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Fastener industry on fast track of change Technologies developed for fastening of metal aerospace parts are being transferred for bonding of composite parts. Moving toward sensor standardization One of the challenges facing aerospace developers is getting accurate test data from the many sensors used to monitor performance, simplifying setup and calibration. Wing design opens the envelope Technology presented at ACE describes a design process for a lightweight wing with an aerodynamic shape that is optimal for a large part of the cruise flight.

Sound sound-research techniques Higher bypass ratios, chevrons, shape memory alloys, and improved aerodynamics are some of the advancing technologies that will help quiet aircraft, and thus help the environment. Display technology perks up HUD, software make big strides in cockpit appearance and flight safety. Going green The global aerospace industry gears up for big changes in fuel burn, emissions, and noise.

A sense of safety Engineers are looking to combine radars of different ranges, cameras, and sophisticated controls to prevent collisions. Priming the green-car pump In a "perfect storm of opportunity," billions of dollars in federal funding are flowing toward next-generation, made-in-the-U.S. hybrid and electric-vehicle technology. Re-engineering the auto engineer The electrification of the vehicle is boosting demand for engineers with new competencies and skill sets. In Part 1 of this special two-part feature series, AEI examines why the industry needs to encourage and develop its most critical resource-people. Aerodynamics soar Automakers toil to minimize drag and maximize fuel economy.

The need for speeds The recent automatic-transmission introductions by Toyota, DaimlerChrysler, and ZF highlight the trend toward greater gear-ratio spreads for better launch performance and cruising efficiency. Mechanical advantage Ride and handling can be influenced and controlled by the latest electronics, but careful mechanical design of the suspension can deliver significant benefits. Hard drives Driven by the insatiable demand for more usable navigation information and entertainment content, automotive disk drives will become commonplace, but not until cost and other issues are overcome, experts predict. Trucks get aerodynamic touch Light truck and SUV designers must reconcile conservative customer tastes with the need for reduced drag to bost efficiency. Pedestrian protection possibilities Carmakers consider a variety of solutions to the problem of saving lives outside the vehicle.

North American concepts Cars and car-based crossovers took the concept-vehicle spotlight this year at the 2004 North American International Auto Show in Detroit last month. Renault F1 opens up The company has provided unprecedented access to its new Formula One racecar and surprisingly detailed information on its engine. Cleaner, safer, quieter Testing companies are working to improve equipment and procedures to better match real-world situations in an effort to help automotive suppliers and OEMs in development of future vehicles. Microprocessor requirements soar Networks and emissions control are driving the switch to more powerful 32-bit chips. Hondra brings the hydrogen economy closer The next generation of fuel-cell stacks from Honda offers more power from a smaller package, and a prototype solar-power refueling station delivers the hydrogen fuel. GM hybrid story on SAE Congress agenda General Motors Corp. sees several avenues to a hybrid future, a transit bus leading the way.

Toyota Prius: Best-Engineered Car of 2001 Following the Japanese introduction of the first-generation Pruis in 1997, the significantly re-engineered second-generation model features new technology to meet the demands of the Western market, including improved driving performance, lower emissions, and reduced costs. Introducing Niel Schilke, SAE President for 2001 General Motors' former top engineer in Canada brings a systems engineering mentality, along with high expectations, to the SAE presidency. Fuel cells start to look real It is looking more and more as if the fuel-cell-powered car--the long-awaited "clean personal transportation of the future"--is moving from laboratory vision to technical reality, if not yet market actuality. Fuel-cell testing Capabilities that deliver reliable monitoring and control, as well as offer the benefit of a flexible configuration, are critical to keep pace with evolving fuel-cell technology, according to National Instruments.

Product is king in North America As it does every year, AEI takes a look at automotive industry trends in the three major regions of the world, beginning in this issue with a look at the North American industry and how domestic OEMs and suppliers are shaping its future. Europe will be the focus in June, Japan in August. A powerful mix Traditional and not-so-traditional power sources will share the roads in North America as OEMs and suppliers continue to research and develop a variety of advanced propulsion technologies. Consumer research drivers interior trends OEMs are giving suppliers greater responsibilities not only for delivering vehicle interiors, but also for consumer research that leads to compelling interior designs. Body and chassis developments Advanced technologies are enabling light trucks and SUVs to close the ride, handling, and safety gap with passenger cars.

SAE Supermileage champ achieves 2158 mpg Teams of collegiate engineering students show pathways to amazing vehicle fuel efficiency inthe 32nd annual competition, making the top 10 meant beating 500 mpg! Engineer employment study reveals positive hiring trends A recent study from SAE analysts suggests that the future may be looking up for mobility engineers on the job hunt. Oklahoma's active Aero attack Students at the University of Oklahoma have spurred new ideas for aerodynamics development in Formula SAE with their newest wing package. SJSU grad, GM engineer receives Rumbaugh Award Rumbaugh Award recipient Randy Floresca says being involved with SAE was key to securing his current job. Electronics take the lead in the motorcycle race Bike-industry engineers are integrating electronic and electrical technologies in the quest for higher performance, more features-and zero emissions.

I was promised flying cars Though flying cars seem unlikely to become reality anytime soon, driverless vehicle technology is improving more quickly than you might expect. Quantum leaps toward world solar car title Armed with a dramatically lighter and aerodynamically cleaner racecar, the University of Michigan team likes its chances down under in the 2011 World Solar Challenge. Designing an aerodynamic undertray for a Formula style racecar Using CFD analysis, a master's student discovers an effective design for the undertray of a Formula SAE racecar. Hypersonic possibilities When it comes to reviving high-speed air travel, it all comes down to propulsion, propulsion, propulsion.

Tough on the inside Scratch resistance is paramount for interior materials-and is a particular challenge for parts made of polypropylene.

Undercarriage undergoes overhaul Caterpillar believes that a total revamp of its track-type tractors should trim operating costs by 30 to 70%. Machine control Off-highway equipment is being dragged along the technology curve toward autonomy. The diesel solution SAE 100 Future Look: The future of commercial vehicles is a subject that Navistar International focuses on every day. Emissions regulations uphold 'technological excellence' The automotive and transportation industries are some of the most regulated due to the strict emissions requirements in the development of diesel engines, which affect the future of all powertrains. Tomorrow's powertrain technology: 100 years in the making SAE 100 Future Look: The SAE's 100th anniversary has all of the engineering community reflecting on past accomplishments, as well as focusing on what will happen in the future.

The 24 vehicle aerodynamic papers in this technical paper collection cover topics such as cooling airflow, aerodynamic optimization and aero add-ons, transient flows and effects, and wind tunnel development and simulation tools.

The presentation describes the aerodynamic development and optimization process of the three different new models of the Audi A6/A7 family. The body types of these three models represent the three classic aerodynamic body types squareback, notchback and fastback. A short introduction of the flow structures of these different body types is given and their effect on the vehicle aerodynamic is described. In order to achieve good aerodynamic performance, the integration into the development process of the knowledge about these flow phenomena and the breakdown of the aerodynamic resistance into its components friction- and pressure drag as well as the induced drag is very important. The presentation illustrates how this is realized within the aerodynamic development process at Audi. It describes how the results of CFD simulations are combined with wind tunnel measurements and how the information about the different flow phenomena were used to achieve an aerodynamic improvement.

Silicones have been utilized in multiple industries in the last 50 years and their applications are still expanding as technology grows. Ice phobic coatings, as an example, have been utilized on lock walls, navigation channels, wind turbines, hydropower intakes, and aircraft. Without protection these applications have a high risk of failure in the functions they perform. For example, ice build up on an aircraft?s aerodynamic surfaces increases drag which reduces lift during flight operations. Utilizing a silicone ice phobic coating significantly reduces the adhesion of ice to aerodynamic surfaces. Compared to other polymeric materials, silicones are known for their broad operating temperature range and lend themselves to excellent performance in a variety of harsh environments. Especially in low temperatures where ice adhesion is a concern, silicones retain their elastomeric physical properties and low modulus.

The need for light-weighting of automotive structures has spurred on a tremendous amount of interest in and development of low cost carbon fiber composite materials and manufacturing. This presentation provides a description of the commercial carbon fiber concept compared to traditional aerospace and specialty carbon fiber products. A specific update is presented on the development and commercialization of new low cost carbon fiber based on lignin / PAN precursor technology. The second focus of the presentation is on carbon fiber composite manufacturing processes, including carbon SMC, RTM, prepregs, and thermoplastic processes. Advantages and disadvantages of these processes are discussed, especially related to low cost manufacturing. Presenter George Husman, Zoltek Companies Inc.

Scratch resistance is one of the most important customer requirements for automotive painting. Scratches occur as a result of a load being imposed on a paint film, which then destroys or deforms it. In order to improve the scratch resistance properties of clear coat, a specially developed molecular that act to accelerate closslinking reaction was added to the clear coat main resin. This developed molecular facilitates closslinking between multiple molecules and creates an unprecedentedly fine molecular structure. The result is a soft, highly elastic, and durable clear coat with improved resistance to light and acid as well as enhanced deformation recovery properties. It requires no special maintenance, prevents luster degradation caused by surface scratches and helps to prolong new-car color and gloss. Developmental Clear Coat is introduced into the flagship of the Lexus range - the LS as Self-restoring Coat in 2009. Presenter Junya Ogawa, Developmental Center

In this paper we present the results of full-scale chassis dynamometer testing of two hybrid transit bus configurations, parallel and series and, in addition, quantify the impact of air conditioning. We also study the impact of using an electrically controlled cooling fan. The main trend that is noted, and perhaps expected, is that a significant fuel penalty is encountered during operation with air conditioning, ranging from 17-27% for the four buses considered. The testing shows that the series hybrid architecture is more efficient than the parallel hybrid in improving fuel economy during urban, low speed stop and go transit bus applications. In addition, smart cooling systems, such as the electrically controlled cooling fan can show a fuel economy benefit especially during high AC (or other increased engine load) conditions.

The 28 papers in this technical paper collection cover the aerodynamics development of vehicles or vehicle subsystems. Many papers discuss the utilization of both experimental and computational tools during the development phase.

This collection features 12 technical papers that deal with aircraft design, design methods, aircraft design software; applied aerodynamics and stability and control to aircraft design; propulsion and performance; development of personal transportation vehicles and components, focusing on CTOL and VTOL hybrid flight vehicles, roadable airplanes and flying cars; and Computational Fluid Dynamics related topics. This collection features 12 technical papers that deal with aircraft design, design methods, aircraft design software; applied aerodynamics and stability and control to aircraft design; propulsion and performance; development of personal transportation vehicles and components, focusing on CTOL and VTOL hybrid flight vehicles, roadable airplanes and flying cars; and Computational Fluid Dynamics related topics.

The 32 papers in this technical paper collection discuss vehicle aerodynamics. Topics covered include vehicle cooling-drag, aerodynamic effects of different tire models, development of the Tesla Model S, experimental test facilities and adjustments, CFD validation and application, heavy truck aerodynamics, and more. The 32 papers in this technical paper collection discuss vehicle aerodynamics. Topics covered include vehicle cooling-drag, aerodynamic effects of different tire models, development of the Tesla Model S, experimental test facilities and adjustments, CFD validation and application, heavy truck aerodynamics, and more.