Home

Synopsys enhances virtual prototyping tool for embedded software development The new release of Virtualizer improves modeling productivity through a new model authoring feature and IP specification import function. Read full story

Choosing the right tube joint seal for HFO-1234yf refrigerant compatibility One of the many system components of concern to OEMs and aftermarket service providers is the elastomeric seals used at the different joints in automotive air-conditioning. One critical aspect of seal performance is permeation, and the material compatibility issues likely to arise in relation to it, due to the new refrigeration chemistry. Read full story

Lightweight sandwich structures for EV chassis Plastic foam-core/aluminum-skin sandwich components developed by Inrekor in collaboration with JSP cut the weight of a prototype EV chassis by 30%. Read full story

Materials lead the way to vehicle mass reduction Reducing a vehicle's mass opens the door for a downsized engine and transmission, a lighter cradle and body structure, smaller wheels and brakes, as well as a weight-slimmed suspension. The start point for this ripple effect is materials. Read full story

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

Next-gen active safety systems from Meritor WABCO A wider, longer radar beam range and the ability to detect stationary objects are key upgrades to a collision mitigation system, one of three safety products recently unveiled by Meritor WABCO for the commercial-vehicle market. Read full story

Video: AHSS structures save lives, pose challenges to first responders Ron Moore, retired Division Chief of the McKinney (TX) Fire Department, has literally written the book on extrication involving vehicles with advanced high-strength steel structures, and he shared some of the challenges of this practice at the Great Designs in Steel seminar in Livonia, MI. 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

ContiTech air springs with plastic piston save weight, increase ride comfort The supplier claims that up to 75% of the weight of conventional steel pistons is saved thanks to the use of plastic and a new simulation method. The end result is a potential weight reduction of up to 12 kg (27 lb) per axle. Read full story