Search Results

The integration of the exhaust manifold in the engine cylinder head has received considerable attention in recent years for automotive gasoline engines, due to the proven benefits in: engine weight diminution, cost saving, reduced power enrichment, quicker engine and aftertreatment warm-up, improved packaging and simplification of the turbocharger installation. This design practice is still largely unknown in diesel engines because of the greater difficulties, caused by the more complex cylinder head layout, and the expected lower benefits, due to the absence of high-load enrichment. However, the need for improved engine thermomanagement and a quicker catalytic converter warm-up in efficient Euro 6 diesel engines is posing new challenges that an integrated exhaust manifold architecture could effectively address. A recently developed General Motors 1.6L Euro 6 diesel engine has been modified so that the intake and exhaust manifolds are integrated in the cylinder head.

A methodology for an efficient failure prediction of automotive steel wheels during fatigue experimental tests is proposed. The strategy joins the CDTire simulative package effectiveness to a specific wheel finite element model in order to deeply monitor the stress distribution among the component to predict damage. The numerical model acts as a Software-in-the-loop and it is calibrated with experimental data. The developed tool, called VirtualWheel, can be applied for the optimisation of design reducing prototyping and experimental test costs in the development phase. In the first section, the failure criterion is selected. In the second one, the conversion of hardware test-rig into virtual model is described in detail by focusing on critical aspects of finite element modelling. In conclusion, failure prediction is compared with experimental test results.

The paper deals with the design and manufacturing of a McPherson suspension arm made from short glass fiber reinforced polyamide (PA66). The design of the arm and the design of the molds have been made jointly. According to Industry 4.0 paradigms, a full digitalization of both the product and process has been performed. Since the mechanical behavior of the suspension arm strongly depends on constraints which are difficult to be modelled, a simpler structure with well-defined mechanical constraints has been developed. By means of such simple structure, the model for the behavior of the material has been validated. Since the suspension arm is a hybrid structure, the associated simple structure is hybrid as well, featuring a metal sheet with over-molded polymer. The issues referring to material flow, material to material contact, weld lines, fatigue strength, high and low temperature behavior, creep, dynamic strength have been investigated on the simple structure.

Steer by wire (SbW) system is examined, considering the positive effects of the lack of direct mechanical connection between steering wheel and rack. SbW system's steering wheel has to generate a resistant torque which adds to the friction one. Such torque must be felt as natural by the average driver and carry information about vehicle dynamic condition. System prototype is obtained from a classical steering system. Steering wheel is linked to a brushless 12V DC current electric motor designed to develop resistance torque, after steering column is removed, triple stadium planetary gear is necessary to increase the torque output. A hardware in the loop test bench is realized in order to test feedback torque generation and steering wheel efficiency influence on vehicle behaviour. Steering wheel is fixed to the bench and its rotation acquired by an optic encoder. Steering wheel angle is used as input for a ten degrees of freedom vehicle model through an acquisition data board.

The first step toward a braking system ‘by wire’ is Electro-Hydraulic Braking System (EHB). The paper describes a method to evaluate through virtual experimentation the actual improvement in vehicle behaviour, from the point of view of both handling and comfort, including also pedal feeling, due to EHB. The first step consisted in modelling the hydraulic unit, comprehensive of sensors. Then it was conceived a control logic devoted to medium-low intensity braking manoeuvres, without ABS intervention, to determine an optimal braking force distribution and pedal feeling depending on the manoeuvre. A failsafe strategy, complete of on board diagnosis, to prevent dangerous system behaviour in the eventuality of a component failure was carried out and tested. Finally, EHB wheel pressure sensors were used to improve both ABS performance, increasing the adherence estimation, and Vehicle Dynamics Control (VDC) performance, through a more precise actuation.

A fuel-cell-based system's performance is mainly identified in the overall efficiency, strongly depending on the amount of power losses due to auxiliary devices to supply. In such a situation, everything that causes either a decrease of the available power output or an increment of auxiliary losses would determine a sensible overall efficiency reduction.

The paper presents a diaphragm spring clutch linear thermal model. The main model aim was to estimate the temperature on the clutch disc slipping surfaces. That objective was pursued through a linear model to overcome the memory and computing time problems required by models with a more complex structure. The model parameters were experimentally identified. The model was validated employing a test bench, considering shift transient different as far as energy dissipated, clutch disc wear, frequency of shifting, gearbox temperature. The model structure, the methodology adopted to identify the model parameters, the experimental results obtained are presented and discussed.

The paper presents an experimental study to investigate the relationships among diaphragm spring clutch transmitted torque, thermal phenomena during clutch engagement and clutch wear. The work describes the development of a test bench presented by the Authors in a former paper. The original techniques were developed to measure the desired magnitudes and to develop the experimental methodology to investigate the relationships. The main results were obtained considering different operating conditions, dynamics of thermal phenomena and clutch wear.

The aim of this paper is to study in deep the peculiar test-rigs and experimental procedures adopted to the fulfilment of the principal requirements of automotive steel wheels, in particular regarding fatigue damaging. In the discussion, the standard requirements, the OEM specifications and the dimensional and geometric tolerances are approached. As result of an increasingly necessity to improve the performance of the components, innovative virtual test benches are presented. Differently from their traditional precursors, virtual test-rigs give an extended view of the physical behaviour of the component as the possibility to monitor stress-strain distribution in deep. In the first section, the state of the art and the specifications are listed. Secondly, the adopted hardware test-rigs as the experimental tests are described in detail. In the third one, proposed virtual test-rig is discussed.

The detection and evaluation of damage in composite materials components is one of the main concerns for automotive engineers. It is acknowledged that defects appeared in the manufacturing stage or due to the impact and/or fatigue loads can develop along the vehicle riding. To avoid an unexpected failure of structural components, engineers ask for cheap methodologies assessing the health state of composite parts by means of continuous monitoring. Non Destructive Technique (NDT) for the damage assessment of composite structures are nowadays common and accurate, but an on-line monitoring requires properties as low cost, small size and low power that do not belong to common NDT. The presence of a damage in composite materials, either due to fatigue cycling or low-energy impact, leads to progressive degradation of elastic moduli and strengths.

Fuel cells are considered one of the promising technologies as possible replacement of Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) for the transportation sector due to their high efficiency, ultra-low (or zero) emissions and for the higher drive range. The Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) is what mainly influences the Fuel Cell FC performance, durability, and cost. In PEMFC the proton conductivity of the membrane is a function of the humidification level of the FC membrane, hence the importance of keeping the membrane properly humidified to achieve the best possible fuel cell performance. To have the optimal water content inside the fuel cell’s membrane several strategies could be adopted, dealing with the use of external device (such as membrane humidifier) or to adopt an optimal set of parameters (gas flow rate and temperature for example) to use the water produced at fuel cell cathode as humidity source. The aim of this paper is to study the behavior of a FC vehicle humidification system.

In the last years, the design in the automotive sector is mainly led by emission reduction and circular economy. To satisfy the first perspective, composites materials are being increasingly used to produce lightweight structural and semi-structural components. However, the automotive mass production arises the problem of the end-of-life disposal of the vehicle and the reduction of the wastes environmental impact. The circular economy of the composite materials has therefore become a challenge of primary importance for car manufacturers and tier 1 suppliers. It is necessary to pursue a different economic model, combining traditional raw materials with the intensive use of materials from recycling processes. New technologies are being studied and developed concerning the reuse of in-line production scraps with out-of-autoclave process that makes them desirable for high production rate applications.