Detailed FEV study shows the way to major vehicle mass savings
Significant vehicle mass reduction—up to 20%—is achievable if weight reduction is pursued as part of a "full-vehicle approach," according to a study by FEV Inc. released Dec. 13. The company used a 2010 Toyota Venza for its research because that model was used in an earlier, related study. The comprehensive phase-two study by FEV was conducted for the U.S. EPA. The previous study, by Lotus Engineering (go to www.sae.org/mags/aei/8512 to read more), was conducted for the International Council on Clean Transportation. That study did not address mass savings from the powertrain to the extent the new one does, nor did it use advanced CAE tools to judge the impact of mass-savings measures on safety, according to FEV. In both cases, the mass savings were to be achieved with no degradation in safety or other parameters. The new study shows that the body-in-white and closures offered the most mass reduction at 68.32 kg (150.62 lb), followed closely by suspension. Total mass savings of 18.3% (312 kg/688 lb) was achieved, and at a cost savings of $148 from manufacturing efficiencies.
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Advanced CAE tools were used as part of the comprehensive study that resulted in a report of 890 pages.
Autodesk, IndyCar sign technology partnership
Autodesk and IndyCar have signed a three-year technology partnership that will give the participants in the IZOD IndyCar Series broad access to the former's cloud-based design and engineering software. The software offerings include Autodesk Product Design Suite, Autodesk Simulation 360, Autodesk Entertainment Creation Suite, and Autodesk PLM 360. This capability will better enable the organization to come up with aerodynamic specifications for components that all race teams can agree on—reducing any advantages or disadvantages among teams and creating a more competitive and exciting racing environment, the companies said in a joint press release issued Nov. 29. IndyCar already employs Autodesk software within its operations for a variety of important functions—for example, AutoCAD is used to create detailed garage layouts before each event, which helps improve the logistics of load-in and load-out at venues. The same product is used in relation to sled crash testing.
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IndyCar's engineering and operations group will use Autodesk Digital Prototyping applications to design and engineer product innovations for chassis designs, parts, and components.
ZF's 2015 growth plan puts squeeze on suppliers
Companies are constantly looking to lower their purchasing costs and otherwise lean on suppliers to help their bottom line. ZF is doing so in a very public way, having announced on Sept. 13 sweeping changes to its purchasing practices and to its own supply chain. The German Tier 1 plans to significantly reduce the size of its supply base, and to further centralize purchasing. The changes are part of a plan to increase global sales from €15.5 billion today to €20 billion by 2015, a strategy supported by a substantial investment in new production facilities. ZF's suppliers are being asked to contribute cost reductions to help the company realize €500 million in purchasing savings, according to a press release. ZF CEO Dr. Stefan Sommer, who is also in charge of corporate materials management, noted that "sales growth itself is not a value" and that increased profits is the end game.
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ZF headquarters is placing greater emphasis on suppliers' global capabilities.
NHTSA proposes ESC for trucks and buses
NHTSA (U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) on May 16 proposed a rule to require that new large commercial truck tractors and buses be equipped with an electronic stability control (ESC) system. If and when the proposed rule is adopted, the mandate would take effect two years later for all new typical 6 x 4 truck tractors and four years for severe-service tractors and tractors with four or more axles. In justifying the lead times, NHTSA noted that there are only two suppliers of ESC systems for truck tractors and large buses: Bendix and WABCO. It said the current rate of ESC installation on new truck tractors is 18%.
MacLean-Fogg forms Engineered Plastics Company
MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions has announced the formation of the new Engineered Plastics Company (EPC)—a merger of its Polymer Technologies business in Whitewater, WI, with EPC of Menomonee Falls, WI. EPC, which has been in operation since 1981, is a plastic injection molding supplier. The new Engineered Plastics Co. will be aligned under the Engineered Components Group of MacLean-Fogg Component Solutions. MacLean-Fogg supplies engineered components, fastener components, and linkage and suspension components to a range of industries including automotive, heavy truck, aerospace, appliance, wind, and mining. Engineered components include cold formed and machined components, horizontal hot-formed components, and engineered functional plastics. Fastener components include Securex and Decorex brand wheel fasteners, high-temperature Lockthread bolts, ESNA locknuts, and a variety of internally threaded fasteners such as Whiz-Lock, Clinch-Lok, and Step-Lok nuts. Linkage and suspension components include aluminum control arms, ball studs, housings, plastics, and PogoStik linkages.
Bridgestone eyes alternative rubber source
Bridgestone is undertaking research in the United States to develop the Guayule plant as an alternative source of rubber. The company says the perennial shrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico produces natural rubber in its bark and roots. Its qualities are almost identical to those of rubber harvested from Hevea trees, currently the primary source for the natural rubber used in tires. The growing area of Hevea Brasiliensis is limited to tropical climates close to the equator. By contrast, Guayule is native to desert climates, with a huge potential growing area, Bridgestone says. The company expects to finalize a location in the Southwestern U.S., establish the research farm, and begin construction on the process research center later in 2012. The facility is expected to be fully operational in 2014. Trial rubber production should start in 2015.
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Natural rubber from Guayule is almost identical to natural rubber harvested from Hevea trees, which are currently the primary source for the natural rubber used in tires.
Researchers have high hopes for composite brake rotors
Researchers at the Polytechnic Institute of New York University and Michigan-based REL Inc. on Jan. 17 announced that they are working on a one-piece aluminum-composite brake rotor that they estimate will shave about 30 lb (14 kg) from a midsize sedan while offering triple the brake life expectancy. Because of high costs, composite brakes today are restricted to motorcycles, racecars, and high-performance sports cars, according to the researchers. They expect to have a functional prototype ready within a year. The innovation is incorporating ceramic particles into an aluminum alloy in such a way to accommodate the differing strain and thermal impacts of the three functional zones common to rotors. Rotors today typically are made of a single material: cast iron.
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REL Inc., a developer of metal-matrix-composite transportation and aerospace components, received a $150,000 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research Grant from the National Science Foundation to develop the initial product design.
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