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The paper addresses three primary areas relative to Composite Springs: A basic primer on Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials and their application The core topic discussed is low profile, space efficient Chassis Systems driving the need for Transverse Composite Leaf Springs Longitudinal leaf springs as commonly applied to light trucks and trailers - advantages are highlighted Vehicle requirements will be rolled down to Subsystems and Components. At the component level the use of innovative, lightweight composite materials provides a significant advantage. Besides ensuring technical feasibility, implementation on high volume production vehicles is essential for competing with aluminum and steel materials. Within suspension, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) suspension links as well as lateral and longitudinal leaf springs made from Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) materials are capable solutions.

In spring 2001 ThyssenKrupp Gerlach GmbH has commissioned a new production line for manufacturing crankshafts. Although nearly automated packaging for shipping has to be done manually due to customer demands. The final layout of the corresponding workplace is based on a 3D man model (ANTHROPOS ErgoMax), which has been used for virtual design and evaluation. The ergonomic analyses of the preliminary workplace layout with the 3D man model showed serious problems when depositing the crankshafts. Therefore different workplace layouts related to this work element were developed, compared and rated. Finally the most ergonomic solution was found as a combination of height adjustment and a 180° turn of the transport containers to optimize working conditions. In addition vision analyses and studies where to position the controls were carried out using the man model.

Nowadays fully-flexible valve control is considered to be the most promising improvement measure for SI-engines besides or in combination with direct fuel injection. Engine producers investigate the readability of a huge variety of systems, but at present only simple systems are applied in production engines, which fulfil only a part of the requirements. Although hydraulic systems are very suitable for finding optimum valve control strategies, the advantages of mechanical systems for series requirements are obvious. Thus, after development of mechanical phase shifters and mechanical systems with up to three selectable valve lift curves, it seems to be logical to use the advantages and experiences with mechanical systems to realize a fully-flexible valve control as well. In this context a new mechanical valve gear called delta-st (delta-st = delta control) for continuous adjustment of valve lift, opening duration and phase angle was developed at the University of Karlsruhe, Germany.