Powertrain

A swifter shifter for truck transmissions Transmission specialist Oerlikon Graziano of Italy has developed a new family of synchronizers for heavy-duty truck transmissions, designed to speed up gearshifting and deliver improved fuel consumption. Read full story

Navistar’s take on ComVEC, next-gen diesels Navistar is providing the executive leadership for this year’s SAE Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress, taking place in Rosemont, IL, on Oct. 2-3. Ramin Younessi, Group Vice President, Product Development, Navistar Inc., discusses how the Congress is shaping up and the company’s future product plans incorporating the next-gen ICT+ (in-cylinder technology plus) system, which adds urea-based aftertreatment to its EGR technology. Read full story

Behr puts the cooling touch on Kenworth T680 cabin Before designing the new Kenworth T680, engineers made sure they knew the expectations for the Class 8 truck, including the vehicle's HVAC package that features the commercial-truck industry's first automatic temperature control system. Read full story

Aerospace leads in additive manufacturing Read full story

Putting the brakes on wasted kinetic energy from trains Two makers of energy-storage devices recently announced projects involving the capture of energy from train braking that otherwise would be lost as heat. Read full story

Taking action on friction As Director, Engineering and Technology–Powertrain Energy, Federal Mogul, Keri Westbrooke is responsible for all North American applications engineering activities for automotive and heavy-duty pistons, piston rings, liners, and ignition design and has global responsibility for steel piston technology. Read full story

Noise-damping lubricants control NVH, improve perceived vehicle quality Less noise and more smoothness are important design attributes for operators of most every type of vehicle, including passenger vehicles, heavy commercial vehicles, and off-road equipment. Synthetic noise-damping lubricants such as the Molykote brand solutions from Dow Corning can be economical, long-lasting answers to achieve these attributes in powertrain, body, chassis, and interior applications. Read full story

Video Interview: SCM Metal focuses on lightweight future AEI spoke with SCM Metal Products’ Tom Pelletiers at the SAE 2012 World Congress about the North Carolina-based company’s next-generation lightweight materials. Read full story

Reaction Design advances the simulation of soot Engine design engineers can now use simulation tools from Reaction Design to compare how candidate engine designs produce soot relative to each other. Read full story