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This paper describes an analytical process for the design of a brake shoe assembly that consists of the linings, shoe table, webs, and rivets. One fundamental performance requirement for the brake shoe assembly is that the linings will not lose clamp force within the desired service life. Key elements of the analytical process involved developing an FEA model with given loading conditions and developing a mathematical model to study the influence parameters of the forces acting on the lining.

Nowadays, developing web (World Wide Web) engineering is considered to be a top priority task in many companies. A corporate web information center with broad coverage to support a company's worldwide engineering activities can make the product development and customer support more efficient. First, the archived, readily available product information, knowledge database, and user friendly engineering tools can ease up the more ever demanding engineering jobs. Second, the convenient information storage, retrieval systems and hyperlinks on the web should ensure effective communications among engineers, customers, and suppliers. However, without in-depth planning, the full benefits of web engineering cannot be realized. To be effective, other companion engineering programs must also be instated. This paper reviews the experience we have gained in utilizing web engineering for product development and customer support.

In recent years, several transit agencies have tested buses equipped with hybrid powertrain systems. It has been reported that hybrid powertrains have significant advantages over conventional diesel engine systems, in the area of emissions and fuel economy performance. Presented in this paper are engineering issues and suggestions from an auto component supplier point of view in the design of such a powertrain system. The particular system being considered consists of a downsized diesel engine, a generator, a battery package, two identical AC induction motors, and gearbox systems for the left and right driven wheels. The assembly is supported by an H-shaped suspension sub-structure uniquely designed to achieve the “ultra-low floor” configuration. Our discussion covers the system performance, as well as the durability issues. In particular, the presentation focuses on the durability and the design layout of the gearbox and suspension substructure.

Although the methodology of straight bevel gear tooth form generation has been known for quite some time, few references are available in the literature. Presented in this paper are the general numerical procedures of spherical involute and octoid tooth form generations. We have proven that a tooth form generated from the latter approach, by simulating the rotation of a crown gear, matches exactly with the one from the former approach of unwraping a wire from a base circle. The advantage of using general numerical procedures rather than closed form equations is the flexibility of generating both standard and modified gear tooth profiles. In making the forging die, the gear tooth form must be developed with considerations of both the theoretical optimal geometry, and the dimensional compensation for heat treatment distortion.

Welding has been used extensively in automotive components design due to its flexibility to be applied in manufacturing, high structural strength and low cost. To improve fuel economy and reduce material cost, weight reduction by optimized structural design has been a high priority in auto industry. In the majority of heavy duty vehicle's chassis components design, the ability to predict the mechanical performance of welded joints is the key to success of structural optimization. FEA (finite element analysis) has been used in the industry to analyze welded parts. However, mesh sensitivity and material properties have been major issues due to geometry irregularity, metallurgical degradation of the base material, and inherent residual stress associated with welded joints. An approach, equilibrium-equivalent structural stress method, led by Battelle and through several joint industrial projects (JIP), has been developed.