Browse Topic: Lightweighting

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Influence of Rear Suspension Local Stiffness on Full vehicle Ride & handling Performance2024-26-006101/16/2024
One of the biggest challenges for automotive industry is with respect to material saving and to have control on cost of development and still meeting performance in each aspect. Stringent weight targets help industries to have good margin on component costs. In recent times we have seen vehicle underbody contribution to total vehicle is significant in range of 12% to 18%. Total weight directly impacts the range of electric vehicle which is a key metric for success from real-world usage point of view and customer appeal. Hence control on suspension and frame design for light weighting is prominent trend in industry, this leads to deterioration of suspension compliance as well as vehicle ride and handling performance. Sub-frame and knuckle play crucial role in definition of overall suspension stiffness. Present Study focusses on electric vehicle rear cradle design for weight saving with minimum reduction of stiffness. Understanding compliance which obtained from frame\cradle in vehicle
Asthana, Shivam, Rasal, Shraddhesh, Ganesh, Lingadalu, V, Jesse Daniel, Nidasosi, Basavraj, Ramkumar, J, NAYAK, Bhargav, M, Sudhan, Vellandi, Vikraman
Review on Laser welding of High Strength Aluminium alloy for Automotive Applications2024-26-019301/16/2024
High strength aluminium alloys are an ideal material in the automotive sector leading to a significant weight reduction and enhancement in product safety. In recent past extensive development in the field of high strength steel and aluminium was undertaken. This development has been propelled due to demand for light weight automotive parts. The high strength to weight ratio possessed by Al alloy helps in reducing the total weight of the vehicle without effecting the overall performance, thereby increasing the fuel economy and reducing the carbon emission level. Joining of high strength aluminium alloy is critical to develop durable automotive products. Joining of high strength aluminium alloy for mass production in automobile industry is a challenging task. Laser welding is recognized as an advanced process to join materials with a laser beam of high-power, high-energy density. In the present study efforts are made to summarise the influence of important process parameters of laser
Sahu, Hemant, Dave, Rajeev, Chauhan, Shiv, Dwivedi, Ravi
An Analytical Model for Cost-Efficient Structural Materials Selection in Battery Electric Vehicles2022-01-026603/29/2022
The secular trend of automotive body structure light-weighting for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles is constrained by simultaneous and increasingly challenging vehicle cost, fuel economy and passenger safety standards. Mass optimization via materials selection in ICE vehicles, therefore, is ultimately dependent on the normalized cost of mass reduction solutions and the associated implications on passenger safety and vehicle performance metrics. These constraints have resulted in development and implementation of increasingly high specific-strength solutions for metallic components in the body structure and chassis. In contrast, mass optimization in battery electric vehicles is subject to alternative performance metrics to fuel efficiency, although considerations for vehicle safety and cost naturally remain directionally similar. In this study, an analytical model adapted from constrained optimization methodologies for BEV mass optimization is employed for determination of
Enloe, Charles M., Mohrbacher, Hardy
Development of an electric vehicle battery module laser welding process using SYSWELD and validation by test data2022-01-037603/29/2022
With lightweight design in modern electric vehicles to achieve high energy efficiency, high strength and thin materials are widely adopted. For battery modules, 5000 and 6000 aluminum are typically utilized as a structural material with a thickness range between 1 to 5 mm. Laser welding is one of the most optimum welding tools for joining such a thin material due to its unique advantages, e.g., high welding speed, high accuracy, high energy yet the smallest heat affect zone, etc. This paper aims to develop an FE modeling procedure using SYSWELD to simulate the laser welding process used in electric vehicle battery module manufacturing. A sequentially-coupled thermo-mechanical analysis procedure is developed based on the welding processes for 6063 T6 aluminum alloys and the dissimilar joint between 6063 T6 and 5083 aluminum alloys. Different heat source models for laser welding are studies and compared. The effectiveness of the developed modeling procedure is confirmed by a large number
Song, Shaopin, JIANG, Weiran, Ding, Peiran
Stiffness optimization process using topology optimization techniques and lattice structures2022-32-007801/09/2022
In recent years, topology optimization technology has been widely applied as a means of achieving weight reduction. On the other hand, the development of additive manufacturing technology (3D printing) is making it possible to manufacture structures called lattices. In this paper, we show that it is possible to create even stiffer structures by combining both technologies, and we develop a design process that includes optimization calculations.
NAGAMOTO, Hiroyuki, KOBAYASHI, Koji, FUJITA, Hideyuki
Development of 1520 MPa Class Lightweight Suspension Springs2022-32-002401/09/2022
The spring is an important component part of the suspension of motorcycles and automobiles. As the spring constitutes an unsprung weight, the suspension complies more quickly if the spring weighs less. Especially in off-road motorcycles, which are often subjected to extremely hard conditions such as full acceleration and braking, quick turning and jumping, a reduction of unsprung weight contributes to an enhancement of dynamic performance. As an effective means to reduce weight, use of the light-weight titanium instead of the commonly used steel is seen in some examples. However, applications of titanium are limited only to large-diameter springs because of its higher cost and challenging in coiling. To achieve a steel spring that weighs lower than a titanium counterpart, we aimed at a spring that features such a fatigue strength that allows stressing as higher as to 1520 MPa. Three technical options are used, 1) Shot peening, 2) Removal of decarburized surface on wire material, 3
Kato, Hideki, Kasatori, Shinji, Kameda, Hirokatsu, Suzuki, Shoichi
Weight Reduction of Double wishbone-arm Component in the Suspension system of an Automobile using Generative Design2021-28-025810/01/2021
This work uses the Generative Design approach to achieve a weight reduction of the wishbone arm used in the vehicle suspension system. The suspension system of Haynes Roadster an open two-seater club racing car is taken for this study. Detailed calculations were done to understand the dynamic loads acting in the wishbone arm during acceleration, braking, and cornering. The above-calculated loads, material, domain, fabrication techniques are used as design parameters and weight reduction as the objective in the Generative design to obtain a final output. The various design iterations will be proposed by the algorithm based on the parameters and objectives defined. Generative design uses a machine learning approach which is time-saving and also eliminates the need for redoing and refining the initial designs by giving us optimum designs based on our usage as well as manufacturing requirement at the early stage. Different models created by Generative Design are then compared with the
P G, Sachin, Elsen, Renold, V, Vijayaragavan, B, Beno Prince
Sound Package Optimization of Passenger Bus Using Hybrid Statistical Energy Analysis2021-26-026809/22/2021
Increasing Demands for high fuel efficiency requires imperative light weighting of automotive structure, but this adversely affects the NVH performance since transfer path of noise sources like engine, road, wind to vehicle interior through the panels weakens. Also increasing customer centric approach drives the urge to provide world-class comfort that is cost-effective too. Sound Packaging helps us to optimize these transfer paths through the panel, and can effectively complement efforts of Testing Team, by reducing the redundant iterations required to conclude to most effective trims to be put on. Statistical Energy Analysis Based Simulations is employed for carrying out these iterations at the Virtual Validation Gateway itself. Baseline Vehicle is fully modeled as per the criterion required by inherent SEA theory and simulated within frequency range of 200Hz-10KHz. Trims application areas are identified and layered Trims are applied at these locations to compare its effectiveness
Bhangale, Rajesh, SOUNDATTE, Nitin, shinde, Nikhil, Chavan, Pruthviraj
Continuous Fiber Reinforced Composite Container for N1 category of Vehicles2021-26-025109/22/2021
The small commercial vehicle business is driven by demand in logistic, last mile transportation and white goods market. And to cater these businesses operational and safety needs, they require closed container on vehicle. As of now, very few OEM's provide regulatory certified container vehicle because of constrains to meet inertia class of the vehicle. The paper focuses on design of a durable and extremely reliable container, made of the low-cost economy class glass fiber & core material. The present work provides the means to design the composite container for the N1 category of the vehicle. The weight of after-market metal container ranges between 300-350 Kgs for this category of vehicle, which affects the overall Fuel Economy and Emission of the vehicle. A detailed CAE analysis is done to design composite container suitable to meet inertia class targets and to achieve weight reduction of 30-40% as compared to metal container. The design is validated and optimised using Inertia
Khandekar, Dhiraj Baburao, Ankur, Manjeet Singh
Development Work for a New Damping Standard SAE J31302021-01-112208/31/2021
Standards organizations develop standards depending on the need in the market place. With the change in vehicle design, lightweighting structures, and body panels made out of aluminum and composites, SAE’s Acoustical Materials Committee is developing a new damping standard. This standard is also very suitable in determining the damping performance of materials used in the off-highway applications, where the thickness of the steel body panel is much greater than in the automotive application. The general methodology of this standard is based on the mechanical impedance measurement method and has been developed with the general consensus of automotive engineers, suppliers, and independent test laboratories. This method is essentially based on the fact that a bar is excited at the center by a shaker. The force exerted by the shaker and the corresponding vibration is measured at that point to determine the frequency response function of the mechanical impedance signal. This paper discusses
Saha, Pranab
Metamaterials R&D TARGETS NVH ABATEMENT21AUTP05_0405/01/2021
Nissan readies its lightweight acoustic solution for 2022 production - will Hyundai follow? Acoustics engineers have a broad variety of materials from which to choose for reducing noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) in vehicles. But their selection often comes with a measurable downside: added mass. It's not uncommon for a new vehicle to gain 100 lb (45 kg) or more during development as various absorbers, reflective barriers and absorber-barrier combinations - typically baked-on mastics, blankets, injected foams and acoustic glazing - are brought to bear. In an era where “lightweighting rules” and engineers are rewarded on a per-gram basis for cutting vehicle weight, materials researchers are betting on new developments to win the NVH-versus-mass battle. So-called metamaterials offer significant promise here, with a potential added benefit of being less costly than the traditional NVH solutions used by OEMs.
Brooke, Lindsay
A Data-Based Modeling Approach for the Prediction of Front Impact (NCAP) Safety Performance of a Passenger Vehicle2021-01-092304/06/2021
Designing a vehicle for superior crash safety performance in consumer rating tests such as US-NCAP is a compelling target in the design of passenger vehicles. In today’s context, there is also a high emphasis on making a vehicle as lightweight as possible which calls for an efficient design. In modern vehicle design, these objectives can only be achieved through Computer-Aided Engineering (CAE) for which a detailed CAD (Computer-Aided Design) model of a vehicle is a pre-requisite. In the absence of the latter (i.e. a matured CAD model) at the initial and perhaps the most crucial phase of vehicle body design, a rational approach to design would be to resort to a knowledge-based methodology which can enable crash safety assessment of an assumed design using artificial intelligence techniques such as neural networks. In the current study, the implied objective is achieved by building a training database with the aid of US-NCAP simulations of validated real-world full vehicle finite
Krishna, Ragav, Deb, Anindya, Ramachandra, Sanketh, Chou, Clifford
Preliminary Structural Design of a Fowler Flap High-lifting Device2020-36-002803/26/2021
The design of high lift device has great importance in development of transport aircraft, for both manufacturers and operators. With this motivation, a preliminary structural design of a 4-bar mechanism as an actuator of a single-slotted Fowler flap was developed. Fundamental concepts about the subject, such as overlap, gap and Fowler motion, was presented. Aiming the aerodynamic requirements, the mechanism was synthesized in order to reach three critical points: cruise, landing and take-off. For landing and take-off conditions, the loads were estimated and applied on the flaps to evaluate and to size the linkage system. The kinematics and kinetics of the movement was studied by two methods: analytical and numerical by multibody simulation. In order to refine the sizing, a finite element analysis was employed to determine the margins of safety and to drive optimization studies. Thus, with static and fatigue analysis performed and safety margins calculated, the topological optimization
Lima, D. Z., Aguiar, J. B., Ferreira, W. G.
Transitioning from IC Engine to Electric Vehicle: An Optimized Wheel End Solution2020-01-163210/05/2020
This paper discusses the change in vehicle parameters when moving from a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) to an electric motor. In particular, the paper discusses the impact on the wheel end bearings, which must handle higher GAWRs (gross axle weight ratings) at lower center of gravity heights on electric vehicles. These changes require bearings to handle higher loads. Typically, larger loads increase the bearing size and with it, the mounting interface dimensions for auxiliary components. In this paper, The Timken Company demonstrates an alternative bearing design that can handle higher electric vehicle GAWRs but allows for continuity in the surrounding brake corner components - potentially saving OEMs significant design costs and delays. This solution focuses on the mid- and large-size SUV market where bearing capacity could be a limiting factor for electric vehicle variants - driving significant wheel end brake corner design changes to accommodate the larger bearings
Fernandes, Ryan, Parsons, Elizabeth, Gromosiak, Mike
All-composite EV wheel heads to production20AUTP10_1210/01/2020
Designed for EV and niche applications, the first commercially viable, low cost, lightweight, all-composite wheel moves to the next phase of development with a pilot production run. The product-development consortium, made up of Carbon ThreeSixty, Far-UK, Composite Integration and CNC Robotics, along with Bitrez Ltd as the preferred resin formulator, says it will manufacture 50 ACRIM (All Composite Reduced Inertia Modular) wheels by the end of 2020. The consortium announced three full vehicle sets are scheduled for proving on MOTIV, a unique and versatile autonomous vehicle (AV). The AV uses Gordon Murray Design's iStream Superlight technology (see www.sae.org/news/2020/02/motiv-av-pod for more on the gullwing AV prototype) and two sets of world-first overmolded RTM (resin transfer molding) wheels, which are headed for qualification testing. The consortium appears ready to challenge the world's most prominent source of production-vehicle carbon-fiber wheels, Australian outfit Carbon
Shuttleworth, Jennifer
Altair honors lightweight advances20AUTP09_0809/01/2020
Fitting for an industry that collectively is accelerating electric-vehicle launches, Harley-Davidson's LiveWire electric motorcycle won the Full Vehicle category of the 8th annual Altair Enlighten Awards, the vehicle and component lightweighting competition conducted by Altair and the Center for Automotive Research. Winners were recognized on August 4 in conjunction with CAR's virtual Management Briefing Seminars. In the Module category, Toyota won for its new, one-piece resin seatback in the 2021 Sienna minivan's folding third row, replacing a 15-piece steel frame. Mubea took top honors in the Enabling Technology category with its glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) tension leaf spring that offers weight savings of up to 75% compared to conventional designs.
Gehm, Ryan
A Generic Testbody for Low-Frequency Aeroacoustic Buffeting Phenomena2020-01-151506/03/2020
Raising demands towards lightweight design paired with a loss of originally predominant engine noise pose significant challenges for NVH engineers in the automotive industry. Wall thickness reductions particularly emphasize low frequency contributors due to decreasing panel stiffness. From an aeroacoustic point of view, low frequency buffeting ranks among the most frequently encountered issues. The phenomenon typically arises from rooftop or side-window buffeting, structural transmission of hydrodynamic wall pressure fluctuations or, as indicated in this work, through rear vent excitation. A convenient workflow to simulate structure-excited buffeting contains a strongly coupled vibro-acoustic model for structure and interior cavity excited by a spatial pressure distribution obtained from CFD. In the case of rear vent buffeting no validated workflow has been published yet. While approaches have been made to simulate the problem for a real-car geometry, such attempts suffer from
Engelmann, Rafael, Gabriel, Christoph, Schoder, Stefan, Kaltenbacher, Manfred
Process for Producing High-Quality, Lightweight MirrorsTBMG-3701806/01/2020
Virtually all conventional lightweight mirrors are made by optically grinding and polishing an already lightweighted blank. Mirrors made this way always risk print-through to the optical surface. In some cases, this can be removed by a zero-pressure process, such as ion-beam polishing, although these processes tend to be slow and costly. Lightweighting after optical polishing is not an option for conventional materials as their inhomogeneous qualities and internal stresses cause the lightweighting to distort the optical surface.
Improvement of Tightening Reliability of Bolted Joints Using Elliptical Confidence Limit in Calibrated Wrench Method2020-01-021804/14/2020
The calibrated wrench method is used in the tightening of bolts in manufacturing industries in the case of a large amount of tightening work. It is important to apply a large initial clamping force to ensure tightening reliability and prevent self-loosening, fatigue breakage, and so forth. In this method, the clamping force of bolted joints is controlled using a torque wrench. However, since the clamping force is indirectly applied by a wrench, it varies greatly in the case of a large amount of tightening in a factory. Therefore, the calibrated wrench method is not so accurate from the viewpoint of clamping force control. It is conventionally thought that the distribution of the clamping force has the shape of a rhombus. When tightening torque and clamping force are considered to be two independent random variables, the clamping force is distributed within an elliptical confidence limit. Here, we show that the distribution of equivalent stress also has an elliptical confidence limit
Hareyama, Soichi, Manabe, Ken-ichi, Kobayashi, Satoshi
Phenolic SMC for Automotive Fire Resistance2020-01-077104/14/2020
Phenolic resins that meet REACH compliance and contain lower free-formaldehyde are safer to handle, compound, and mold. These resin systems do not contain any styrene or require any fillers to achieve their rated fire resistance. A commercial phenolic sheet-molding compound (SMC) is presented that achieves a 2-minute cycle time and addresses the unique requirements in an electrified vehicle architecture. This new SMC material includes all the industrially relevant considerations including material processing, shelf life, and surface finish. Other topics such as material hybridization and comparison to incumbent materials also discussed. The resin system uses a water-based phenolic resole which is acid-cured. This chemistry presents several unique challenges and opportunities for the industry such as managing formulation pH and appropriate methods for quality control. A demonstrator battery cover highlights the superior fire performance, impact resistance, and light weighting that is
Swentek, Ian, Ball, Cedric A., Greydanus, Stephen, Nara, Kameswara Rao
Chassis Lightweighting Hole Placement with Weldline Evaluation2020-01-049304/14/2020
Vehicle weight driven design comes amid rising higher fuel efficiency standard, and must meet the criteria - pass Proving ground test events that is equivalent customer usage. CAE Fatigue analysis for proving ground (CFP) is behind a success push to digitally simulate vehicle durability performance in high fidelity. The need for vehicle weight reduction often arises late in vehicle development phases when CAE Methods, time, and tangible cost effective opportunities are limited or non-existent. It is necessary to deploy a new CAE Method to identify opportunities for light-weighting hole placement in Chassis structures to deliver a cost effective light-weighting opportunity with no impact on fatigue life. The successful application of this methodology is on truck frame, which is key structural parts for vehicle chassis to support body and suspension and powertrain. By means of artificially adjusting the magnitude of load time history and material fatigue properties S-N curve, fatigue
Song, Gavin
Study on the Quantitative Relationship between Static Stiffness and Modal Parameters of an Aluminum Space Frame10-04-02-000701/27/2020
In this article, the quantitative relationship between the static stiffness, lightweight factor, and modal parameters of an aluminum space frame was investigated. Modal theory calculation and finite element method were employed in the analysis. Fifty modal parameters were extracted from the finite element model of the frame to calculate the bending stiffness, torsional stiffness, and lightweight factor of the frame. The deviations of the bending stiffness, torsional stiffness, and lightweight factor obtained from the modal theory and the finite element theory were found to be 0.91%, 1.72%, and 1.71%, respectively. It indicates that these two methods have similar accuracy. It was confirmed that the sum of each order modal compliance could be used to calculate the static compliance of the aluminum space frame. The first-order bending mode was found to be the corresponding mode order, which made the largest contribution to the bending stiffness. This method is also applicable for
Wang, Zhenhu, Xia, Erli, Chen, Ziming, Xue, Zhigang, Li, Luoxing
EFFECT OF DEAN NUMBER ON HEAT TRANSFER CHARACTERISTICS FOR SQUARE CHANNEL HELICAL COIL SUB-COOLED CONDENSER2019-32-059701/24/2020
Attribute to high heat transfer rate and less complexity, the Helical coil sub-cooled condenser (HCSCC) can provide the most innovative and unique application for the air conditioning system. In the case of automobiles, reduction in air-conditioning load may diminish the vehicular emission, and power consumption as the air-conditioning load is the most power-consuming components after the engine load. Moreover, to solve the problem, we focus on the helical type heat exchanger. It may play a vital role in reducing the weight and increase the performance of the small engine because of the compact structure and lighter weight. The compressor unit is the most vital component of the refrigeration cycle, but the condenser unit is also one of the most critical devices, and the author tried to reduce the power consumption by enhancing the performance of the condenser. The crucial point of this study is to use HCSCC, which exemplify the effect of subsequent flow generation inside the fluid, and
Singh, Hardeep, Washiashi, Junya, Liu, Jun, Ichiyanagi, Mitsuhisa, Suzuki, Takashi
Robotic HelicopterTBMG-3567712/01/2019
Steadicopter Ltd. Migdal HaEmek, Israel +972-4-9592959
High Rigidity and Light Weight Bumper Material Development in India2019-28-255311/21/2019
Vehicle weight reduction becomes important at the view point of fuel efficiency improvement and CO2 reduction in India also as well as developed countries. With this background, High tensile and Super high tensile steel application has become increasing. Similarly, weight reduction of big plastic parts like bumper face is one of the most important items, so Honda has developed Thin-wall and light weight bumper face. In the development of light weight bumper, rigidity, impact strength and flowability which are main requirement are contradictory property. It is necessary to develop new material to achieve this technical concern. Moreover, we verified part shape and thickness optimization to achieve part requirement. Established high property material and part manufacturing technology were applied for current CITY firstly, and it has been expanded to other models sequentially to contribute weight reduction for Honda vehicles. In this report, we report the analysis and verification result
Sharma, Manu
Design and Analysis of Automotive Steering Sheet Metal Yoke for High Strength and Rigidity Requirement2019-28-012210/11/2019
The increasing demand for light weighting products due to introduction of various standards and norms for controlling CO2 emissions and to meet the customer requirement of low cost with higher strength and rigidity of product in automotive industry, sheet metal manufacturing technique is adopted for automotive steering yoke for light commercial vehicle. Currently forged yokes are used for higher strength requirement, while sheet metal yokes are being used for small tonnage vehicle. The attempt has been made to improve overall strength and rigidity of the yoke produced by sheet metal operation using SAPH 440 steel with 6.5mm thickness for light commercial vehicle segments. The major challenge identified for this development was developing such a high strength and thickness material with consistency of dimension during forming process and meeting the torsional strength requirement of 500 Nm. In this development with the help of plastic data, the forming analysis of yoke model has been
Gandhi, Chaitanya, Shinde, Pranav, Ramamoorthi, Mohanraj, Krishnadoss, Bharathkumar, Yadav, Aditya
Design of Lightweight Composites for Vehicle Front End Energy Management of Bumper Beam2019-28-008510/11/2019
Application of advance composites in place of the various conventional materials such as steel can give significant weight and performance advantages. The application of composites is now finding it’s way in the automotive industry due to the growing requirement of the lightweight solutions and high strength to weight ratio. However, their low mechanical properties have limited their application in automotive structural components. The study presented here is focused on the explicit dynamic analysis of a bumper beam and advance composites are used for the study. Different configurations and designs of the bumper are considered to be able to make a comparative study of the stress and deformation levels. The analysis was done in coherence to the Euro NCAP tests and the offset frontal impact analysis was done. The boundary conditions were aligned with the real time impact conditions for proper prediction of the results. Based on stress, deformation, specific strength and weight, the
Kumar, Praveen, Akella, Sarma Sr, Chakraborty, Ayan, Muthiah, Balasubramanian, Ramachandran, Velmurugan, M Venugopal, Shankar
Cutting weight seen as less vital for automated and shared vehicles19AUTP10_1010/01/2019
After long demonstrating lightweighting with steel for contemporary passenger vehicles, the Steel Market Development Institute (SMDI) is slightly changing the tune for a future of Autonomous, Connected, Electric and Shared (ACES) vehicles. In a presentation to the International Motor Press Association, SMDI conceded that although weight on an isolated basis affects driving range and can't be ignored, the total effect on the viability of ACES designs is not necessarily the same-and other qualities may be even much more important. And the bottom line on range versus cost is likely to be a wash, said SMDI vice president Dr. Jody Hall.
Weissler, Paul
Stuck on structural adhesives19AUTP09_0209/01/2019
As the need for lighter materials and enhanced body performance intensifies, structural adhesives flourish as a materials-joining solution. A funny thing happened on the way to the total-vehicle light-weighting that's now a common engineering dictate for nearly every new vehicle: structural adhesives-which entered low-volume automotive use in the 1980s-got pulled into the mainstream. The widening reliance on high- and ultrahigh-strength steels and aluminum for body structures, particularly unitized bodies-in-white (BIW), to cut weight without sacrificing crash-mitigating strength or handling-degrading rigidity, is the prime factor driving the expanding use of structural adhesives. Particularly where dissimilar materials need to be joined, engineered adhesives are the way to go-alone or in tandem with more-conventional joining technologies such as riveting and spot-welding.
Visnic, Bill, Brooke, Lindsay
Lunar Surface Manipulation SystemTBMG-3491208/01/2019
NASA's Langley Research Center offers a novel lifting and precision positioning device with hybrid functional characteristics of both crane-type lifting devices and robotic manipulators. The design of the Lunar Surface Manipulation System (LSMS) allows for fine positioning with complete control over both translation and rotation of the payload. In addition, the design permits several other operations using a wide variety of special-purpose tools — such as a bucket, pallet forks, grappling devices, sensor, and visualization packages — and dexterous robotic arms that can be quickly added to the tip.
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11: Exploring Apollo's Impact Beyond 'One Small Step'TBMG-3476307/01/2019
On July 20, 1969, humans walked on another world for the first time in history. After a landing that included dodging a lunar crater and boulder field and almost running out of fuel just before touchdown, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin explored the area around their lunar landing site for 21 hours and 36 minutes while Michael Collins piloted the Command Module around the Moon. They collected soil and rock samples, set up experiments, planted an American flag, and left behind medallions honoring the Apollo 1 crew and a plaque saying, “We came in peace for all mankind.”
Design of Lightweight Fibrous Vibration Damping Treatments to Achieve Optimal Performance in Realistic Applications2019-01-152406/05/2019
In recent work, it has been shown that conventional sound absorbing materials (e.g., lightweight fibrous media) can provide structural damping when placed adjacent to vibrating structures, including infinite panels, partially-constrained panels and periodically-supported panels typical of aircraft structures. Thus, a fibrous layer may serve two functions at once: absorption of airborne sound and the reduction of structure-borne vibration. It has also been found that the damping is primarily effective below the critical frequency of the structure, and that the damping results from viscous interaction between the fibrous layer and the evanescent near-field of the panel, in the region where incompressible flow caused by the panel vibration oscillates primarily parallel with the panel surface. By using a near-field damping (NFD) model based on the Biot model for acoustical porous media, it has been shown that a properly-optimized fibrous layer can provide levels of damping comparable with
Xue, Yutong, Bolton, J Stuart, Herdtle, Thomas
AV ‘Goiters’ Be Gone!19AVEP05_1205/01/2019
Magneti Marelli's ‘Smart Corner’ technology aims to reduce cost, complexity and mass by integrating key vehicle sensors seamlessly into a vehicle's lighting modules. Warts. Bumps. Blisters. Protuberances. These and other less-flattering terms are used by vehicle designers and engineers to describe the bulging, non-integrated sensor placement that has become the unfortunate visual signature for automated vehicles (AVs). “We actually call them ‘goiters,’” said Bill Grabowski, head of innovation and technology for Automotive Lighting division at Magneti Marelli. “While they're [sensors] primarily for function, the OEM and the end customer don't want to see these protrusions littering the vehicle exterior in production. Packaging up to 25 sensors that handle all levels of ADAS and autonomous driving has become a major problem for the automakers.”
Brooke, Lindsay
The economics of materials selection19AUTP05_0205/01/2019
Cost per pound of reduced vehicle mass is helping to drive innovation in steel, aluminum and carbon composites. “We've entered an era where true weight reductions in vehicles are occurring,” noted Dr. Alan Taub, professor of Material Science & Engineering at the University of Michigan. “There is no new vehicle launch that doesn't talk about a 5-10 percent reduction in curb weight because it's now clearly a part of fuel economy. And while the gains are still coming from powertrain improvements and the introduction of partial and full electrification, about 15 percent of fuel-economy improvements today come from vehicle weight reduction.” His rule of thumb: Decreasing vehicle weight by 10% yields a 6% improvement in fuel economy. At the 2019 Society of Plastics Engineers' ANTEC conference, Dr. Taub, formerly GM's head of R&D, presented a review of the three major materials groups-steel, aluminum, and composites-that he expects will predominate in vehicle body structures (increasingly in
Brooke, Lindsay
Aluminum: Toward 50% body content19AUTP05_0405/01/2019
Aluminum BIW and closure parts are the key to achieving both regulatory and OEM goals for improved vehicle efficiency going forward. To vehicle-development teams, peaceful coexistence is the 2020's way of describing the relationship between steel and aluminum. Sure, the two giant materials industries will continue their battle to conquest one another's market share. But for vehicle planners and program-development teams, the ferrous and light metals are an increasingly effective and popular combination. As experts Dr. Alan Taub and Michael Robinet have noted elsewhere in this issue, the mixed-materials trend is becoming an enduring one, as evidenced across the landscape of recent new-vehicle introductions. Aluminum crossmembers and subframes are engineered harmoniously into light-truck ladder frames whose finely-tailored use of various advanced high-strength steel grades could fill engineering textbooks. Suspension control arms have become the focus of new CAE-driven designs that have
Brooke, Lindsay
Fatigue Life Prediction Method for Self-Piercing Rivets Considering Crack Propagation2019-01-053104/02/2019
This paper describes a numerical prediction method for fatigue strength of Self Piercing Rivets (SPRs) using fracture mechanics. Recently, high strength steels and non-ferrous metals have been adopted to light weight automotive bodies. Various types of joining are proposed for multi-material bodies. It is important to predict the fatigue life of these joints using numerical simulation. However, the fatigue strength of these joints is related to sheet thickness, base materials, and loading conditions. Therefore, a large number of coupon tests are necessary to determine the S-N curve for the fatigue life prediction of joints in the automotive body. To reduce the amount of coupon testing, numerical simulation will be an efficient method in obtaining the S-N curve of these joints. The fatigue fracture process consists of two stages, crack initiation and crack growth. There are many studies about crack growth estimation methods using stress intensity factor. However, they cannot predict the
Kawamura, Hiroaki, Cheng, Minghuang
Vehicle Protection SystemTBMG-3413004/01/2019
Leonardo DRS, Inc. Arlington, VA 703-416-8000
SHEAth-based Rollable LEnticular-Shaped and Low-Stiction (SHEARLESS) Composite BoomsTBMG-3339112/01/2018
NASA's Langley Research Center has developed the SHEARLESS composite boom with a final cross-section shape that is lenticular and is flexible enough to allow elastic flattening and subsequent coiling around a cylindrical reel/drum. The torsional stiffness of the structure is also greatly increased and becomes two orders of magnitude larger than that of the individual tape-spring components alone.
2018 Create the Future Design Contest: Automotive/Transportation Category WinnerTBMG-3331911/01/2018
Reducing Weight and Design Time for Dream Chaser SpacecraftTBMG-3250908/01/2018
Collier Research Corporation Newport News, VA
Force Isolation by Locally Resonant Metamaterials to Reduce NVH2018-01-154406/13/2018
The combination of lightweight design and performant Noise, Vibrations Harshness (NVH) solutions has gained a lot of importance over the past decades. Lightweight design complies with the ever more stringent environmental requirements, however conflicts with NVH performance, as low noise and vibration levels often require heavy and bulky systems, especially at low frequencies. To face this challenge, locally resonant metamaterials come to the fore as low mass, compact volume NVH solutions, beating the mass law in some tunable frequency zones, referred to as stopbands. Metamaterials are artificial materials made from assemblies of unit cells of non-homogeneous material composition and/or topology. The local interaction between unit cells leads to superior performance in terms of noise and vibration reduction with respect to the conventional NVH treatments. Previously the authors showed how wave propagation along one-dimensional structures can be reduced by metamaterial additions. In
Sangiuliano, Luca, Claeys, Claus, Deckers, Elke, Pluymers, Bert, Desmet, Wim
Extended Target Weighing Approach - Estimation of Technological Uncertainties of Concept Ideas in Product Development Processes2018-37-002805/30/2018
The “Extended Target Weighing Approach” (ETWA) presented here describes a holistic, cross-subsystem, function-based lightweight design method - in terms of conceptual lightweight design - for the identification and evaluation of lightweight design potentials in the concept phase of product development. It systematically extends the existing “Target Weighing Approach” (TWA), in order to balance key factors mass, costs and CO2 emissions. During the application of the method, concept ideas are generated which have to be evaluated with regard to their potential. The selection of concept alternatives to be pursued in the early phase of product development often depends on the experience of the product developer. Therefore, the potential of some concepts is not recognized correctly or the risk according to the intended solution caused by missing knowledge or uncertainties is misjudged. This paper presents a method for the evaluation of technological uncertainties of concept ideas based on
Albers, Albert, Revfi, Sven, Spadinger, Markus
Development of a Lightweight Third-Generation Advanced High-Strength Steel (3GAHSS) Vehicle Body Structure2018-01-102604/03/2018
This article covers an application of third-generation advanced high-strength steel (3GAHSS) grades to vehicle lightweight body structure development. Design optimization of a vehicle body structure using a multi-scale material model is discussed. The steps in the design optimization and results are presented. Results show a 30% mass reduction potential over a baseline mid-size sedan body side structure with the use of 3GAHSS.
Savic, Vesna, Hector, Louis, Singh, Harjinder, Paramasuwom, Mahendran, Basu, Ushnish, Basudhar, Anirban, Stander, Nielen
An Optimal Design of Vehicle Swing Door Using Metamodeling Techniques2018-01-102204/03/2018
In side-closures’ design, mass reduction provides numerous benefits in addition to reduced cost. This paper presents a Meta model based non-linear durability optimization to develop a lightweight structure for vehicle swing door. A surrogate model developed is using Kriging methodology and the thickness of the door components are given as input design variables. Adaptive Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (AMGA), a nonlinear optimization technique, is used in this study, to formulate the mass minimization under durability constraints. The optimized swing door design shows the overall mass saving of ~10% over initial design in terms of frame and sag deflection. The present investigation shows better effectiveness and practical applicability to develop the lightweight structure for the vehicle swing door. From the comparative study, Kriging method is found to be more effective in terms of measuring the accuracy, robustness and efficiency of the results than the Radial basis function (RBF
Zaman, Thoheer, Kumar, Arun, Valiyaveettil Nazir, Fazil, Velu, Jayaprakash, Appana, Kameshwara rao
Multi-Material Topology Optimization: A Practical Approach and Application2018-01-011004/03/2018
The automotive industry is facing significant challenges for next-generation vehicle design as fuel economy regulations and tailpipe emission standards continue to strive for greater efficiency. In order to ensure vehicle design reaches these sustainability targets, lightweighting through multi-material design and topology optimization (TO) has been suggested as the leading method to reduce weight from conventional component and small assembly structures. More effective tools, techniques, and methodologies are now required to advance the development of multi-phase optimization tools beyond current commercial capability, and help automotive designers achieve critical efficiency improvements without sacrificing performance. Presented here is a unique tool description and practical application of multi-material topology optimization (MMTO), a direct extension of the classical single-material problem statement (SMTO). In this implementation the TO problem is expanded to include material
Roper, Stephen, Li, Daozhong, Florea, Vlad, Woischwill, Christopher, Kim, Il Yong
Characterization of GHG Reduction Technologies in the Existing Fleet2018-01-126804/03/2018
By almost any definition, technology has penetrated the U.S. light-duty vehicle fleet significantly in conjunction with the increased stringency of fuel economy and GHG emissions regulations. The physical presence of advanced technology components provides one indication of the efforts taken to reduce emissions, but that alone does not provide a complete measure of the benefits of a particular technology application. Differences in the design of components, the materials used, the presence of other technologies, and the calibration of controls can impact the performance of technologies in any particular implementation. The effectiveness of a technology for reducing emissions will also be influenced by the extent to which the technologies are applied towards changes in vehicle operating characteristics such as improved acceleration, or customer features that may offset mass reduction from the use of lightweight materials. This paper begins with an examination of trends in the
Bolon, Kevin, Moskalik, Andrew, Newman, Kevin, Hula, Aaron, Neam, Anthony, Mikkelsen, Brandon
A Maximum Incompatibility Constrained Collaborative Optimization Method for Vehicle Weight Reduction2018-01-058504/03/2018
Collaborative optimization is an important design tool in complex vehicle system engineering. However, there are many problems yet to be resolved when applying the conventional collaborative optimization method in vehicle body weight reduction, such as convergence difficulties and low optimization efficiency. To solve these problems, a maximum incompatibility constrained collaborative optimization method is proposed in the paper. First, the 1-norm equality constraints expression of the system level is used to replace the traditional 2-norm inequality constraints. Then, a maximum incompatibility is selected from modified inequality constraints to improve optimization efficiency. Finally, an overall compatibility constraint is introduced to decrease the influence caused by the initial point. A mathematical example is used to verify the effectiveness and stability of the proposed method. The proposed collaborative optimization method is further demonstrated through a vehicle body weight
Dong, Wenxiang, Zhan, Zhenfei, Chen, Chong, Fang, Yudong, Zheng, Ling, Xu, Wei, Zhao, Qingjiang
Application of 980 MPa Grade Advanced High Strength Steel with High Formability2018-01-062504/03/2018
There are strong demands for vehicle weight reductions so as to improve fuel economy. At the same time, it is also necessary to ensure crash safety. One effective measure for accomplishing such both requirements conflicting each other is to apply advanced high strength steel (AHSS) of 780 MPa grade or higher to the vehicle body. On the other hand, higher strength steels generally tend to display lower elongation causing formability deterioration. Nissan Motor Corporation have jointly developed with steel manufacturers a new 980 MPa grade AHSS with high formability with the aim of substituting it for the currently used 590 MPa grade high-tensile steel. Several application technologies have been developed through the verifications such as formability, resistance spot weldability, crashworthiness, and delayed fracture. As the result of the development, 980 MPa AHSS can now be applied to body structural parts for which such application has previously been difficult because of their
Hayashi, Shingo, Hirade, Takuya, Masuo, Hideki, Hanyu, Atsushi, Yoshida, Tsuyoshi, Ishiuchi, Kentarou
Chevy unveils larger, lighter 2019 Silverado at Detroit auto show18AUTP02_1202/01/2018
With chief rival Ford setting sales records with its F-Series pickups and FCA's Ram brand prepared to unveil an all-new Ram light-duty pickup at the 2018 Detroit auto show, Chevrolet answered by unveiling on the eve of the Detroit show the 2019 Silverado 1500 that Mark Reuss, General Motors executive vice president of Global Product Development, confirmed is “all-new from the ground up.” That means totally new sheetmetal that telegraphs the Silverado's larger footprint and taller profile, but also includes a new frame that contributes to the 2019 Silverado's claimed weight reduction of up to 450 lb (204 kg) compared with a V8-powered crew cab model from the existing Silverado lineup. Still aiming to parry Ford's ground-breaking use of aluminum for the F-Series' body panels-as well as its cargo bed-Reuss said the new Silverado's weight reduction is the “direct result of our expertise in mixed materials and manufacturing technology.”
Visnic, Bill
Navistar's SuperTruck II explores composites, WiFi to cut Weight17TOFHP10_0410/01/2017
Lightweighting was one strategy pursued by SuperTruck teams during the first phase of the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored initiative to improve heavy-truck freight efficiency by 50%. For example, the International Catalist features a “hybrid” front suspension that leverages lightweight alloys with composite materials, reducing weight and enabling an electronic ride height management system that provides dynamic ride height and pitch control for improved aerodynamics. “Typically, air-ride front suspensions are very heavy, they're very soft to drive-but we've integrated a composite leaf spring and an air spring into one suspension,” explained Dean Oppermann, chief engineer for advanced vehicles and the SuperTruck program at Navistar. “We've been able to do it in a way that reduces weight of the system, maintains our ride height control, but also offers more stability with the leaf spring-type suspension.”
Gehm, Ryan
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