The future according to DuPont

Some respondents of the 2001 DuPont Automotive Industry Challenges survey gave more than one answer when asked their opinions of major design and engineering challenges. Click to enlarge

Respondents in the seventh annual DuPont Automotive Industry Challenges survey cited technology issues as one of the top five major automotive design and engineering challenges, outranked only by cost reduction and fuel economy.

"The balance between cost containment and new technology that delights consumers is the dynamic that drives this industry," said Jim Weigand, Vice President, Sales and Marketing for DuPont Engineering Polymers-Americas. "And even though cost remains the number-one challenge, we see its relative importance against emerging technologies waning."

When asked what qualities automakers seek in suppliers, the respondents ranked their top three in order of importance. Click to enlarge

This was the first time in the survey's history that technology ranked as a major industry challenge by respondents—a mix of 140 design and engineering professionals who were contacted via telephone by the Automotive Consulting Group in Ann Arbor, MI. While technology ranked as a major issue with 10% of those answering the 16 questions, cost reduction led the field (36%). Fuel economy was cited by 12% of respondents, while emissions regulations (8%) and safety regulations (8%) rounded out the top five issues.

Survey results also showed that 53% of the respondents expect the 42-V battery system to be introduced in North America in the next three to five years. A majority of respondents predicted telematics will reach a 25% penetration in North America sometime in the next three to eight years (23% said three to five years, 25% said six to eight years).

In the 2001 survey, 96% of the respondents had a single opinion of which alternate-power vehicle holds the most promise for mass production in the long term. Click to enlarge

As the automotive industry continues its quest to perfect a viable alternative energy source, DuPont Automotive believes fuel cells will be a major power source in the coming years. To tap the projected $10 billion fuel-cell market by 2010, DuPont has established a fuel-cell business unit for the development and commercialization of technologies from the company's Fluoroproducts, Technologies, Engineering Polymers, Corporate Research and Development, and DuPont Canada organizations.

"We believe more than 50% of a PEM (proton exchange membrane) fuel-cell stack—the real transactional center of a fuel cell—can be made from DuPont materials, including our Nafion proton-conducting membrane and our engineering polymers," said Richard Okine, Business Manager for DuPont Fuel Cells. In the last two years, Nafion—used for more than 35 years in fuel cells for space travel—has dropped in price by 35%.

An engineer at DuPont's Fuel Cell Technology Center conducts long-term life tests on direct methanol fuel cells. The system has six independent test units and can run a variety of tests simultaneously.

Next-generation Nafion will work in environments as hot as 120 to 150°C (248 to 302°F), compared to the current 80 to 100°C (176 to 212°F). Operation at a higher temperature may allow the use of smaller heat exchangers and improve fuel-cell-system efficiency.

Last year, DuPont opened a multimillion-dollar fuel-cell technology center near corporate headquarters in Wilmington, DE. Activities within the center are focused on materials technology and applications development. In the last three years, DuPont has invested about $50 million on fuel-cell development.

A fuel cell is prepared for testing by an engineer at DuPont's technology center.

"In addition to our materials offering, we have expertise in coatings, catalysis, and electrochemistry, which enables us to pursue opportunities in value-added components such as membrane electrode assemblies and conductive plates," said Okine.

About 100 of the company's solution staffers are working to develop the fuel-cell-related technology as well as create market opportunities on a global scale. "We're aligning our manufacturing capabilities to meet the increasing demand for fuel-cell products as the technology takes hold," said Okine.

- Kami Buchholz

Lights, action, computer tools from Guide

Guide Corp.'s FastForward program provides advanced prototype visualization and analysis of lamp designs.

A suite of proprietary computer-aided-design tools from Guide Corp., FastForward, enables engineers to do up-front work such as optical predictions, virtual molding, and structural analysis.

"We're convinced we can provide OEMs significant savings in both lead times and money with our virtual prototyping technology," said Jeff Mickel, Guide Corp.'s Senior Vice President of Engineering, Sales, and Marketing.

The tool set features Opti-MaX (optical design system), MaX VM (Virtual Molding), MaX OTVP (optimization for thermal/venting performance), FMX (structural analysis), MaXAttack (intensified design and visualization analysis), and DRS (dynamic road scene). The newest addition to the FastForward tool suite is MaXPac, a packaging evaluation system. "FastForward is an ongoing process," said Mickel. "What you see today is not what you'll see tomorrow. Based on benchmark studies and talks with customers, no one else has anything close to our overall set of tools."

FastForward's DRS tool simulates a 0.8-km (0.5-mi) stretch of road. The animated rendering, based on the actual math model that is used for creating the molds, enables engineers to see how a vehicle's headlamps will perform in night driving. Vehicle ride height can be programmed into the simulation. And side-by-side driving simulations can compare lighting options. "That's something you can't do on an actual night drive," Mickel said.

- Kami Buchholz