

    Distribution has strategic role to spread up product from manufacturer into end-user. Automotive industry needs distribution channel which has: excellent data management, timely delivery management, excellent quality management, and competitive reducing cost. Krakatau Steel (KS) distributors has weaknesses to enter automotive market current that require tight prerequisite such as: consistency of product quality, good cooperation, close relationship, continuously cost reduction, wide spread to...

  18. Sustainable Manufacturing Practices in Malaysian Automotive Industry: Confirmatory Factor Analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Habidin, Nurul Fadly; Zubir, Anis Fadzlin Mohd; Fuz, Nursyazwani Mohd; Latip, Nor Azrin Md; Azman, Mohamed Nor Azhari

    2015-01-01

    Sustainable manufacturing practices (SMPs) have received enormous attention in current years as an effective solution to support the continuous growth and expansion of the automotive manufacturing industry. This reported study was conducted to examine confirmatory factor analysis for SMP such as manufacturing process, supply chain management, social responsibility, and environmental management based on automotive manufacturing industry. The results of confirmatory factor analysis show that fo...

  19. Rheological and structural characterisation of film-forming solutions and biodegradable edible film made from kefiran as affected by various plasticizer types.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghasemlou, Mehran; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Oromiehie, Abdulrasoul

    2011-11-01

    The rheological properties of kefiran film-forming solutions, as well as the structural characterisation of the resulting films, were investigated as a function of various plasticizer types. The behaviours of the storage (G') and loss (G″) moduli as a function of frequency were typical of gel-like material, with the G' higher than the G″. Kefiran-based films, which may find application as edible films, were prepared by a casting and solvent-evaporation method. Possible interaction between the adjacent chains in the kefiran polymer and various plasticizers was proven by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The crystallinity of plasticized kefiran film was also analysed using X-ray diffraction (XRD); this revealed an amorphous-crystalline structure. These results were explained by the film's microstructure, which was analysed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The present study has helped determine possible interactions of kefiran, plasticizer and water molecules in determining film properties. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Multichip module technology for automotive application

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, R. Wayne; Evans, John L.; Bosley, Larry

    1995-01-01

    Advancements in multichip module technology are creating design freedoms previously unavailable to design engineers. These advancements are opening new markets for laminate based multichip module products. In particular, material improvements in laminate printed wiring boards are allowing multichip module technology to meet more stringent environmental conditions. In addition, improvements in encapsulants and adhesives are enhancing the capabilities of multichip module technology to meet harsh environment. Furthermore, improvements in manufacturing techniques are providing the reliability improvements necessary for use in high quality electronic systems. These advances are making multichip module technology viable for high volume, harsh environment applications like under-the-hood automotive electronics. This paper will provide a brief review of multichip module technology, a discussion of specific research activities with Chrysler for use of multichip modules in automotive engine controllers and finally a discussion of prototype multichip modules fabricated and tested.

  1. Crash simulation of hybrid structures considering the stress and strain rate dependent material behavior of thermoplastic materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hopmann, Ch.; Schöngart, M.; Weber, M.; Klein, J.

    2015-05-01

    Thermoplastic materials are more and more used as a light weight replacement for metal, especially in the automotive industry. Since these materials do not provide the mechanical properties, which are required to manufacture supporting elements like an auto body or a cross bearer, plastics are combined with metals in so called hybrid structures. Normally, the plastics components are joined to the metal structures using different technologies like welding or screwing. Very often, the hybrid structures are made of flat metal parts, which are stiffened by a reinforcement structure made of thermoplastic materials. The loads on these structures are very often impulsive, for example in the crash situation of an automobile. Due to the large stiffness variation of metal and thermoplastic materials, complex states of stress and very high local strain rates occur in the contact zone under impact conditions. Since the mechanical behavior of thermoplastic materials is highly dependent on these types of load, the crash failure of metal plastic hybrid parts is very complex. The problem is that the normally used strain rate dependent elastic/plastic material models are not capable to simulate the mechanical behavior of thermoplastic materials depended on the state of stress. As part of a research project, a method to simulate the mechanical behavior of hybrid structures under impact conditions is developed at the IKV. For this purpose, a specimen for the measurement of mechanical properties dependet on the state of stress and a method for the strain rate depended characterization of thermoplastic materials were developed. In the second step impact testing is performed. A hybrid structure made from a metal sheet and a reinforcement structure of a Polybutylenterephthalat Polycarbonate blend is tested under impact conditions. The measured stress and strain rate depended material data are used to simulate the mechanical behavior of the hybrid structure under highly dynamic load with

  2. Plastic deformation of 2D crumpled wires

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gomes, M A F; Donato, C C; Brito, V P; Coelho, A S O

    2008-01-01

    When a single long piece of elastic wire is injected through channels into a confining two-dimensional cavity, a complex structure of hierarchical loops is formed. In the limit of maximum packing density, these structures are described by several scaling laws. In this paper this packing process is investigated but using plastic wires which give rise to completely irreversible structures of different morphology. In particular, the plastic deformation from circular to oblate configurations of crumpled wires is experimentally studied, obtained by the application of an axial strain. Among other things, it is shown that in spite of plasticity, irreversibility and very large deformations, scaling is still observed.

  3. Clarification on shear transformation zone size and its correlation with plasticity for Zr-based bulk metallic glass in different structural states

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Z.Q.; Huang, L. [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Material, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Huang, P., E-mail: huangping@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Material, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Xu, K.W. [State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Material, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Wang, F., E-mail: wangfei@mail.xjtu.edu.cn [State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Lu, T.J. [State Key Laboratory for Strength and Vibration of Mechanical Structures Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); MOE Key Laboratory for Multifunctional Materials and Structures Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China)

    2016-11-20

    To clarify the real size of shear transformation zone (STZ) and its correlation with the plasticity of metallic glass, STZ sizes of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass (BMG) in three different structural states (as-cast, annealed and confining annealed) were examined using both rate-change and statistical methods upon nanoindentation. STZ sizes (less than 24 atoms) obtained by the statistical method approached the real STZ size of very few atoms, and showed no correlation with BMG plasticity. In sharp contrast, STZ sizes (hundreds of atoms) obtained by the rate-change method not only were much larger than the real STZ size but also exhibited a positive correlation with BMG plasticity. These discrepancies were discussed in terms of the structural evolution of BMGs upon nanoindentation.

  4. Energy management for automotive power nets

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kessels, J.T.B.A.

    2007-01-01

    Reducing fuel consumption has always been a major challenge to the automotive industry. Whereas first marketing aspects gave rise to innovative research, today the environmental regulations have become the main driving force behind new technologies. Historically, the research concentrated on

  5. A study of residual stress and plastic deformation of a bar with gap size changes between rolls in a two cross roll straightener

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cho, Hyun Soo; Hahm, Ju Hee; Lee Young Ho

    2012-01-01

    Cold drawn(CD) bars feature superb surface roughness, dimensional precision, and straightness. They are used in the manufacture of automotive parts and home electrical appliances. Two cross roll straighteners have been used to manufacture of automotive parts and home electrical appliances. Two cross roll straighteners have been used to manufacture CD bars for these industries. This study investigated the variation of the gap size between the two cross rolls. It was found that changes in the gap size have a large influence on the residual stress and plastic deformation. Finite element method(FEM) simulations were performed to study the influence of the gap size on the residual stress in CD bars, and experiments were performed to verify the FEM results. The residual stresses were measured with X ray diffraction in both the axial and the hoop directions

  6. A materials selection procedure for sandwiched beams via parametric optimization with applications in automotive industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aly, Mohamed F.; Hamza, Karim T.; Farag, Mahmoud M.

    2014-01-01

    Highlights: • Sandwich panels optimization model. • Sandwich panels design procedure. • Study of sandwich panels for automotive vehicle flooring. • Study of sandwich panels for truck cabin exterior. - Abstract: The future of automotive industry faces many challenges in meeting increasingly strict restrictions on emissions, energy usage and recyclability of components alongside the need to maintain cost competiveness. Weight reduction through innovative design of components and proper material selection can have profound impact towards attaining such goals since most of the lifecycle energy usage occurs during the operation phase of a vehicle. In electric and hybrid vehicles, weight reduction has another important effect of extending the electric mode driving range between stops or gasoline mode. This paper adopts parametric models for design optimization and material selection of sandwich panels with the objective of weight and cost minimization subject to structural integrity constraints such as strength, stiffness and buckling resistance. The proposed design procedure employs a pre-compiled library of candidate sandwich panel material combinations, for which optimization of the layered thicknesses is conducted and the best one is reported. Example demonstration studies from the automotive industry are presented for the replacement of Aluminum and Steel panels with polypropylene-filled sandwich panel alternatives

  7. Computational strain gradient crystal plasticity

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Niordson, Christian Frithiof; Kysar, Jeffrey W.

    2014-01-01

    A numerical method for viscous strain gradient crystal plasticity theory is presented, which incorporates both energetic and dissipative gradient effects. The underlying minimum principles are discussed as well as convergence properties of the proposed finite element procedure. Three problems...... of plane crystal plasticity are studied: pure shear of a single crystal between rigid platens as well as plastic deformation around cylindrical voids in hexagonal close packed and face centered cubic crystals. Effective in-plane constitutive slip parameters for plane strain deformation of specifically...... oriented face centered cubic crystals are developed in terms of the crystallographic slip parameters. The effect on geometrically necessary dislocation structures introduced by plastic deformation is investigated as a function of the ratio of void radius to plasticity length scale....

  8. Imaging brain plasticity after trauma

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Zhifeng Kou; Armin Iraji

    2014-01-01

    The brain is highly plastic after stroke or epilepsy;however, there is a paucity of brain plasticity investigation after traumatic brain injury (TBI). This mini review summarizes the most recent evidence of brain plasticity in human TBI patients from the perspective of advanced magnetic resonance imaging. Similar to other forms of acquired brain injury, TBI patients also demonstrat-ed both structural reorganization as well as functional compensation by the recruitment of other brain regions. However, the large scale brain network alterations after TBI are still unknown, and the ifeld is still short of proper means on how to guide the choice of TBI rehabilitation or treat-ment plan to promote brain plasticity. The authors also point out the new direction of brain plas-ticity investigation.

  9. Profiles of Major Suppliers to the Automotive Industry : Vol. 7. Machine Tool Suppliers to the Automotive Industry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-08-01

    This study summarizes extensive information collected over a two-year period (October 1978 to October 1980) on suppliers of parts and components, materials, and machine tools to the automotive industry in the United States. The objective of the study...

  10. Profiles of Major Suppliers to the Automotive Industry : Vol. 4. North American Automotive Parts and Components Suppliers

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-08-01

    This study summarizes extensive information collected over a two-year period (October 1978 to October 1980) on suppliers of parts and components, materials, and machine tools to the automotive industry in the United States. The objective of the study...

  11. A study of the Armstrong Whitworth swing beam engine for automotive application

    Science.gov (United States)

    1983-01-01

    The introduction of ceramics to those parts suffering high thermal loading was successfully demonstrated, and there is no question that the 100 kw (134 hp) naturally aspirated engine of the future will be developed to produce up to 300 kw (402 hp) by the application of turbocharging or its equivalent. However, at the 60 - 80 kw (80 - 107 hp) size needed for the economic automotive engine, scaling down the 300 kw (402 hp) is beset by the laws of scale. The conventional four stroke diesel was not shown to be successful at the small high speed engine size. The opposed piston two stroke engine does not suffer the same laws of scale and engines in the low power range have already been marketed successfully. The half liter/cylinder Armstrong Whitworth Swing Beam Engine is the latest to be designed with the automotive market in mind. Its low noise structure and balanced linkage system coupled with advantages for easy start and potential use of low grade fuels, derived from its variable compression ratio and slow piston motion, qualifies it for the application.

  12. Automotive mechatronic systems. General developments and examples

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Isermann, R. [Technische Univ. Darmstadt (Germany). Inst. fuer Automatisierungstechnik, FG Regelungstechnik und Prozessautomatisierung

    2006-08-15

    Automobiles are showing an increasing integration of mechanics with digital electronics and information processing. This integration is between the components (hardware) and by the information-driven functions (software), resulting in integrated systems called mechatronic systems. Their development involves finding an optimal balance between the basic mechanical structure, sensor and actuator implementation, communication, automatic information processing and overall control. This contribution summarizes some ongoing developments for mechatronic systems in automobiles, shows design approaches and examples and considers the various embedded control functions and systems integrity. Some examples of automotive mechatronic systems are shown in more detail. Great progress can be observed in braking systems (ABS, ESP), the first brake-by-wire electro-hydraulic brake system (EHB), steering systems (electrical power steering, active front steering) and active suspension systems. (orig.)

  13. The Indian Automotive Industry and the ASEAN Supply Chain Relations

    OpenAIRE

    Tristan Leo Dallo AGUSTIN; Martin SCHRODER

    2015-01-01

    The topic of automotive supply chains has been increasingly studied as it raises questions of economic development, especially from the perspectives of simultaneous globalisation and regionalisation, and trade. While ASEAN is a prime example of intraregional production networks, supply chains that connect ASEAN and India have not been studied indepth. Therefore, this paper investigates the Indian automotive industry, which is composed of automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and ...

  14. Comparison of Quality Engineering Practices in Malaysian and Indonesian Automotive Related Companies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Putri, Nilda Tri; Sha'ri Mohd, Yusof; Irianto, Dradjad

    2016-02-01

    The main motivating factor driving this research is to find differences between the automotive related companies in Malaysia and Indonesia with regard to quality engineering (QE) implementation. A comparative study between Malaysia and Indonesia provides the opportunity to gain perspective and thorough understanding of the similarities and differences on the critical factors for successful QE practices in the context of both these countries. Face to face interviews are used to compare the QE practices in two automotive companies in Malaysia and Indonesia, respectively. The findings of study showed that both countries have clear quality objectives to achieving zero defects in processes and products and total customer satisfaction. Top and middle management in both countries were found to be directly involved in quality improvement on the shop floor to provide On-The-Job training and actively encourage team members to perform quality problem solving through the formation of quality control circles (QCC) particularly in Indonesia automotive industry. In Malaysia automotive industry, the implementation was not fully effective, but they have started to cultivate those values in the daily execution. Based on the case study results and analysis, the researcher has provided suggestions for both countries as an improvement plan for successful QE implementation. These recommendations will allow management to implement appropriate strategies for better QE implementation which hopefully can improve company's performance and ultimately the making the automotive industry in both countries to reach world class quality. It is strongly believed that the findings of this study can help Malaysia and Indonesia automotive industries in their efforts to become more effective and competitive.

  15. Automotive Mechanics. Student Learning Guides.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridge Vocational-Technical Center, Winter Haven, FL.

    These 33 learning guides are self-instructional packets for 33 tasks identified as essential for performance on an entry-level job in automotive mechanics. Each guide is based on a terminal performance objective (task) and 1-9 enabling objectives. For each enabliing objective, some or all of these materials may be presented: learning steps…

  16. Automotive, the Future of Mobility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rieck, Frank; Machielsen, C.; van Duin, Ron

    2017-01-01

    Will the Automotive era come to an end in the 21th century? Looking at today’s environmental and economic challenges of the use of cars based on last century technology and listening to some trend watchers one could think so. Cars can be regarded, as an old school status product indeed, for which

  17. Automotive the Future of Mobility

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    ir. F.G. Rieck; ir. Cees Machielse; Ron van Duin

    2017-01-01

    Will the Automotive era come to an end in the 21th century? Looking at today’s environmental and economic challenges of the use of last century technology cars and listening to some trend watchers one could think so. Cars can be regarded, as an old school status product indeed, for which there is

  18. Automotive systems engineering

    CERN Document Server

    Winner, Hermann

    2013-01-01

    This book reflects the shift in design paradigm in automobile industry. It presents future innovations, often referred as  “automotive systems engineering”.  These cause fundamental innovations in the field of driver assistance systems and electro-mobility as well as fundamental changes in the architecture of the vehicles. New driving functionalities can only be realized if the software programs of multiple electronic control units work together correctly. This volume presents the new and innovative methods which are mandatory to master the complexity of the vehicle of the future.

  19. Mississippi Curriculum Framework for Automotive Mechanics (Program CIP: 47.0604--Auto/Automotive Mechanic/Tech). Secondary Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mississippi Research and Curriculum Unit for Vocational and Technical Education, State College.

    This document, which reflects Mississippi's statutory requirement that instructional programs be based on core curricula and performance-based assessment, contains outlines of the instructional units required in local instructional management plans and daily lesson plans for automotive mechanics I and II. Presented first are a program description…

  20. The AGT 101 advanced automotive gas turbine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rackley, R. A.; Kidwell, J. R.

    1982-01-01

    A development program is described whose goal is the accumulation of the technology base needed by the U.S. automotive industry for the production of automotive gas turbine powertrains. Such gas turbine designs must exhibit reduced fuel consumption, a multi-fuel capability, and low exhaust emissions. The AGT101 powertrain described is a 74.6 kW, regenerated single-shaft gas turbine, operating at a maximum inlet temperature of 1644 K and coupled to a split differential gearbox and automatic overdrive transmission. The engine's single stage centrifugal compressor and single stage radial inflow turbine are mounted on a common shaft, and will operate at a maximum rotor speed of 100,000 rpm. All high temperature components, including the turbine rotor, are ceramic.

  1. INTEGRATED AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING SUPPLY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    P.J.S. Van Dyk

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available

    ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Supply planning and traffic flow planning are major activities in the automotive manufacturing environment worldwide. Traditionally, the impact of supply planning strategies on plant traffic is rarely considered. This paper describes the development of a Decision Support System (DSS that will assist automotive manufacturers to analyse the effect of supply planning decisions on plant traffic during the supply planning phase of their logistics planning process. In essence, this DSS consists of a Supply Medium Decision Support Tool (SMDST (an interactive MS-Excel model with Visual Basic interfacing and a traffic flow simulation model tool (using eMPlant simulation software.

    AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verskaffingsbeplanning en verkeersvloeibeplanning is belangrike aktiwiteite in die motorvervaardigingsbedryf wêreldwyd. Tradisioneel word die uitwerking van verskaffings-beplanningsstrategië op aanlegverkeer selde in ag geneem. Hierdie artikel beskryf die ontwikkeling van ’n Besluitnemings Ondersteuningstelsel (DSS wat motorvervaardigers sal ondersteun in die analise van die effek van verskaffingsbeplanningbesluite op aanlegverkeer tydens die verskaffingsbeplanningsfase van hulle logistieke beplanningsproses. Hierdie DSS bestaan hoofsaaklik uit ’n Verskaffings-vervoermiddel Besluitnemingshulpmiddel (SMDST (’n interaktiewe MS-Excel model met “Visual Basic” koppelling asook ’n simulasiemodel van verkeersvloei (met eM-Plant simulasiesagteware.

  2. Modularity analysis of automotive control software

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dajsuren, Y.; Brand, van den M.G.J.; Serebrenik, A.

    2013-01-01

    A design language and tool like MATLAB/Simulink is used for the graphical modelling and simulation of automotive control software. As the functionality based on electronics and software systems increases in motor vehicles, it is becoming increasingly important for system/software architects and

  3. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ATTITUDES LEARNING AND ACHIEVEMENT OF INTEREST LEARNING WITH LEARNING THE BASICS OF COST OF DISCUSSION AUTOMOTIVE AUTOMOTIVE DEPARTMENT OF CLASS X SMK PIRI SLEMAN EVEN SEMESTER OF STUDY 2013/2014

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Deril Gusa Wijaya

    2014-12-01

    Based on the analysis of the results obtained the following results: (1 There is a positive and significant relationship between the attitude of Learning (X1 with Achievement Automotive Basics (Y; (2 There is a positive and significant relationship between Interests Learning (X2 with Achievement Automotive Basics (Y; (3 There is a positive and significant relationship Attitude Study (X1 and Interest in Learning (X2 with Achievement Automotive Basics (Y.

  4. Should HIV and AIDS workplace programmes still be advocated in the automotive industry?

    OpenAIRE

    Liana Steenkamp; Jill von der Marwitz; Friederike Baasner-Weihs; Jacques Pietersen

    2015-01-01

    Orientation: In light of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic, and in order to improve competitiveness in the South African private sector, many structures have implemented subsidised workplace programmes. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to collect baseline data regarding the knowledge, attitudes, practices and belief (KAPB) of employees in the automotive industry in relation to HIV and AIDS, in order to assess the need for HIV and AIDS workplace programmes. Mot...

  5. Nanocomposites: synthesis, structure, properties and new application opportunities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Henrique Cury Camargo

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available Nanocomposites, a high performance material exhibit unusual property combinations and unique design possibilities. With an estimated annual growth rate of about 25% and fastest demand to be in engineering plastics and elastomers, their potential is so striking that they are useful in several areas ranging from packaging to biomedical applications. In this unified overview the three types of matrix nanocomposites are presented underlining the need for these materials, their processing methods and some recent results on structure, properties and potential applications, perspectives including need for such materials in future space mission and other interesting applications together with market and safety aspects. Possible uses of natural materials such as clay based minerals, chrysotile and lignocellulosic fibers are highlighted. Being environmentally friendly, applications of nanocomposites offer new technology and business opportunities for several sectors of the aerospace, automotive, electronics and biotechnology industries.

  6. Millimeter-wave silicon-based ultra-wideband automotive radar transceivers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jain, Vipul

    Since the invention of the integrated circuit, the semiconductor industry has revolutionized the world in ways no one had ever anticipated. With the advent of silicon technologies, consumer electronics became light-weight and affordable and paved the way for an Information-Communication-Entertainment age. While silicon almost completely replaced compound semiconductors from these markets, it has been unable to compete in areas with more stringent requirements due to technology limitations. One of these areas is automotive radar sensors, which will enable next-generation collision-warning systems in automobiles. A low-cost implementation is absolutely essential for widespread use of these systems, which leads us to the subject of this dissertation---silicon-based solutions for automotive radars. This dissertation presents architectures and design techniques for mm-wave automotive radar transceivers. Several fully-integrated transceivers and receivers operating at 22-29 GHz and 77-81 GHz are demonstrated in both CMOS and SiGe BiCMOS technologies. Excellent performance is achieved indicating the suitability of silicon technologies for automotive radar sensors. The first CMOS 22-29-GHz pulse-radar receiver front-end for ultra-wideband radars is presented. The chip includes a low noise amplifier, I/Q mixers, quadrature voltage-controlled oscillators, pulse formers and variable-gain amplifiers. Fabricated in 0.18-mum CMOS, the receiver achieves a conversion gain of 35-38.1 dB and a noise figure of 5.5-7.4 dB. Integration of multi-mode multi-band transceivers on a single chip will enable next-generation low-cost automotive radar sensors. Two highly-integrated silicon ICs are designed in a 0.18-mum BiCMOS technology. These designs are also the first reported demonstrations of mm-wave circuits with high-speed digital circuits on the same chip. The first mm-wave dual-band frequency synthesizer and transceiver, operating in the 24-GHz and 77-GHz bands, are demonstrated. All

  7. IR-camera methods for automotive brake system studies

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dinwiddie, Ralph B.; Lee, Kwangjin

    1998-03-01

    Automotive brake systems are energy conversion devices that convert kinetic energy into heat energy. Several mechanisms, mostly related to noise and vibration problems, can occur during brake operation and are often related to non-uniform temperature distribution on the brake disk. These problems are of significant cost to the industry and are a quality concern to automotive companies and brake system vendors. One such problem is thermo-elastic instabilities in brake system. During the occurrence of these instabilities several localized hot spots will form around the circumferential direction of the brake disk. The temperature distribution and the time dependence of these hot spots, a critical factor in analyzing this problem and in developing a fundamental understanding of this phenomenon, were recorded. Other modes of non-uniform temperature distributions which include hot banding and extreme localized heating were also observed. All of these modes of non-uniform temperature distributions were observed on automotive brake systems using a high speed IR camera operating in snap-shot mode. The camera was synchronized with the rotation of the brake disk so that the time evolution of hot regions could be studied. This paper discusses the experimental approach in detail.

  8. Efficiency Standard in automotive industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Goldoni, G.

    2008-01-01

    A technological transition in the transport sector could be only be possible with a convergence of objectives of the automotive and the fuel industries, which is not very simple to obtain. Fuel economy standards could differently reduce the growing trend of CO 2 emissions in this sector but regulators should avoid capture from domestic industry. [it

  9. The Institute of Automotive Engineering at the Technical University of Dresden; Das Institut fuer Verbrennungsmotoren und Kraftfahrzeuge (IVK) an der TU Dresden

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bergmann, M.

    1995-05-01

    The Institute of Automotive Engineering belongs to the oldest German Institutes of this kind at all. Founded in 1918, the Institute reviews a history of over 75 years. Students training at the Institute takes aim at a future emloyment in fields of research and development and design and computing. Both car manufactures and suppliers appreciate the practice-oriented education given at the Institute. Corresponding to the internal structure the Institute provides a training at following teaching and research fields: Internal Combustion Engines, Automotive Drive Engineering and Automotive Electrics/Electronics. For that the Institute is equipped with modern test bench facilities and CAD/CAE workstations. (orig.) [Deutsch] Das IVK blickt auf eine lange Tradition zurueck und zaehlt noch heute zu den fuehrenden Ausbildungs- und Forschungsstaetten fuer Kraftfahrzeug- und Motoreningenieure. Derzeit bestehen drei Professuren: Verbrennungsmotoren, Kraftfahrzeug- und Antriebstechnik sowie Kraftfahrzeug-Elektronik/-Elektrik. (orig.)

  10. RULES OF ORIGIN AND AUTOMOTIVE SECTOR IN JAPAN’S ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hanny Zurina HAMZAH

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines complicated Rules of Origin (RoO in Japan’s Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA with East Asian countries. To limit the scope of this research, the paper concentrates on automotive industries in ASEAN4 only. The reason is that, this industry is the world’s largest manufacturing activity and had long been protected in Malaysia, liberalized but with limited market access in Thailand, and growing in Indonesia with majority players are the Japanese automakers. The main question that this paper tries to answer is whether these countries should create a different and standardize the existing set of RoO in order to increase the utilization of FTAs with other partner countries. Complex rules in RoO have several implications on Japanese automotive production network when EPAs coming into force. Next, this paper discusses how to understand RoO among automotive related firms and at the same time promote automotive industry in ASEAN to develop to the world class levels.

  11. Monitoring and evaluation of production processes an analysis of the automotive industry

    CERN Document Server

    Panda, Anton; Pandová, Iveta

    2016-01-01

    This book presents topics on monitoring and evaluation of production processes in the automotive industry. Regulation of production processes is also described in details. The text deals with the implementation and evaluation of these processes during the mass production of components useful in the automotive industry. It evaluates the effects and results achieved after implementation in practice. The book takes into account the different methodologies of the world's automakers and applicable standards, such as standard EN ISO 9001 and the requirements of VDA and ISO/TS 16949. The content is used to those working with the development, production and quality control of new products in the demanding automotive industry. The information provided may also be useful to engineers and technical staff in organizations working with series production and production of spare parts for the automotive and other demanding industries. The content presented was written based on discussions with various companies and organiza...

  12. Optimizing The Organic/Inorganic Barrier Structure For Flexible Plastic Substrate Encapsulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Chiuan Lin

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available A multilayered barrier structure stacked with organosilicon and silicon oxide (SiOx films consecutively prepared using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD was developed to encapsulate flexible plastic substrate. The evolution on the residual internal stress, structural quality of the organosilicon/SiOx multilayered structure as well as its adhesion to the substrate were found to correlate closely with the thickness of the inset organosilicon layer. Due to the significant discrepancy in the thermal expansion coefficient between the substrate and SiOx film, the thickness of the organosilicon layer deposited onto the substrate and SiOx film thus was crucial to optimize the barrier property of the organosilicon/SiOx structure. The organosilicon/SiOx barrier structure possessed a lowest residual compressive stress and quality adhesion to the substrate was achieved from engineering the organosilicon layer thickness in the multilayered structure. The relaxation of the residual internal stress in the barrier structure led to a dense SiOx film as a consequence of the enhancement in the Si-O-Si networks and thereby resulted in the reduction of the water vapor permeation. Accordingly, a water vapor transmission rate (WVTR below 1 × 10-2 g/m2 /day being potential for the application on the flexible optoelectronic device packaging was achievable from the 3-pairs organosilicon/SiOx multilayered structure deposited onto the polyethylene terephthalate (PET substrate.

  13. Methodology for plastic fracture - a progress report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wilkinson, J.P.D.; Smith, R.E.E.

    1977-01-01

    This paper describes the progress of a study to develop a methodology for plastic fracture. Such a fracture mechanics methodology, having application in the plastic region, is required to assess the margin of safety inherent in nuclear reactor pressure vessels. The initiation and growth of flaws in pressure vessels under overload conditions is distinguished by a number of unique features, such as large scale yielding, three-dimensional structural and flaw configurations, and failure instabilities that may be controlled by either toughness or plastic flow. In order to develop a broadly applicable methodology of plastic fracture, these features require the following analytical and experimental studies: development of criteria for crack initiation and growth under large scale yielding; the use of the finite element method to describe elastic-plastic behaviour of both the structure and the crack tip region; and extensive experimental studies on laboratory scale and large scale specimens, which attempt to reproduce the pertinent plastic flow and crack growth phenomena. This discussion centers on progress to date on the selection, through analysis and laboratory experiments, of viable criteria for crack initiation and growth during plastic fracture. (Auth.)

  14. Thermoelectric infrared imaging sensors for automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirota, Masaki; Nakajima, Yasushi; Saito, Masanori; Satou, Fuminori; Uchiyama, Makoto

    2004-07-01

    This paper describes three low-cost thermoelectric infrared imaging sensors having a 1,536, 2,304, and 10,800 element thermoelectric focal plane array (FPA) respectively and two experimental automotive application systems. The FPAs are basically fabricated with a conventional IC process and micromachining technologies and have a low cost potential. Among these sensors, the sensor having 2,304 elements provide high responsivity of 5,500 V/W and a very small size with adopting a vacuum-sealed package integrated with a wide-angle ZnS lens. One experimental system incorporated in the Nissan ASV-2 is a blind spot pedestrian warning system that employs four infrared imaging sensors. This system helps alert the driver to the presence of a pedestrian in a blind spot by detecting the infrared radiation emitted from the person"s body. The system can also prevent the vehicle from moving in the direction of the pedestrian. The other is a rearview camera system with an infrared detection function. This system consists of a visible camera and infrared sensors, and it helps alert the driver to the presence of a pedestrian in a rear blind spot. Various issues that will need to be addressed in order to expand the automotive applications of IR imaging sensors in the future are also summarized. This performance is suitable for consumer electronics as well as automotive applications.

  15. Activity-Dependent Exocytosis of Lysosomes Regulates the Structural Plasticity of Dendritic Spines.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Padamsey, Zahid; McGuinness, Lindsay; Bardo, Scott J; Reinhart, Marcia; Tong, Rudi; Hedegaard, Anne; Hart, Michael L; Emptage, Nigel J

    2017-01-04

    Lysosomes have traditionally been viewed as degradative organelles, although a growing body of evidence suggests that they can function as Ca 2+ stores. Here we examined the function of these stores in hippocampal pyramidal neurons. We found that back-propagating action potentials (bpAPs) could elicit Ca 2+ release from lysosomes in the dendrites. This Ca 2+ release triggered the fusion of lysosomes with the plasma membrane, resulting in the release of Cathepsin B. Cathepsin B increased the activity of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9), an enzyme involved in extracellular matrix (ECM) remodelling and synaptic plasticity. Inhibition of either lysosomal Ca 2+ signaling or Cathepsin B release prevented the maintenance of dendritic spine growth induced by Hebbian activity. This impairment could be rescued by exogenous application of active MMP-9. Our findings suggest that activity-dependent exocytosis of Cathepsin B from lysosomes regulates the long-term structural plasticity of dendritic spines by triggering MMP-9 activation and ECM remodelling. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Model-based control for automotive applications

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Naus, G.J.L.

    2010-01-01

    The number of distributed control systems in modern vehicles has increased exponentially over the past decades. Today’s performance improvements and innovations in the automotive industry are often resolved using embedded control systems. As a result, a modern vehicle can be regarded as a complex

  17. Gear shift strategies for automotive transmissions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Ngo, D.V.

    2012-01-01

    The development history of automotive engineering has shown the essential role of transmissions in road vehicles primarily powered by internal combustion engines. The engine with its physical constraints on the torque and speed requires a transmission to have its power converted to the drive power

  18. NEW TRENDS AND CHELLENGES IN AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY LOGISTICS OPERATIONS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dušan Sabadka

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available This paper lays out the main features of the global automotive industry and identifies several important trends. Logistics operations (inbound and outbound in the automotive supply chain are complex and account for large expenses and therefore are segments in the value chainwhere improvements can be made. Better coordination between inbound and outbound logistics contributes to optimising the supply chains, to reducing inventories and to responding to consumer requests. As economies grow, the competition shifts towards brand image and customisation and here the speed and reliability of logistics operations becomes a critical elements.

  19. Automotive Lithium-ion Battery Supply Chain and U.S. Competitiveness Considerations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Donald Chung, Emma Elgqvist, Shriram Santhanagopalan

    2015-06-01

    This study highlights the U.S. foothold in automotive lithium-ion battery (LIB) production, globally. U.S.-based manufacturers comprise 17% of global production capacity. With increasing demand for electric and hybrid electric vehicles and U.S. vehicle manufacturers' proximity to customers, there is a growing opportunity for the United States to compete globally in the automotive LIB market.

  20. Brief review of German standards for quality audits in automotive production

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yulia Šurinová

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Quality management systems (QMS in the automotive industry have several differences in comparison with other industrial factories. Each customer has his own specific requirements, the so-called CSRs (Customer Specific Requirements. Audits are one of the core-tools of quality management to make the PDCA cycle work. It is clear that compliance to ISO/TS 16949:2009 requirements is a condition for supplying the automotive industry. But there are some standards which co-exist together with the official ISO9001 Q-management systems standards and technical specification ISO/TS16949. What are those specific standards in the automotive industry and which standard should be used and why – those are the questions to be answered in this article.

  1. Cross Cultural Logistics and Supply Chain Management Towards Organizational Effectiveness within the Asean/Thai Automotive Industries: A Sem Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dansomboon Suwaj

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available As a manufacturing, logistics and supply chain hub within ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Thailand holds the 12th spot in global vehicle production for an estimated 2,355 Thai and multinational automotive industry enterprises. Within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Thailand ranks number one in automotive production contributing $US11.4 billion to the Thai economy and 12 percent to Thailand’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product, with the automotive industry being Thailand’s leading export sector. However, the automotive companies envisage the difficulty of cultural diversity to manage and coordinate. Therefore, cultural values from the milieu are inducted into the workplace and have a strong impact on both individual behavior and organizational effectiveness and must be direction at all levels for cross-cultural, organizational effectiveness to be achieved. It also became evident that natural disasters are frequent and highly disruptive to the global automotive supply chain and paces must be taken to countervailing the notable and continuing loss to economic growth and organizational effectiveness to both sector units and the global industry. The implementation of strategically placed, environmentally ‘habituated’, automotive parts logistics cache might be one solution to the problem. Given the crucial importance of this sector to the economy of the region and the global supply chain, the researchers surveyed 220 managers using a 7-point Likert scale questionnaire within the multinational industrial clusters of Thailand’s ‘Detroit of Asia’ Eastern Seaboard region. Using Structural Equation Modelling to test the 11 variables on Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management and Organizational Effectiveness in a cross-cultural context, it was determined that collaboration within the supply chain and the exchange of information can reduce uncertainty, with trust being a key ingredient to a JV’s success

  2. [Application of biodegradable plastic film to reduce plastic film residual pollution in Chinese agriculture].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yan, Changrong; He, Wenqing; Xue, Yinghao; Liu, Enke; Liu, Qin

    2016-06-25

    Plastic film has become an important agriculture production material in recent years. Over the past three decades, the amount and application area of plastic film have increased steadily, and in 2014, which are 1.4 million tons and more than 180 million hm² respectively. It plays a key role for ensuring the supply of agricultural goods in China. Meanwhile, plastic film residual pollution becomes more and more serious, and in some regions, the amount of plastic film residues has reached over 250 kg/hm². In part of the Northwest region, soil structure of farmland has been destroyed by plastic film residues and then crop growth and farming operations were suppressed. It is recognized as a good choice to replace plastic film with biodegradable plastic film, an effective measure to solve the plastic film residue pollution. Now, it is in a critical stage of study and assessment of biodegradable plastic film in China and fortunately some biodegradable plastic films show effects in the production of potatoes, peanuts and tobacco. Overall, a series of challenges has still been faced by the biodegradable plastic film, mainly including improving the quality of biodegradable plastic products, such as tensile strength, flexibility, improving the controllability of rupture and degradation, enhancing the ability of increasing soil temperature and preserving soil moisture, and to satisfy the demand of crops production with mulching. In addition, it is essential to reduce the cost of the biodegradable film and promote the application of biodegradable film on large-scale. With the development of biodegradable plastic technology and agricultural production environment, the application of the biodegradable film will have a good future.

  3. Evidence for cortical structural plasticity in humans after a day of waking and sleep deprivation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elvsåshagen, Torbjørn; Zak, Nathalia; Norbom, Linn B; Pedersen, Per Ø; Quraishi, Sophia H; Bjørnerud, Atle; Alnæs, Dag; Doan, Nhat Trung; Malt, Ulrik F; Groote, Inge R; Westlye, Lars T

    2017-08-01

    Sleep is an evolutionarily conserved process required for human health and functioning. Insufficient sleep causes impairments across cognitive domains, and sleep deprivation can have rapid antidepressive effects in mood disorders. However, the neurobiological effects of waking and sleep are not well understood. Recently, animal studies indicated that waking and sleep are associated with substantial cortical structural plasticity. Here, we hypothesized that structural plasticity can be observed after a day of waking and sleep deprivation in the human cerebral cortex. To test this hypothesis, 61 healthy adult males underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at three time points: in the morning after a regular night's sleep, the evening of the same day, and the next morning, either after total sleep deprivation (N=41) or a night of sleep (N=20). We found significantly increased right prefrontal cortical thickness from morning to evening across all participants. In addition, pairwise comparisons in the deprived group between the two morning scans showed significant thinning of mainly bilateral medial parietal cortices after 23h of sleep deprivation, including the precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex. However, there were no significant group (sleep vs. sleep deprived group) by time interactions and we can therefore not rule out that other mechanisms than sleep deprivation per se underlie the bilateral medial parietal cortical thinning observed in the deprived group. Nonetheless, these cortices are thought to subserve wakefulness, are among the brain regions with highest metabolic rate during wake, and are considered some of the most sensitive cortical regions to a variety of insults. Furthermore, greater thinning within the left medial parietal cluster was associated with increased sleepiness after sleep deprivation. Together, these findings add to a growing body of data showing rapid structural plasticity within the human cerebral cortex detectable with

  4. A Study of the Awareness Level of Electric Vehicle Technology in California Community College Automotive Curriculums.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keyzer, James

    California automotive technician programs were surveyed regarding their awareness of the impact that mandates of the Clean Air Act would have on their automotive technology programs. A questionnaire was sent to 100 California community colleges with an automotive technology program; 49 usable questionnaires were returned. A possible byproduct of…

  5. Educational Goals of Automotive Mechanics Students Attending Postsecondary Vocational Institutes in Georgia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Silcox, James B.; Herren, Ray V.

    1993-01-01

    Describes a study to develop a demographic profile of the 703 students enrolled in automotive mechanics courses at technical institutes in Georgia and to identify differences in the educational goals of different groups of automotive mechanics students (e.g., day/evening students, and different age, racial, and employment status groups). (MAB)

  6. EFFECTIVE OUTSOURCING THROUGHOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

    OpenAIRE

    Liu, Ying

    2010-01-01

    The purpose of this bachelor’s thesis was to find a method of using outsourcing effectively throughout the supply chain in the automotive industry. Through the data collecting and analyzing, this thesis was written totally based on theory. As the automotive industry has been developing, the outsourcing service has become one of the most popular methods to improve the supply chain management. The auto manufacturer and spare parts supplier are the two most important roles in the supply chai...

  7. Visualization of the air flow behind the automotive benchmark vent

    OpenAIRE

    Pech, Ondřej; Jedelský, Jan; Caletka, Petr; Jícha, Miroslav

    2015-01-01

    Passenger comfort in cars depends on appropriate function of the cabin HVAC system. A great attention is therefore paid to the effective function of automotive vents and proper formation of the flow behind the ventilation outlet. The article deals with the visualization of air flow from the automotive benchmark vent. The visualization was made for two different shapes of the inlet channel connected to the benchmark vent. The smoke visualization with the laser knife was used. The influence of ...

  8. Fundamental structure of steady plastic shock waves in metals

    OpenAIRE

    Molinari, A.; Ravichandran, G.

    2004-01-01

    The propagation of steady plane shock waves in metallic materials is considered. Following the constitutive framework adopted by R. J. Clifton [Shock Waves and the Mechanical Properties of Solids, edited by J. J. Burke and V. Weiss (Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, N.Y., 1971), p. 73] for analyzing elastic–plastic transient waves, an analytical solution of the steady state propagation of plastic shocks is proposed. The problem is formulated in a Lagrangian setting appropriate for large de...

  9. Low among-provenance differences in structural and functional plasticity in response to nutrients in saplings of the circum-Mediterranean tree Arbutus unedo L.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santiso, Xabier; Retuerto, Rubén

    2015-10-01

    The Mediterranean region is an area of special interest for conservation where the incidence of multiple drivers of global change is expected to increase. One of the factors predicted to change is soil-nutrient availability, an essential factor for plant growth. Thus, study of the effects of variation in this parameter is especially relevant in species with a circum-Mediterranean distribution, such as Arbutus unedo L., in which the different provenances grow in different habitats, which must differ in nutritional conditions. We aimed to determine the effect of provenance on plasticity, to establish whether structural and morphological traits differ in the level of plasticity and to assess how nutrients affect the photosynthetic light response. In a common garden experiment, we studied seven provenances from the circum-Mediterranean range of A. unedo and established two nutrient treatments (low and high nutrient availability). We measured physiological and structural traits in 1-year-old sapling and determined a phenotypic plasticity index (PPI) to quantify the level of plasticity, whereas the radiation effects were tested by construction and analysis of light response curves. Interestingly, provenance did not explain a significant amount of variance, but the plasticity was four times higher for the structural traits than for the physiological traits. Therefore, the plasticity to nutrient availability will not favour or prevent the expansion or contraction of the range of any of these provenances of A. unedo. Furthermore, the structural plasticity demonstrated the ability of the strawberry tree to optimize resource allocation, whereas the physiology remained stable, thus avoiding extra expenditure. The study findings also suggest that increased availability of nutrients would improve the performance of the species during the Mediterranean summer, characterized by high irradiance. These abilities will be key to the survival of saplings of the species under the future

  10. Comparative study of lean practices between Japanese and Malaysia automotive service centres

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Md Fauzi; Ting, Neo Yeong; Nor, Nik Hisyamudin Muhd; Wei, Chan Shiau; Hassan, Mohd Fahrul; Hamid, Nor Aziati Abdul

    2017-10-01

    Nowadays, lean practices are implemented in many manufacturing and services companies. Lean practices are implemented in order to minimize wastes while maximise the overall performances in an organisation. In service sector, lean practices are importance to ensure value added services can be delivered to customers. However, Malaysia automotive companies cannot compete with Japanese automotive companies in terms of their customer satisfaction. The purpose of this study is to compare the lean practice between Japanese and Malaysia automotive service centres. A total of 80 questionnaires out of 100 distributed questionnaires were responded and this represented as 80% of response rate. The Mann-Whitney test result shows that there were four out of five factors of lean practices have significant differences between Japanese and Malaysia automotive service centres, which are TPM, JIT, Kanban, and 5S. VSM has not significant difference between ownerships. In addition, TPM, JIT, Kanban, VSM and 5S were higher practices in Japanese companies against Malaysia companies. Many Malaysia companies are still in the journey of lean practices and they need recommendation guidance to compete with other long-term established companies. Based on the survey result, the significant differences are identified as weak points of Malaysia companies as an opportunity to improve. Moreover, the significance of this study can help researchers and industry players to improve lean practices in automotive service industry.

  11. Lightweight Steel Solutions for Automotive Industry

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Hong Woo; Kim, Gyosung; Park, Sung Ho

    2010-01-01

    Recently, improvement in fuel efficiency and safety has become the biggest issue in worldwide automotive industry. Although the regulation of environment and safety has been tightened up more and more, the majority of vehicle bodies are still manufactured from stamped steel components. This means that the optimized steel solutions enable to demonstrate its ability to reduce body weight with high crashworthiness performance instead of expensive light weight materials such as Al, Mg and composites. To provide the innovative steel solutions for automotive industry, POSCO has developed AHSS and its application technologies, which is directly connected to EVI activities. EVI is a technical cooperation program with customer covering all stages of new car project from design to mass production. Integrated light weight solutions through new forming technologies such as TWB, hydroforming and HPF are continuously developed and provided for EVI activities. This paper will discuss the detailed status of these technologies especially light weight steel solutions based on innovative technologies.

  12. Theoretical Development of an Orthotropic Elasto-Plastic Generalized Composite Material Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goldberg, Robert; Carney, Kelly; DuBois, Paul; Hoffarth, Canio; Harrington, Joseph; Rajan, Subramaniam; Blankenhorn, Gunther

    2014-01-01

    The need for accurate material models to simulate the deformation, damage and failure of polymer matrix composites is becoming critical as these materials are gaining increased usage in the aerospace and automotive industries. While there are several composite material models currently available within LSDYNA (Livermore Software Technology Corporation), there are several features that have been identified that could improve the predictive capability of a composite model. To address these needs, a combined plasticity and damage model suitable for use with both solid and shell elements is being developed and is being implemented into LS-DYNA as MAT_213. A key feature of the improved material model is the use of tabulated stress-strain data in a variety of coordinate directions to fully define the stress-strain response of the material. To date, the model development efforts have focused on creating the plasticity portion of the model. The Tsai-Wu composite failure model has been generalized and extended to a strain-hardening based orthotropic yield function with a nonassociative flow rule. The coefficients of the yield function, and the stresses to be used in both the yield function and the flow rule, are computed based on the input stress-strain curves using the effective plastic strain as the tracking variable. The coefficients in the flow rule are computed based on the obtained stress-strain data. The developed material model is suitable for implementation within LS-DYNA for use in analyzing the nonlinear response of polymer composites.

  13. GREEN PLASTIC: A NEW PLASTIC FOR PACKAGING

    OpenAIRE

    Mr. Pankaj Kumar*, Sonia

    2016-01-01

    This paper gives a brief idea about a new type of plastic called as bio-plastic or green plastic. Plastic is used as a packaging material for various products, but this plastic is made up of non renewable raw materials. There are various disadvantages of using conventional plastic like littering, CO2 production, non-degradable in nature etc. To overcome these problems a new type of plastic is discovered called bio-plastic or green plastic. Bio-plastic is made from renewable resources and also...

  14. Aluminium cables in automotive applications : Prestudy of aluminium cable uses in Scania products&Failure analysis and evaluation

    OpenAIRE

    Man, Yu

    2016-01-01

    The increasing demand of light constructed vehicles as well as soaring price of copper metal owing to limited nature resources have been promoting the use of aluminium metal as an alternative conductor of automotive cables. This thesis work is to lay theoretical foundations for further research and development regarding the introduction of new automotive cables i.e. aluminium cables. Current application of automotive aluminium cables in automotive industry as well as failure analysis and eval...

  15. The Quantitative Analysis of Chennai Automotive Industry Cluster

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bhaskaran, Ethirajan

    2016-07-01

    Chennai, also called as Detroit of India due to presence of Automotive Industry producing over 40 % of the India's vehicle and components. During 2001-2002, the Automotive Component Industries (ACI) in Ambattur, Thirumalizai and Thirumudivakkam Industrial Estate, Chennai has faced problems on infrastructure, technology, procurement, production and marketing. The objective is to study the Quantitative Performance of Chennai Automotive Industry Cluster before (2001-2002) and after the CDA (2008-2009). The methodology adopted is collection of primary data from 100 ACI using quantitative questionnaire and analyzing using Correlation Analysis (CA), Regression Analysis (RA), Friedman Test (FMT), and Kruskall Wallis Test (KWT).The CA computed for the different set of variables reveals that there is high degree of relationship between the variables studied. The RA models constructed establish the strong relationship between the dependent variable and a host of independent variables. The models proposed here reveal the approximate relationship in a closer form. KWT proves, there is no significant difference between three locations clusters with respect to: Net Profit, Production Cost, Marketing Costs, Procurement Costs and Gross Output. This supports that each location has contributed for development of automobile component cluster uniformly. The FMT proves, there is no significant difference between industrial units in respect of cost like Production, Infrastructure, Technology, Marketing and Net Profit. To conclude, the Automotive Industries have fully utilized the Physical Infrastructure and Centralised Facilities by adopting CDA and now exporting their products to North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Africa and Asia. The value chain analysis models have been implemented in all the cluster units. This Cluster Development Approach (CDA) model can be implemented in industries of under developed and developing countries for cost reduction and productivity

  16. Elastic-plastic analysis using an efficient formulation of the finite element method

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aamodt, B.; Mo, O.

    1975-01-01

    Based on the flow theory of plasticity, the von Mises or the Tresca yield criterion and the isotropic hardening law, an incremental stiffness relationship can be established for a finite element model of the elasto-plastic structure. However, instead of including all degrees of freedom and all finite elements of the total model in a nonlinear solution process, a separation of elastic and plastic parts of the structure can be carried out. Such a separation can be obtained by identifying elastic parts of the structure as 'elastic' superelements and elasto-plastic parts of the structure as 'elasto-plastic' superelements. Also, it may be of advantage to use several levels of superelements in modelling the elastic parts of the structure. For the 'elasto-plastic' superelements the specific plastic computations such as updating of the incremental stiffness matrix and subsequent reduction (i.e. static condensation of all degrees of freedom being local to the superelements) have to be carried out repeatedly during the nonlinear solution process. The solution of the nonlinear equations is performed utilizing a combination of load incrementation and equilibrium interations. The present method of analysis is demonstrated for two larger examples of elasto-plastic analysis. (Auth.)

  17. The status of ceramic turbine component fabrication and quality assurance relevant to automotive turbine needs

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Richerson, D.W.

    2000-02-01

    This report documents a study funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Transportation Technologies (OTT) with guidance from the Ceramics Division of the United States Automotive Materials Partnership (USAMP). DOE and the automotive companies have funded extensive development of ceramic materials for automotive gas turbine components, the most recent effort being under the Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV) program.

  18. Evaluating core technology capacity based on an improved catastrophe progression method: the case of automotive industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Shijia; Liu, Zongwei; Wang, Yue; Zhao, Fuquan

    2017-01-01

    Subjectivity usually causes large fluctuations in evaluation results. Many scholars attempt to establish new mathematical methods to make evaluation results consistent with actual objective situations. An improved catastrophe progression method (ICPM) is constructed to overcome the defects of the original method. The improved method combines the merits of the principal component analysis' information coherence and the catastrophe progression method's none index weight and has the advantage of highly objective comprehensive evaluation. Through the systematic analysis of the influencing factors of the automotive industry's core technology capacity, the comprehensive evaluation model is established according to the different roles that different indices play in evaluating the overall goal with a hierarchical structure. Moreover, ICPM is developed for evaluating the automotive industry's core technology capacity for the typical seven countries in the world, which demonstrates the effectiveness of the method.

  19. A review of plastic waste biodegradation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Ying; Yanful, Ernest K; Bassi, Amarjeet S

    2005-01-01

    With more and more plastics being employed in human lives and increasing pressure being placed on capacities available for plastic waste disposal, the need for biodegradable plastics and biodegradation of plastic wastes has assumed increasing importance in the last few years. This review looks at the technological advancement made in the development of more easily biodegradable plastics and the biodegradation of conventional plastics by microorganisms. Additives, such as pro-oxidants and starch, are applied in synthetic materials to modify and make plastics biodegradable. Recent research has shown that thermoplastics derived from polyolefins, traditionally considered resistant to biodegradation in ambient environment, are biodegraded following photo-degradation and chemical degradation. Thermoset plastics, such as aliphatic polyester and polyester polyurethane, are easily attacked by microorganisms directly because of the potential hydrolytic cleavage of ester or urethane bonds in their structures. Some microorganisms have been isolated to utilize polyurethane as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen source. Aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters have active commercial applications because of their good mechanical properties and biodegradability. Reviewing published and ongoing studies on plastic biodegradation, this paper attempts to make conclusions on potentially viable methods to reduce impacts of plastic waste on the environment.

  20. HIL Simulation of Power Electronics and Electric Drives for Automotive Applications

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank Puschmann

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Hardware-in-the-loop simulation is today a standard method for testing electronic equipment in the automotive industry. Since electric drives and power electronic devices are more and more important in automotive applications, these kinds of systems have to be integrated into the hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Power converters and electric drives are used in many different applications in vehicles today (hybrid electric or electric powertrain, electric steering systems, DC-DC converters, etc.. The wide range of applications, topologies, and power levels results in various different approaches and solutions for hardware-in-the-loop testing. This paper gives an overview of hardware-in-the-loop simulation of power electronics and electric drives in the automotive industry. The currently available technologies are described and future challenges are outlined.

  1. Odhad hodnoty spoločnosti Automotive lighting, s.r.o

    OpenAIRE

    Bogyová, Zuzana

    2011-01-01

    Diploma thesis deals with the valuation of the automotive company Automotive lighting, s.r.o for the management needs. The estimated value refers to October 2012. The basis for the valuation is strategic and financial analysis. The results will be taken into account for establishment of the financial plan, which will be used in the valuation process. Emphasis is placed on yield methods using free cash flow to the firm(FCFF) and economic value added EVA. Both methods are compared with book val...

  2. Environmental management and operational performance in automotive companies in Brazil

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jabbour, C.J.C.; De Sousa Jabbour, A.B.L.; Govindan, Kannan

    2013-01-01

    The main objective of this study is to verify the influence of Environmental Management (EM) on Operational Performance (OP) in Brazilian automotive companies, analyzing whether Lean Manufacturing (LM) and Human Resources (HR) interfere in the greening of these companies. Therefore, a conceptual...... framework listing these concepts was proposed, and three research hypotheses were presented. A questionnaire was elaborated based on this theoretical background and sent to respondents occupying the highest positions in the production/operations areas of Brazilian automotive companies. The data, collected...

  3. Recent Trends of Coated Sheet Steels for Automotive use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moon, Manbeen

    2012-01-01

    Recent issues in the automotive industries are, improvement of fuel efficiency according to the worldwide CO 2 regulation, passenger safety through enhanced crash worthiness, superior design and cost reduction due to price fluctuation of raw material. To meet these demands, steelmaking companies are developing advanced high strength steel and new process technologies such as hydroforming, TWB(Tailor Welded Blank), hot stamping and so on. In addition, eco-friendly and high corrosion resistant coating technologies are getting more attention to comply with the environmental regulations. In this paper, reviews and prospects of recent coating technologies for automotive use are presented

  4. Utilization of Infrared Fiber Optic in the Automotive Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tucker, Dennis S.; Brantley, Lott W. (Technical Monitor)

    2001-01-01

    Fiber optics are finding a place in the automotive industry. Illumination is the primary application today. Soon, however, fiber optics will be used for data communications and sensing applications. Silica fiber optics and plastic fibers are sufficient for illumination and communication applications however, sensing applications involving high temperature measurement and remote gas analysis would benefit from the use of infrared fiber optics. Chalcogonide and heavy metal fluoride glass optical fibers are two good candidates for these applications. Heavy metal fluoride optical fibers are being investigated by NASA for applications requiring transmission in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Zirconium-Barium-Lanthanum-Aluminum-Sodium-Fluoride (ZBLAN) is one such material which has been investigated. This material has a theoretical attenuation coefficient 100 times lower than that of silica and transmits into the mid-IR. However, the measured attenuation coefficient is higher than silica due to impurities and crystallization. Impurities can be taken care of by utilizing cleaner experimental protocol. It has been found that crystallization can be suppressed by processing in reduced gravity. Fibers processed in reduced gravity on the KC135 reduced gravity aircraft were found to be free of crystals while those processed on the ground were found to have crystals. These results will be presented along with plans for producing continuous lengths of ZBLAN optical fiber on board the International Space Station.

  5. Performance trade-off in an adaptive IEEE 802.11ad waveform design for a joint automotive radar and communication system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-05-01

    The IEEE 802.11ad waveform can be used for automotive radar by exploiting the Golay complementary sequences in the preamble of a frame. The performance of radar, however, is limited by the preamble structure. In this paper, we propose an adaptive pre...

  6. Plasticity in the Human Visual Cortex: An Ophthalmology-Based Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rosa, Andreia Martins; Silva, Maria Fátima; Murta, Joaquim

    2013-01-01

    Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to reorganize the function and structure of its connections in response to changes in the environment. Adult human visual cortex shows several manifestations of plasticity, such as perceptual learning and adaptation, working under the top-down influence of attention. Plasticity results from the interplay of several mechanisms, including the GABAergic system, epigenetic factors, mitochondrial activity, and structural remodeling of synaptic connectivity. There is also a downside of plasticity, that is, maladaptive plasticity, in which there are behavioral losses resulting from plasticity changes in the human brain. Understanding plasticity mechanisms could have major implications in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases, such as retinal disorders, cataract and refractive surgery, amblyopia, and in the evaluation of surgical materials and techniques. Furthermore, eliciting plasticity could open new perspectives in the development of strategies that trigger plasticity for better medical and surgical outcomes. PMID:24205505

  7. Plasticity in the Human Visual Cortex: An Ophthalmology-Based Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andreia Martins Rosa

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Neuroplasticity refers to the ability of the brain to reorganize the function and structure of its connections in response to changes in the environment. Adult human visual cortex shows several manifestations of plasticity, such as perceptual learning and adaptation, working under the top-down influence of attention. Plasticity results from the interplay of several mechanisms, including the GABAergic system, epigenetic factors, mitochondrial activity, and structural remodeling of synaptic connectivity. There is also a downside of plasticity, that is, maladaptive plasticity, in which there are behavioral losses resulting from plasticity changes in the human brain. Understanding plasticity mechanisms could have major implications in the diagnosis and treatment of ocular diseases, such as retinal disorders, cataract and refractive surgery, amblyopia, and in the evaluation of surgical materials and techniques. Furthermore, eliciting plasticity could open new perspectives in the development of strategies that trigger plasticity for better medical and surgical outcomes.

  8. Deployment of ERP Systems at Automotive Industries, Security Inspection (Case Study: IRAN KHODRO Automotive Company)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ali, Hatamirad; Hasan, Mehrjerdi

    Automotive industry and car production process is one of the most complex and large-scale production processes. Today, information technology (IT) and ERP systems incorporates a large portion of production processes. Without any integrated systems such as ERP, the production and supply chain processes will be tangled. The ERP systems, that are last generation of MRP systems, make produce and sale processes of these industries easier and this is the major factor of development of these industries anyhow. Today many of large-scale companies are developing and deploying the ERP systems. The ERP systems facilitate many of organization processes and make organization to increase efficiency. The security is a very important part of the ERP strategy at the organization, Security at the ERP systems, because of integrity and extensive, is more important of local and legacy systems. Disregarding of this point can play a giant role at success or failure of this kind of systems. The IRANKHODRO is the biggest automotive factory in the Middle East with an annual production over 600.000 cars. This paper presents ERP security deployment experience at the "IRANKHODRO Company". Recently, by launching ERP systems, it moved a big step toward more developments.

  9. Spatial and seasonal variation in diversity and structure of microbial biofilms on marine plastics in Northern European waters.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oberbeckmann, Sonja; Loeder, Martin G J; Gerdts, Gunnar; Osborn, A Mark

    2014-11-01

    Plastic pollution is now recognised as a major threat to marine environments and marine biota. Recent research highlights that diverse microbial species are found to colonise plastic surfaces (the plastisphere) within marine waters. Here, we investigate how the structure and diversity of marine plastisphere microbial community vary with respect to season, location and plastic substrate type. We performed a 6-week exposure experiment with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles in the North Sea (UK) as well as sea surface sampling of plastic polymers in Northern European waters. Scanning electron microscopy revealed diverse plastisphere communities comprising prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and sequencing analysis revealed that plastisphere microbial communities on PET fragments varied both with season and location and comprised of bacteria belonging to Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria and members of the eukaryotes Bacillariophyceae and Phaeophyceae. Polymers sampled from the sea surface mainly comprised polyethylene, polystyrene and polypropylene particles. Variation within plastisphere communities on different polymer types was observed, but communities were primarily dominated by Cyanobacteria. This research reveals that the composition of plastisphere microbial communities in marine waters varies with season, geographical location and plastic substrate type. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

  10. A study on the application of voice interaction in automotive human machine interface experience design

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huang, Zhaohui; Huang, Xiemin

    2018-04-01

    This paper, firstly, introduces the application trend of the integration of multi-channel interactions in automotive HMI ((Human Machine Interface) from complex information models faced by existing automotive HMI and describes various interaction modes. By comparing voice interaction and touch screen, gestures and other interaction modes, the potential and feasibility of voice interaction in automotive HMI experience design are concluded. Then, the related theories of voice interaction, identification technologies, human beings' cognitive models of voices and voice design methods are further explored. And the research priority of this paper is proposed, i.e. how to design voice interaction to create more humane task-oriented dialogue scenarios to enhance interactive experiences of automotive HMI. The specific scenarios in driving behaviors suitable for the use of voice interaction are studied and classified, and the usability principles and key elements for automotive HMI voice design are proposed according to the scenario features. Then, through the user participatory usability testing experiment, the dialogue processes of voice interaction in automotive HMI are defined. The logics and grammars in voice interaction are classified according to the experimental results, and the mental models in the interaction processes are analyzed. At last, the voice interaction design method to create the humane task-oriented dialogue scenarios in the driving environment is proposed.

  11. Evaluation of filtration and distillation methods for recycling automotive coolant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Randall, P.M.; Gavaskar, A.R.

    1992-01-01

    Government regulations and high waste disposal cost of spent automotive coolant have driven the vehicle maintenance industry to explore on-site recycling. The USEPA in cooperation with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) and the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) evaluated two commercially available technologies that have potential for reducing the volume of spent automotive coolant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of the recycled coolant, the pollution prevention potential, and the economic feasibility of the technologies

  12. Demand forecasting for automotive sector in Malaysia by system dynamics approach

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zulkepli, Jafri; Abidin, Norhaslinda Zainal; Fong, Chan Hwa

    2015-01-01

    In general, Proton as an automotive company needs to forecast future demand of the car to assist in decision making related to capacity expansion planning. One of the forecasting approaches that based on judgemental or subjective factors is normally used to forecast the demand. As a result, demand could be overstock that eventually will increase the operation cost; or the company will face understock, which resulted losing their customers. Due to automotive industry is very challenging process because of high level of complexity and uncertainty involved in the system, an accurate tool to forecast the future of automotive demand from the modelling perspective is required. Hence, the main objective of this paper is to forecast the demand of automotive Proton car industry in Malaysia using system dynamics approach. Two types of intervention namely optimistic and pessimistic experiments scenarios have been tested to determine the capacity expansion that can prevent the company from overstocking. Finding from this study highlighted that the management needs to expand their production for optimistic scenario, whilst pessimistic give results that would otherwise. Finally, this study could help Proton Edar Sdn. Bhd (PESB) to manage the long-term capacity planning in order to meet the future demand of the Proton cars

  13. The development of natural gas as an automotive fuel in China

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Linwei; Geng, Jia; Li, Weqi; Liu, Pei; Li, Zheng

    2013-01-01

    This manuscript aims to systematically review the development of natural gas as an automotive fuel in China and to draw policy implications for decision making. This manuscript presents a brief overview of natural gas development and the potential of natural gas as an automotive fuel in China, followed by an introduction to the development of various technology pathways for using natural gas as an automotive fuel, including CNG (compressed natural gas) vehicles, LNG (liquefied natural gas) vehicles, and others. This material suggests, a large potential to increase the use of natural gas as an automotive fuel, especially for CNG and LNG vehicles. The following activities will promote the development of natural gas vehicles: prioritizing vehicle use in the utilization of natural gas, supporting the construction of natural gas filling stations, developing a favorable pricing policy for natural gas used in vehicles, and enhancing the research and development to further improve the technology performance, especially for the technology of LNG vehicles. -- Highlights: •An overview of the natural gas development in China. •A systematic introduction of the development of natural gas vehicles in China. •A review of the technological performance of natural gas vehicles. •Policy suggestions to promote the development of natural gas vehicles in China

  14. Demand forecasting for automotive sector in Malaysia by system dynamics approach

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zulkepli, Jafri, E-mail: zhjafri@uum.edu.my; Abidin, Norhaslinda Zainal, E-mail: nhaslinda@uum.edu.my [School of Quantitative Sciences, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Sintok, Kedah (Malaysia); Fong, Chan Hwa, E-mail: hfchan7623@yahoo.com [SWM Environment Sdn. Bhd.Level 17, Menara LGB, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia)

    2015-12-11

    In general, Proton as an automotive company needs to forecast future demand of the car to assist in decision making related to capacity expansion planning. One of the forecasting approaches that based on judgemental or subjective factors is normally used to forecast the demand. As a result, demand could be overstock that eventually will increase the operation cost; or the company will face understock, which resulted losing their customers. Due to automotive industry is very challenging process because of high level of complexity and uncertainty involved in the system, an accurate tool to forecast the future of automotive demand from the modelling perspective is required. Hence, the main objective of this paper is to forecast the demand of automotive Proton car industry in Malaysia using system dynamics approach. Two types of intervention namely optimistic and pessimistic experiments scenarios have been tested to determine the capacity expansion that can prevent the company from overstocking. Finding from this study highlighted that the management needs to expand their production for optimistic scenario, whilst pessimistic give results that would otherwise. Finally, this study could help Proton Edar Sdn. Bhd (PESB) to manage the long-term capacity planning in order to meet the future demand of the Proton cars.

  15. Formalizing correspondence rules for automotive architectural views

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Dajsuren, Y.; Gerpheide, C.M.; Serebrenik, A.; Wijs, A.J.; Vasilescu, B.N.; Brand, van den M.G.J.; Seinturier, L.; Bures, T.; McGregor, J.D.

    2014-01-01

    Architecture views have long been used in software industry to systematically model complex systems by representing them from the perspective of related stakeholder concerns. However, consensus has not been reached for the architecture views between automotive architecture description languages and

  16. The CEASEMT system (Calculation and Analysis of Structures in Mechanics and Thermics). Program TRICO. Analysis of tridimensionnal structures made of shells and beams. Statics - Dynamics - Elasticity - Plasticity - Collapse - Large displacements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoffmann, Alain; Jeanpierre, Francoise.

    1976-01-01

    The TRICO subroutine of the CEASEMT system is especially intended for elastic or plastic computation of structures made of thin shells and beams. TRICO involves the finite element method for shells and beams, and is also suitable for a dynamic structural analysis: eigenmode and eigenfrequency analysis, and analysis of the response to various sinusoidal excitations, or time dependent elastic and plastic loading. Structures may have various shapes composed of a number of materials. Data are distributed between different optional commands having a precise physical sense, corresponding to a sequential program. A dynamic memory control provides the adaptation of the size of the program to that of the problem to be solved [fr

  17. Profiles of Major Suppliers to the Automotive Industry : Vol. 2. Iron, Steel and Aluminum Suppliers to the Automotive Industry

    Science.gov (United States)

    1982-08-01

    This study summarizes extensive information collected over a two-year period (October 1978 to October 1980) on suppliers of parts and components, materials, and machine tools to the automotive industry in the United States. The objective of the study...

  18. Pyrolysis of automotive shredder residue for the production of fuel-grade gas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharp, L.L.; Ness, R.O. Jr.

    1993-01-01

    Every year eight to ten million cars and trucks are disposed of by shredding at one of the 200 auto shredders located in the United States. Automotive shredder residue (ASR) is a by-product created in the dismantling of automobiles. Figure 1 illustrates the process by which ASR is generated. An automobile is stripped of useful and/or hazardous items, such as the gas tank, battery, tires, and radiator. Although it is beneficial to have these items removed for safety and environmental concerns, this is not always accomplished. After removal of some or all of these items, the automobile is shredded to provide a material less than 4 inches in size and composed of approximately 50% organic and 50% inorganic fractions. Ferrous scrap is then separated out magnetically. This ferrous scrap supplies the steel industry with 12 to 14 million tons per year for electric arc furnace feedstock. Air cyclone separators isolate a low density open-quotes fluffclose quotes from the nonferrous fraction (aluminum, copper, etc.). This fluff (shredder residue) is composed of a variety of plastics, fabrics, foams, glass, rubber, and an assortment of contaminants. Fluff bulk density is approximately 20 lb/ft

  19. HIL Simulation of Power Electronics and Electric Drives for Automotive Applications

    OpenAIRE

    Frank Puschmann; Axel Kiffe; Thomas Schulte

    2012-01-01

    Hardware-in-the-loop simulation is today a standard method for testing electronic equipment in the automotive industry. Since electric drives and power electronic devices are more and more important in automotive applications, these kinds of systems have to be integrated into the hardware-in-the-loop simulation. Power converters and electric drives are used in many different applications in vehicles today (hybrid electric or electric powertrain, electric steering systems, DC-DC converters, et...

  20. CTMCONTROL: Addressing the MC/DC Objective for Safety-Critical Automotive Software

    OpenAIRE

    Mjeda , Anila; Hinchey , Mike

    2013-01-01

    International audience; We propose a method tailored to the requirements of safety-critical embedded automotive software, named CTMCONTROL. CTMCONTROL has a par-ticular focus on the specification-based control logic of the system under test and offers improvements in testing coverage metrics over a classic method which is routinely used in industry. The proposed method targets the Modified Condition/ Decision Coverage (MC/DC) objective for automotive safety-critical software. CTMCONTROL is va...

  1. Optimization of Temperature Level to Enhance Worker Performance in Automotive Industry

    OpenAIRE

    A. R. Ismail; M. Y.M. Yusof; N. K. Makhtar; B. M. Deros; M. R.A. Rani

    2010-01-01

    Problem statement: Production of automotive parts is among the largest contributor to economic earnings in Malaysia. The dominant work involve in producing automotive part were manual assembly process. Where it is definitely used a manpower capability. Thus the quality of the product heavily depends on workers comfort in the working condition. Temperature is one of the environmental factors that give significant effect on the worker performance. Approach: Temperature level and productivity ra...

  2. Plastic crystal phases of simple water models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aragones, J. L.; Vega, C.

    2009-01-01

    We report the appearance of two plastic crystal phases of water at high pressure and temperature using computer simulations. In one of them the oxygen atoms form a body centered cubic structure (bcc) and in the other they form a face centered cubic structure (fcc). In both cases the water molecules were able to rotate almost freely. We have found that the bcc plastic crystal transformed into a fcc plastic crystal via a Martensitic phase transition when heated at constant pressure. We have performed the characterization and localization in the phase diagram of these plastic crystal phases for the SPC/E, TIP4P, and TIP4P/2005 water potential models. For TIP4P/2005 model free energy calculations were carried out for the bcc plastic crystal and fcc plastic crystal using a new method (which is a slight variation of the Einstein crystal method) proposed for these types of solid. The initial coexistence points for the SPC/E and TIP4P models were obtained using Hamiltonian Gibbs–Duhem integration. For all of these models these two plastic crystal phases appear in the high pressure and temperature region of the phase diagram. It would be of interest to study if such plastic crystal phases do indeed exist for real water. This would shed some light on the question of whether these models can describe satisfactorily the high pressure part of the phase diagram of water, and if not, where and why they fail.

  3. Heavy-Ion Testing of the Freescale Qorivva 32-bit Automotive-Grade MCU

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilcox, Ted; Seidleck, Christina; Casey, Megan; LaBel, Ken

    2016-01-01

    We present single-event effects testing results from a commercially-available automotive microcontroller. We discuss the difficulties encountered testing with commercially-provided evaluation boards while attempting to classify the complex and varied failure modes of a modern 32-bit microcontroller. This work also describes some of the possible advantages to using off-the-shelf automotive-grade electronics for low-risk aerospace applications.

  4. An experimental study of plastic deformation of materials

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Knudsen, Tine

    The thesis falls in three parts, focusing on different aspects of plastic deformation of metals. Part I investigates the dislocation structures induced by hot deformation and compares these with the structures after cold deformation. In particular, it is shown that the dislocation structures...... after cold deformation by calorimetry and by analysis of the dislocation structure. The stored energy measured by calorimetry is found to be larger than that determined from the dislocation structure by a factor between 1.9 and 2.7, and this factor decreases with the plastic strain. Part III aimed...

  5. Automotive battery technology

    CERN Document Server

    Watzenig, Daniel

    2014-01-01

    The use of electrochemical energy storage systems in automotive applications also involves new requirements for modeling these systems, especially in terms of model depth and model quality. Currently, mainly simple application-oriented models are used to describe the physical behavior of batteries. This book provides a step beyond of state-of-the-art modeling showing various different approaches covering following aspects: system safety, misuse behavior (crash, thermal runaway), battery state estimation and electrochemical modeling with the needed analysis (pre/post mortem). All this different approaches are developed to support the overall integration process from a multidisciplinary point-of-view and depict their further enhancements to this process.

  6. Chemical hydrogen storage material property guidelines for automotive applications

    Science.gov (United States)

    Semelsberger, Troy A.; Brooks, Kriston P.

    2015-04-01

    Chemical hydrogen storage is the sought after hydrogen storage media for automotive applications because of the expected low pressure operation (0.05 kg H2/kgsystem), and system volumetric capacities (>0.05 kg H2/Lsystem). Currently, the primary shortcomings of chemical hydrogen storage are regeneration efficiency, fuel cost and fuel phase (i.e., solid or slurry phase). Understanding the required material properties to meet the DOE Technical Targets for Onboard Hydrogen Storage Systems is a critical knowledge gap in the hydrogen storage research community. This study presents a set of fluid-phase chemical hydrogen storage material property guidelines for automotive applications meeting the 2017 DOE technical targets. Viable material properties were determined using a boiler-plate automotive system design. The fluid-phase chemical hydrogen storage media considered in this study were neat liquids, solutions, and non-settling homogeneous slurries. Material properties examined include kinetics, heats of reaction, fuel-cell impurities, gravimetric and volumetric hydrogen storage capacities, and regeneration efficiency. The material properties, although not exhaustive, are an essential first step in identifying viable chemical hydrogen storage material properties-and most important, their implications on system mass, system volume and system performance.

  7. Mechanisms of joint and microstructure formation in high power ultrasonic spot welding 6111 aluminium automotive sheet

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakavos, D.; Prangnell, P.B.

    2010-01-01

    Resistance spot welding (RSW) is difficult to apply to aluminium automotive alloys. High power ultrasonic spot welding (HP-USW) is a new alternative method which is extremely efficient, using ∼2% of the energy of RSW. However, to date there have been few studies of the mechanisms of bond formation and the material interactions that take place with this process. Here, we report on a detailed investigation where we have used X-ray tomography, high resolution SEM, and EBSD, and dissimilar alloy welds, to track the interface position and characterise the stages of weld formation, and microstructure evolution, as a function of welding energy. Under optimum conditions high quality welds are produced, showing few defects. Welding proceeds by the development and spread of microwelds, until extensive plastic deformation occurs within the weld zone, where the temperature reaches ∼380 deg. C. The origin of the weld interface 'flow features' characteristic of HP-USW are discussed.

  8. Intensely irradiated steel components: Plastic and fracture properties, and a new concept of structural design criteria for assuring the structural integrity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Kazuhiko; Jitsukawa, Shiro; Okubo, Nariaki; Takada, Fumiki

    2010-01-01

    In order to develop a systematic and reasonable concept assuring the structural integrity of components under intense neutron irradiation, two basic tensile properties, true stress-true strain (TS-TS) curves and fracture strain, were investigated on an austenitic stainless steel and martensitic steel. Application of Swift equation is confirmed to a large plastic strain range of TS-TS curves. Fracture strain ε f data were well correlated as ε f + ε 0 = const. where ε 0 is the pre-strain representing the irradiation hardening. Based on those formulations and available experimental information, several critical issues to be dealt with in developing the concept were identified possible reduction in ductility, significant change in mechanical properties, remarkable cyclic softening and other unique cyclic properties observed during a high-cycle fatigue testing, and the redundancy of the plastic collapse concept to bending. Existing structural codes are all based on the assumption that there will be no significant changes in mechanical properties during operation, and of high ductility. Therefore, a new concept for assuring structural integrity is required for application not only to components with high ductility but also components with reduced ductility. First, potential failure modes were identified, and a new and systematic concept was proposed for preventing these modes of failure, introducing a new concept of categorizing the loadings by stability of deformation process to fracture (as type F and M loadings). Based on the basic concept, a detailed concept of how to protect against ductile fracture was given, and loading type-dependent limiting parameters were set. Finally, application of the detailed concept was presented, especially on determination of loading type (in numerical approach, the formulation of TS-TS curves and fracture strain derived above are needed), and on how to determine the limiting parameters as allowable limits. Experiments were done to

  9. Intensely irradiated steel components: Plastic and fracture properties, and a new concept of structural design criteria for assuring the structural integrity

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Suzuki, Kazuhiko, E-mail: suzuki.kazuhiko@jaea.go.j [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate, 2-4 Shirane, Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Jitsukawa, Shiro; Okubo, Nariaki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate, 2-4 Shirane, Shirakata, Tokai-mura, Naka-gun, Ibaraki-ken 319-1195 (Japan); Takada, Fumiki [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Department of JMTR Operation, Narita-cho, Oarai-machi, Higashi-ibaraki-gun, Ibaraki-ken 311-1393 (Japan)

    2010-06-15

    In order to develop a systematic and reasonable concept assuring the structural integrity of components under intense neutron irradiation, two basic tensile properties, true stress-true strain (TS-TS) curves and fracture strain, were investigated on an austenitic stainless steel and martensitic steel. Application of Swift equation is confirmed to a large plastic strain range of TS-TS curves. Fracture strain epsilon{sub f} data were well correlated as epsilon{sub f} + epsilon{sub 0} = const. where epsilon{sub 0} is the pre-strain representing the irradiation hardening. Based on those formulations and available experimental information, several critical issues to be dealt with in developing the concept were identified possible reduction in ductility, significant change in mechanical properties, remarkable cyclic softening and other unique cyclic properties observed during a high-cycle fatigue testing, and the redundancy of the plastic collapse concept to bending. Existing structural codes are all based on the assumption that there will be no significant changes in mechanical properties during operation, and of high ductility. Therefore, a new concept for assuring structural integrity is required for application not only to components with high ductility but also components with reduced ductility. First, potential failure modes were identified, and a new and systematic concept was proposed for preventing these modes of failure, introducing a new concept of categorizing the loadings by stability of deformation process to fracture (as type F and M loadings). Based on the basic concept, a detailed concept of how to protect against ductile fracture was given, and loading type-dependent limiting parameters were set. Finally, application of the detailed concept was presented, especially on determination of loading type (in numerical approach, the formulation of TS-TS curves and fracture strain derived above are needed), and on how to determine the limiting parameters as

  10. Advanced ignition for automotive engines

    OpenAIRE

    Pineda, Daniel Ivan

    2017-01-01

    Spark plugs have been igniting combustible mixtures like those found in automotive engines for over a century, and the principles of the associated ignition techniques using thermal plasma (inductive or capacitive sparks) have remained relatively unchanged during that time. However, internal combustion engines are increasingly operating with boosted intake pressures (i.e. turbo- or super-charged) in order to maintain power output while simultaneously reducing engine size and weight, and they ...

  11. Automative Technology Objectives [and] Automotive Technology: Basic Textbooks and Instructional Materials. Career Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dependents Schools (DOD), Washington, DC.

    This manual provides program objectives for instructors teaching automotive technology courses in junior and senior high Department of Defense Dependents Schools. The manual begins with a description of the automotive technology courses offered in the Dependents Schools, and a list of instructor expectations. Following is the main part of the…

  12. Transnationals, Globalisation and Education and Training: Evidence from the South African Automotive Sector

    Science.gov (United States)

    McGrath, Simon

    2007-01-01

    This study explores the relationships between globalisation and education and training through an examination of certain transnational corporations operating in the automotive sector in South Africa. The automotive industry is an important source of improvements in both the quality and quantity of skills in South Africa. This sector was the…

  13. Melt rheology and its applications in the plastics industry

    CERN Document Server

    Dealy, John M

    2013-01-01

    This is the second edition of Melt Rheology and its Role in Plastics Processing, although the title has changed to reflect its broadened scope. Advances in the recent years in rheometer technology and polymer science have greatly enhanced the usefulness of rheology in the plastics industry. It is now possible to design polymers having specific molecular structures and to predict the flow properties of melts having those structures. In addition, rheological properties now provide more precise information about molecular structure. This book provides all the information that is needed for the intelligent application of rheology in the development of new polymers, the determination of molecular structure and the correlation of processability with laboratory test data. Theory and equations are limited to what is essential for the use of rheology in the characterization of polymers, the development of new plastics materials and the prediction of plastics processing behavior. The emphasis is on information that wil...

  14. The extrinsic influence of carbon fibre reinforced plastic laminates to ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    The extrinsic influence of carbon fibre reinforced plastic laminates to strengthen steel structures ... The intrinsic advantages of strengthening the steel-based structures by the use of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) material have ... Sadhana | News.

  15. Following Industry's Lead: Revising the Automotive Technology Curriculum

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crouse, William H.; Anglin, Donald L.

    1976-01-01

    Today's automotive technology curriculum is changing; curriculum revisions are being made in response to both the changing automobile and to the latest social trends and laws affecting students and teachers alike. (Author)

  16. Performance analysis of a waste heat recovery thermoelectric generation system for automotive application

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Liu, X.; Deng, Y.D.; Li, Z.; Su, C.Q.

    2015-01-01

    Graphical abstract: A new automotive exhaust-based thermoelectric generator and its “four-TEGs” system are constructed, and the performance characteristics of system are discussed through road test and revolving drum test. - Highlights: • The automotive thermoelectric generator system was constructed and studied. • Road test and revolving drum test were used to measure the output power. • A performance of 201.7 V (open circuit voltage)/944 W obtained. - Abstract: Thermoelectric power generators are one of the promising green energy sources. In this case study, an energy-harvesting system which extracts heat from an automotive exhaust pipe and turns the heat into electricity by using thermoelectric power generators (TEGs) has been constructed. The test bench is developed to analysis the performance of TEG system characteristics, which are undertaken to assess the feasibility of automotive applications. Based on the test bench, a new system called “four-TEGs” system is designed and assembled into prototype vehicle called “Warrior”, through the road test and revolving drum test table, characteristics of the system such as hot-side temperature, cold-side temperature, open circuit voltage and power output are studied, and a maximum power of 944 W was obtained, which completely meets the automotive application. The present study shows the promising potential of using this kind of thermoelectric generator for low-temperature waste heat recovery vehicle

  17. Plasticity of pressure-sensitive materials

    CERN Document Server

    Ochsner, Andreas

    2014-01-01

    Classical plasticity theory of metals is independent of the hydrostatic pressure. However, if the metal contains voids or pores or if the structure is composed of cells, this classical assumption is no more valid and the influence of the hydrostatic pressure must be incorporated in the constitutive description. Looking at the microlevel, metal plasticity is connected with the uniform planes of atoms organized with long-range order. Planes may slip past each other along their close-packed directions. The result is a permanent change of shape within the crystal and plastic deformation. The presence of dislocations increases the likelihood of planes slipping. Nowadays, the theory of pressure sensitive plasticity is successfully applied to many other important classes of materials (polymers, concrete, bones etc.) even if the phenomena on the micro-level are different to classical plasticity of metals. The theoretical background of this phenomenological approach based on observations on the macro-level is describe...

  18. Modelling and simulation of the influence of forming processes on the structural behavior of high strength steels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gelin, J.C.; Thibaud, S.; Boudeau, N.

    2005-01-01

    The paper first describes experiments and modeling concerning the identification of material behavior for high strength steels with phase transformations associated to plastic deformation. The experiments consist of tensile and bulging tests carried out on 316L stainless steels and TRIP 700 steels used in automotive industry. These experiments have permitted to determine the hardening curves of such materials vs. the martensite volume fraction associated to plastic deformation. It has been demonstrated that the stress triaxiality has a major role in the martenstic transformation and a model is proposed to define the flow stress vs. effective strain accounting planar anisotropy and variation of martenstic volume fraction. Then a plasticity model has been proposed in an anisotropic form and the related flow rules have been defined. The resulting model has been implemented in different finite elements software, and applied in numerical simulations of stamping and hydroforming of typical components to prove the effects of forming processes on the resulting properties of the components. Finally, the structural behavior of the resulting components is investigated and the effects of forming processes on the resulting structural behaviour are analyzed. Two cases are presented, one concerns the deep drawing of a cylindrical cup and the other concerns the stamping of a closed U channel used as a structural part for crash frames. Is has been clearly proved that the variation of martensite volume fraction arising during processing has a strong influence on the resulting behaviour of the parts considering springback and crash resistance

  19. Supply chain challenges in the South African automotive sector: do location, size and age matter?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Micheline Juliana Naude

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available The South African automotive industry makes an important contribution to the South African economy. However, there are deficiencies within the local automotive component manufacturers’ (ACMs supplier base and therefore automotive assemblers, or original equipment manufacturers (OEMs, have to import many of their parts requirements. These deficiencies are caused by ACMs’ lack of technology, global supply capability, cost competitiveness and their geographic location (ACMs are scattered across the country. A study was conducted to explore the supply chain challenges South African ACMs face and whether the location, size and age of participating ACMs have a bearing on whether they face the same challenges. The results revealed that the most significant supply chain challenges in South Africa were in the customer relationship category. From the hypotheses testing, the conclusion could be drawn that, in general, participating ACMs face common supply chain challenges, irrespective of their location, age and size.This article contributes to the published research on the topic and the findings reveal that business opportunities in the automotive industry exist for entrepreneurs aspiring to enter into the automotive component industry.

  20. DEVELOPING VENDOR IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM IN MALAYSIA AUTOMOTIVE COMPANY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SHUKRIAH ABDULLAH

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Improvement Program seek to do evaluation well, request to become sufficiently versed in evaluation or to integrate on improvement perspective in all phase of performance, from needs assessment to implementation and evaluation itself. The purpose of this program in the automotive company is to assist vendor as global manufacturer in preparation towards ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA 2015. This development vendor improvement program emphasize on the downtime reduction to below 200 minutes per month with the ultimate end of improving not only program or solutions but also the organizations and customer. A practical approach either planned or unplanned by the automotive company require policies and procedures that address the same consideration on the downtime identification. 20 top bottom rank vendor were determined based on the downtime performance, followed by classification into different group based on severity. To execute the vendor improvement program three among 20 top bottom rank vendors were selected due to willingness to participate and ease of data access in the program. Selected vendors have high ranking in terms of downtime. The case study method involved an interview and plant observation. The used of secondary data from the automotive company, and previous researcher are also utilised. This improvement program assists the automobile manufacturer to improve its supplier’s performance. The vendor improvement program is implemented through a whole supplier operation assessment.

  1. Towards the Formal Verification of a Distributed Real-Time Automotive System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Endres, Erik; Mueller, Christian; Shadrin, Andrey; Tverdyshev, Sergey

    2010-01-01

    We present the status of a project which aims at building, formally and pervasively verifying a distributed automotive system. The target system is a gate-level model which consists of several interconnected electronic control units with independent clocks. This model is verified against the specification as seen by a system programmer. The automotive system is implemented on several FPGA boards. The pervasive verification is carried out using combination of interactive theorem proving (Isabelle/HOL) and model checking (LTL).

  2. General Mechanical Repair. Minor Automotive Maintenance, Small Engine [Repair, and] Welding: Student Manual.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamlin, Larry

    This document is a student manual for a general mechanical repair course. Following a list of common essential elements of trade and industrial education, the manual is divided into three sections. The first section, on minor automotive maintenance, contains 13 units: automotive shop safety; engine principles; fuel system operation and repair;…

  3. 78 FR 70278 - Automotive Trade Mission to New Delhi, Pune and Chennai, India

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-25

    ... expanding automotive market. Many global automotive manufacturing companies such as Ford, GM, BMW, AUDI... India for over five decades. Also known as the Detroit of India, Pune today is one of India's largest... and finished goods, and ease of setting up business have been key drivers of the growth of the auto...

  4. Three-legged platform in a plastic limit state

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lagoni, P

    1990-06-01

    This document provides structural description, formulars and a sample analysis of a platform supported by three piles and subject to loads that causes plastic deformation of the foundation (plastic limit state analysis). (au)

  5. The NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program: NEPP Overview - Automotive Electronics

    Science.gov (United States)

    LaBel, Kenneth A.; Sampson, Michael J.

    2016-01-01

    The results of NASAs studies into the appropriateness of using U.S. Automotive electronic parts in NASA spaceflight systems will be presented. The first part of the presentation provides an overview of the United States Automotive Electronics Council's AECQ standardization program, the second part provides a summary of the results of NASA's procurement and testing experiences and other lessons learned along with preliminary test results.

  6. Can formal methods make automotive business sense? A classification of formal methods

    OpenAIRE

    McElligott, Pat; Mjeda, Anila; Thiel, Steffen

    2008-01-01

    peer-reviewed Legislative bodies are directing that automotive products comply with stringent safety levels. The liability for the safety of passengers in an automobile has traditionally been quite complex. Other transport sectors are externally regulated, and liability lies with the manufacturer or the transport service provider. The automotive industry is self-regulated and the individual driver carries a significant liability. Software and electronics increasingly provide greater con...

  7. Repeated social stress leads to contrasting patterns of structural plasticity in the amygdala and hippocampus.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patel, D; Anilkumar, S; Chattarji, S; Buwalda, B

    2018-03-23

    Previous studies have demonstrated that repeated immobilization and restraint stress cause contrasting patterns of dendritic reorganization as well as alterations in spine density in amygdalar and hippocampal neurons. Whether social and ethologically relevant stressors can induce similar patterns of morphological plasticity remains largely unexplored. Hence, we assessed the effects of repeated social defeat stress on neuronal morphology in basolateral amygdala (BLA), hippocampal CA1 and infralimbic medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Male Wistar rats experienced social defeat stress on 5 consecutive days during confrontation in the resident-intruder paradigm with larger and aggressive Wild-type Groningen rats. This resulted in clear social avoidance behavior one day after the last confrontation. To assess the morphological consequences of repeated social defeat, 2 weeks after the last defeat, animals were sacrificed and brains were stained using a Golgi-Cox procedure. Morphometric analyses revealed that, compared to controls, defeated Wistar rats showed apical dendritic decrease in spine density on CA1 but not BLA. Sholl analysis demonstrated a significant dendritic atrophy of CA1 basal dendrites in defeated animals. In contrast, basal dendrites of BLA pyramidal neurons exhibited enhanced dendritic arborization in defeated animals. Social stress failed to induce lasting structural changes in mPFC neurons. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that social defeat stress elicits divergent patterns of structural plasticity in the hippocampus versus amygdala, similar to what has previously been reported with repeated physical stressors. Therefore, brain region specific variations may be a universal feature of stress-induced plasticity that is shared by both physical and social stressors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Structural plasticity of the social brain: Differential change after socio-affective and cognitive mental training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Valk, Sofie L; Bernhardt, Boris C; Trautwein, Fynn-Mathis; Böckler, Anne; Kanske, Philipp; Guizard, Nicolas; Collins, D Louis; Singer, Tania

    2017-10-01

    Although neuroscientific research has revealed experience-dependent brain changes across the life span in sensory, motor, and cognitive domains, plasticity relating to social capacities remains largely unknown. To investigate whether the targeted mental training of different cognitive and social skills can induce specific changes in brain morphology, we collected longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data throughout a 9-month mental training intervention from a large sample of adults between 20 and 55 years of age. By means of various daily mental exercises and weekly instructed group sessions, training protocols specifically addressed three functional domains: (i) mindfulness-based attention and interoception, (ii) socio-affective skills (compassion, dealing with difficult emotions, and prosocial motivation), and (iii) socio-cognitive skills (cognitive perspective-taking on self and others and metacognition). MRI-based cortical thickness analyses, contrasting the different training modules against each other, indicated spatially diverging changes in cortical morphology. Training of present-moment focused attention mostly led to increases in cortical thickness in prefrontal regions, socio-affective training induced plasticity in frontoinsular regions, and socio-cognitive training included change in inferior frontal and lateral temporal cortices. Module-specific structural brain changes correlated with training-induced behavioral improvements in the same individuals in domain-specific measures of attention, compassion, and cognitive perspective-taking, respectively, and overlapped with task-relevant functional networks. Our longitudinal findings indicate structural plasticity in well-known socio-affective and socio-cognitive brain networks in healthy adults based on targeted short daily mental practices. These findings could promote the development of evidence-based mental training interventions in clinical, educational, and corporate settings aimed at

  9. 75 FR 69470 - JL French Automotive Castings, LLC, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Labor Ready and Seek...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-11-12

    ... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-70,143] JL French Automotive... workers of JL French Automotive Castings LLC, including on-site leased workers Labor Ready, Sheboygan... Sheboygan, Wisconsin location of JL French Automotive Castings LLC. The Department has determined that these...

  10. Basic Automotive Mechanics. Florida Vocational Program Guide.

    Science.gov (United States)

    University of South Florida, Tampa. Dept. of Adult and Vocational Education.

    This program guide identifies primary concerns in the organization, operation, and evaluation of a basic automotive mechanics program. It is designed for local school district and community college administrators, instructors, program advisory committees, and regional coordinating councils. The guide begins with the Dictionary of Occupational…

  11. A listening test system for automotive audio

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Christensen, Flemming; Geoff, Martin; Minnaar, Pauli

    2005-01-01

    This paper describes a system for simulating automotive audio through headphones for the purposes of conducting listening experiments in the laboratory. The system is based on binaural technology and consists of a component for reproducing the sound of the audio system itself and a component...

  12. Automotive RF immunity test set-up analysis

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Coenen, M.J.; Pues, H.; Bousquet, T.; Gillon, R.; Gielen, G.; Baric, A.

    2011-01-01

    Though the automotive RF emission and RF immunity requirements are highly justifiable, the application of those requirements in an non-intended manner leads to false conclusions and unnecessary redesigns for the electronics involved. When the test results become too dependent upon the test set-up

  13. Environmental Innovation Dynamics in the Automotive industry

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Kuik, O

    2006-01-01

    This paper addresses the innovation dynamics induced by environmental policy in the automotive industry. It examines car fuel efficiency programs in the EU, the US and Japan. It concludes that existing programs have not yet succeeded in promoting radical and breakthrough technologies, but that, at

  14. Cutting and drilling of carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRP) by 70W short pulse nanosecond laser

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaeschke, Peter; Stolberg, Klaus; Bastick, Stefan; Ziolkowski, Ewa; Roehner, Markus; Suttmann, Oliver; Overmeyer, Ludger

    2014-02-01

    Continuous carbon fibre reinforced plastics (CFRP) are recognized as having a significant lightweight construction potential for a wide variety of industrial applications. However, a today`s barrier for a comprehensive dissemination of CFRP structures is the lack of economic, quick and reliable manufacture processes, e.g. the cutting and drilling steps. In this paper, the capability of using pulsed disk lasers in CFRP machining is discussed. In CFRP processing with NIR lasers, carbon fibers show excellent optical absorption and heat dissipation, contrary to the plastics matrix. Therefore heat dissipation away from the laser focus into the material is driven by heat conduction of the fibres. The matrix is heated indirectly by heat transfer from the fibres. To cut CFRP, it is required to reach the melting temperature for thermoplastic matrix materials or the disintegration temperature for thermoset systems as well as the sublimation temperature of the reinforcing fibers simultaneously. One solution for this problem is to use short pulse nanosecond lasers. We have investigated CFRP cutting and drilling with such a laser (max. 7 mJ @ 10 kHz, 30 ns). This laser offers the opportunity of wide range parameter tuning for systematic process optimization. By applying drilling and cutting operations based on galvanometer scanning techniques in multi-cycle mode, excellent surface and edge characteristics in terms of delamination-free and intact fiber-matrix interface were achieved. The results indicate that nanosecond disk laser machining could consequently be a suitable tool for the automotive and aircraft industry for cutting and drilling steps.

  15. The automotive transmission book

    CERN Document Server

    Fischer, Robert; Jürgens, Gunter; Najork, Rolf; Pollak, Burkhard

    2015-01-01

    This book presents essential information on systems and interactions in automotive transmission technology and outlines the methodologies used to analyze and develop transmission concepts and designs. Functions of and interactions between components and subassemblies of transmissions are introduced, providing a basis for designing transmission systems and for determining their potentials and properties in vehicle-specific applications: passenger cars, trucks, buses, tractors, and motorcycles. With these fundamentals the presentation provides universal resources for both state-of-the-art and future transmission technologies, including systems for electric and hybrid electric vehicles.

  16. Two phase modeling of the influence of plastic strain on the magnetic and magnetostrictive behaviors of ferromagnetic materials

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hubert, Olivier; Lazreg, Said

    2017-01-01

    A growing interest of automotive industry in the use of high performance steels is observed. These materials are obtained thanks to complex manufacturing processes whose parameters fluctuations lead to strong variations of microstructure and mechanical properties. The on-line magnetic non-destructive monitoring is a relevant response to this problem but it requires fast models sensitive to different parameters of the forming process. The plastic deformation is one of these important parameters. Indeed, ferromagnetic materials are known to be sensitive to stress application and especially to plastic strains. In this paper, a macroscopic approach using the kinematic hardening is proposed to model this behavior, considering a plastic strained material as a two phase system. Relationship between kinematic hardening and residual stress is defined in this framework. Since stress fields are multiaxial, an uniaxial equivalent stress is calculated and introduced inside the so-called magneto-mechanical multidomain modeling to represent the effect of plastic strain. The modeling approach is complemented by many experiments involving magnetic and magnetostrictive measurements. They are carried out with or without applied stress, using a dual-phase steel deformed at different levels. The main interest of this material is that the mechanically hard phase, soft phase and the kinematic hardening can be clearly identified thanks to simple experiments. It is shown how this model can be extended to single phase materials.

  17. Two phase modeling of the influence of plastic strain on the magnetic and magnetostrictive behaviors of ferromagnetic materials

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hubert, Olivier, E-mail: olivier.hubert@lmt.ens-cachan.fr; Lazreg, Said

    2017-02-15

    A growing interest of automotive industry in the use of high performance steels is observed. These materials are obtained thanks to complex manufacturing processes whose parameters fluctuations lead to strong variations of microstructure and mechanical properties. The on-line magnetic non-destructive monitoring is a relevant response to this problem but it requires fast models sensitive to different parameters of the forming process. The plastic deformation is one of these important parameters. Indeed, ferromagnetic materials are known to be sensitive to stress application and especially to plastic strains. In this paper, a macroscopic approach using the kinematic hardening is proposed to model this behavior, considering a plastic strained material as a two phase system. Relationship between kinematic hardening and residual stress is defined in this framework. Since stress fields are multiaxial, an uniaxial equivalent stress is calculated and introduced inside the so-called magneto-mechanical multidomain modeling to represent the effect of plastic strain. The modeling approach is complemented by many experiments involving magnetic and magnetostrictive measurements. They are carried out with or without applied stress, using a dual-phase steel deformed at different levels. The main interest of this material is that the mechanically hard phase, soft phase and the kinematic hardening can be clearly identified thanks to simple experiments. It is shown how this model can be extended to single phase materials.

  18. Electromobility. Are the suppliers equipped for the structural change? State of the art and recommendations for action for the automotive location Stuttgart; Elektromobilitaet. Zulieferer fuer den Strukturwandel geruestet? Status quo und Handlungsempfehlungen fuer den Automobilstandort Metropolregion Stuttgart

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Stahlecker, Thomas; Lay, Gunter; Zanker, Christoph [Fraunhofer-Institut fuer System- und Innovationsforschung (ISI), Karlsruhe (Germany)

    2011-04-15

    The contribution under consideration examines the future viability of automotive suppliers in Baden-Wuerttemberg (Federal Republic of Germany) in terms of a technological change. The question has to be examined whether the innovation potential of the automotive supplier is adequate in order to face the potential restructuring demands successfully. The investigations show that the automotive supply industry at the top still is positioned very well. In contrast, medium-sized suppliers rather are poorly equipped regarding the challenges of electromobility. With this in mind three strategic options for companies in the automotive industry as well as for the policy were formulated. A tabular summary provides an overview on the identified bottlenecks of small and medium-sized automotive supplier in the field of electric vehicles.

  19. FDI and Intra-industry Trade in the Automotive Industry in the New EU Member States

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ambroziak Łukasz

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper investigates the extent to which foreign direct investment (FDI influenced intra-industry trade (IIT in automotive products in six New EU Member States (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia in the 1995–2014 period. Changes in IIT intensity are analysed using the Grubel-Lloyd indices. To examine the IIT pattern, IIT indices are divided into two types of trade: IIT in vertically differentiated products (low and high quality VIIT and IIT in horizontally differentiated products (HIIT. The research indicates that IIT in automotive products allowed manufacturers and consumers from the new EU Member States to benefit more from international trade. FDI inflow to the automotive sector of the NMS has been a key factor shaping IIT in automotive products.

  20. Investigations on electroluminescent tapes and foils in relation to their applications in automotive

    Science.gov (United States)

    Plotog, Ioan

    2015-02-01

    The electroluminescent (EL) tapes or foils having barrier films for an additional level of protection against the toughest environments conditions, offer a large area of applications. The EL lights, due to their characteristics, began to be used not only in the entertainment industry, but also for automotive and aerospace applications. In the paper, the investigations regarding EL foils technical performances in relation to their applications as light sources in automotive ambient light were presented. The experiments were designed based on the results of EL foils electrical properties previous investigations done in laboratory conditions, taking into account the range of automotive ambient temperatures for sinusoidal alternative supply voltage. The measurements for different temperatures were done by keeping the EL foils into electronic controlled oven that ensures the dark enclosure offering conditions to use a lux-meter in order to measure and maintain under control light emission intensity. The experiments results define the EL foils characteristics as load in automotive ambient temperatures condition, assuring so the data for optimal design of a dedicated inverter.