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Spark ignition knock is highly sensitive to changes in intake air temperature. Hot surface temperatures due to ceramic thermal barrier coatings increase knock propensity by elevating the incoming air temperature, thus mitigating the positive impacts of low heat transfer losses by requiring spark retard to avoid knock. Low thermal inertia coatings (i.e. Temperature swing coatings) have been proposed as a means of reducing or eliminating the open cycle charge heating penalty of traditional TBCs through a combination of low thermal conductivity and low volumetric heat capacity materials. However, in order to achieve a meaningful gain in efficiency, a significant fraction of the combustion chamber must be coated. In this study, a coated piston and intake and exhaust valves with coated combustion faces, backsides, and stems are installed in a single-cylinder research engine to evaluate the effect of high coated fractions of the combustion chamber in a knock-sensitive architecture.

Multi-material design is one of the trending methods for automakers to achieve lightweighting cost-efficiently and meet stringent regulations and fuel efficiency concerns. Motivated by this trend, the hybrid single-shot (HSS) process has been recently introduced to manufacture thermoset-thermoplastic composites in one single integrated operation. Although this integration is beneficial in terms of reducing the cycle time, production cost, and manufacturing limitations associated with such hybrid structures, it increases the process complexity due to the simultaneous filling, forming, curing, and bonding actions occurring during the process. To overcome this complexity and have a better understanding on the interaction of these physical events, a quick yet accurate simulation of the HSS process based on an experimentally calibrated numerical approach is presented here to elucidate the effect of different process settings on the final geometry of the hybrid part.

Compared to traditional materials, carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CRFPs) have allowed designers to design stiff, light-weight structures, but at the cost of increased complexity in the design process. In this paper, the automation and optimization of the composite design process and how it affects design space exploration are evaluated. Specifically investigated is the design process for CFRP sandwich structures using the third-party optimization software modeFRONTIER. For given surface geometry and load cases, the approach aims to explore the Pareto frontier for the minimization of mass while constraining stiffness parameters. In this approach, the problem is framed as a single integrated optimization problem. In each optimization iteration, this method updates the CAD geometry and discretization of plies across the structure before exporting the model for Finite Element Analysis (FEA).

Vehicle lightweighting has been a constant theme of research at numerous Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM’s) as it provides one of the best opportunities for improving fuel efficiency. In this regard, the Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technology Office set a challenge to lightweight a fully assembled driver’s side front door by at least 42.5% with the cost constraint of a maximum $5 increase for every pound saved. A baseline door of an OEM’s 2014 mid-size SUV was selected, and an integrated design, analysis, and optimization approach was implemented to meet this goal. The ultra-lightweight door design had to meet or exceed the fit & function and mechanical performance (static and dynamic) of the baseline door while being suitable for mass production. The design strategy involved parts consolidation, and multi-material distribution to enable mass reduction without compromising the fit and functional requirements.

The ever-growing concern to reduce the impact of transportation systems on environment has pushed automotive industry towards fuel-efficient and sustainable solutions. While several approaches have been used to improve fuel efficiency, the light-weighting of automobile components has proven broadly effective. A substantial effort is devoted to lightweighting body-in-white which contributes ~35% of total weight of vehicle. Closure systems, however, have been often overlooked. Closure systems are extremely important as they account for ~ 50% of structural mass and have a very diverse range of requirements, including crash safety, durability, strength, fit, finish, NVH, and weather sealing. To this end, a carbon fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite door is being designed for an OEM’s mid-size SUV, that enables 42.5% weight reduction. In this work, several novel composite door assembly designs were developed by using an integrated design, analysis and optimization approach.

In-cylinder surface temperature is of heightened importance for Homogeneous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI) combustion since the combustion mechanism is thermo-kinetically driven. Thermal Barrier Coatings (TBCs) selectively manipulate the in-cylinder surface temperature, providing an avenue for improving thermal and combustion efficiency. A surface temperature swing during combustion/expansion reduces heat transfer losses, leading to more complete combustion and reduced emissions. At the same time, achieving a highly dynamic response sidesteps preheating of charge during intake and eliminates the volumetric efficiency penalty. The magnitude and temporal profile of the dynamic surface temperature swing is affected by the TBC material properties, thickness, morphology, engine speed, and heat flux from the combustion process. This study follows prior work of authors with Yttria Stabilized Zirconia, which systematically engineered coatings for HCCI combustion.

Spark-assisted compression ignition (SACI) leverages flame propagation to trigger autoignition in a controlled manner. The autoignition event is highly sensitive to several parameters, and thus, achieving SACI in production demands a high tolerance to variations in conditions. Limited research is available to quantify the combustion response of SACI to these variations. A simulation study is performed to establish trends, limits, and control implications for SACI combustion over a wide range of conditions. The operating space was evaluated with a detailed chemical kinetics model. Key findings were synthesized from these results and applied to a 1-D engine model. This model identified performance characteristics and potential actuator positions for a production-viable SACI engine. This study shows charge preparation is critical and can extend the low-load limit by strengthening flame propagation and the high-load limit by reducing ringing intensity.

Tensile behavior of advanced high strength steel (AHSS) grades with strengths up to 980 MPa has been extensively studied. However, limited data is found in literature on the tensile behavior of steels with tensile strengths of the order of 1180 MPa, especially at nominal strain rates up to 500/s. This paper examines tensile flow behavior to fracture of four different 1180 MPa grade steels at strain rates of 0.005/s, 0.5/s, 5/s, 50/s and 500/s using an experimental methodology that combines a servo-hydraulic tester and high speed digital image correlation. Even though the strength increase with the strain rate is consistent between the four different materials, the total elongation increase with the strain rate varies widely. Some insights as to why this occurs from examination of the steel microstructure and variation of retained austenite with strain are offered.

An experimental study was conducted on a Ricardo Hydra single-cylinder light-duty diesel research engine. Start of Injection (SOI) timing sweeps from -350 deg aTDC to -210 deg aTDC were performed on a total number of five pistons including two baseline metal pistons and three coated pistons to investigate the effects of thick thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on the efficiency and emissions of low-temperature combustion (LTC). A fuel with a high latent heat of vaporization, wet ethanol, was chosen to eliminate the undesired effects of thick TBCs on volumetric efficiency. Additionally, the higher surface temperatures of the TBCs can be used to help vaporize the high heat of vaporization fuel and avoid excessive wall wetting. A specialized injector with a 60° included angle was used to target the fuel spray at the surface of the coated piston.

Automotive and truck manufacturers are introducing electric propulsion systems into their ground vehicles to reduce fossil fuel consumption and harmful tailpipe emissions. The mobility shift to electric motors requires a compact thermal management system that can accommodate heat dissipation demands with minimum energy consumption in a confined space. An innovative cooling system design, emphasizing passive cooling methods coupled with a small liquid system, using a thermal bus architecture has been explored. The laboratory experiment features an emulated electric motor interfaced to a thermal cradle and multiple heat rejection pathways to evaluate the transfer of generated heat to the ambient surroundings. The thermal response of passive (e.g., carbon fiber, high thermal conductivity material, thermosyphon) and active cooling systems are investigated for two operating scenarios.

Automotive drive-by-wire systems have enabled greater mobility options for individuals with physical disabilities. To further expand the driving paradigm, a need exists to consider an alternative vehicle steering mechanism to meet specific needs and constraints. In this study, a cellphone steering controller was investigated using a fixed-base driving simulator. The cellphone incorporated the direction control of the vehicle through roll motion, as well as the brake and throttle functionality through pitch motion, a design that can assist disabled drivers by excluding extensive arm and leg movements. Human test subjects evaluated the cellphone with conventional vehicle control strategy through a series of roadway maneuvers. Specifically, two distinctive driving situations were studied: a) obstacle avoidance test, and b) city road traveling test. A conventional steering wheel with self-centering force feedback tuning was used for all the driving events for comparison.

Capacitance sensing is the technology that detects the presence of nearby objects by measuring the change in capacitance. A change in capacitance is triggered either by a change in dielectric constant, area of overlap or distance of separation between the electrodes of the capacitor. It is a technology that finds wide use in applications such as touch screens, proximity sensing etc. Drawing motivation from such applications, this paper investigates how capacitive sensing can be employed to detect the presence and posture of occupants inside vehicles. Compared to existing solutions, the proposed approach is low-cost, easy to deploy and highly efficient. The sensing system consists of a capacitance-sensing mat that is embedded with copper foils and an associated sensing circuitry. Inside the mat the foils are arranged in rows and columns to form several touch-nodes across the surface of the mat.

Fuel efficiency improvement in automobiles has been a topic of great interest over the past few years, especially with the introduction of the new CAFE 2025 standards. Although there are multiple ways of improving the fuel efficiency of an automobile, lightweighting is one of the most common approaches taken by many automotive manufacturers. Lightweighting is even more significant in electric vehicles as it directly affects the range of the vehicle. Amidst this context of lightweighting, the use of composite materials as alternatives to metals has been proven in the past to help achieve substantial weight reduction. The focus of using composites for weight reduction has however been typically limited to major structural components, such as BiW and closures, due to high material costs. Secondary structural components which contribute approximately 30% of the vehicle weight are usually neglected by these weight reduction studies.

Adiabatic heating during plastic straining can slow the diffusionless shear transformation of austenite to martensite in steels that exhibit transformation induced plasticity (TRIP). However, the extent to which the transformation is affected over a strain rate range of relevance to automotive stamping and vehicle impact events is unclear for most third-generation advanced high strength TRIP steels. In this study, an 1180MPa minimum tensile strength TRIP steel with carbide-free bainite is evaluated by measuring the variation of retained austenite volume fraction (RAVF) in fractured tensile specimens with position and strain. This requires a combination of servo-hydraulic load frame instrumented with high speed stereo digital image correlation for measurement of strains and ex-situ synchrotron x-ray diffraction for determination of RAVF in fractured tensile specimens.

The ability to independently transfer into and out of a vehicle is essential for many wheelchair users to achieve driving independence. The purpose of the current study is to build upon the previous exploratory study that investigated the transfer strategies of wheelchair users by observing YouTube videos. This observational study videotaped five wheelchair users transferring from their wheelchairs into two research vehicles, a small and mid-size sedan that were equipped with a 50mm grid. The goal of this study was to use these videos and vehicle grids to precisely identify ingress and egress motions as well as “touch points” in a controlled setting with a small sample of five male wheelchair users. Using the videos from multiple different camera perspectives, the participants’ ingress and egress transfers were coded, documenting the touch points and step-by-step action sequences.

The advancements in automation, big data computing and high bandwidth networking has expedited the realization of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). IIoT has made inroads into many sectors including automotive, semiconductors, electronics, etc. Particularly, it has created numerous opportunities in the automotive manufacturing sector to realize the new aura of platform concepts such as smart material flow control. This paper provides a thought provoking application of IIoT in automotive composites body shop. By creating a digital twin for every physical part, we no longer need to adhere to the conventional manufacturing processes and layouts, thus opening up new opportunities in terms of equipment and space utilization. The century-old philosophy of the assembly line might not be the best layout for vehicle manufacturing, thus proposing a novel assembly grid layout inspired from a colony of ants working to accomplish a common goal.

Fracture strain data provide essential information for material selection and serve as an important failure criterion in computer simulations of crash events. Traditionally, the fracture strain was measured by evaluating the thinning at fracture using tools such as a microscope or a point micrometer. In the recent decades, digital image correlation (DIC) has evolved as an advanced optical technique to record full-field strain history of materials during deformation. Using this technique, a complete set of the fracture strains (including major, minor, and thickness strains) can be approximated for the material. However, results directly obtained from the DIC can be dependent on the experiment setup and evaluation parameters, which potentially introduce errors to the reported values.

This paper presents development of a multi-scale material model for a 980 MPa grade transformation induced plasticity (TRIP) steel, subject to a two-step quenching and partitioning heat treatment (QP980), based on integrated computational materials engineering principles (ICME Model). The model combines micro-scale material properties defined by the crystal plasticity theory with the macro-scale mechanical properties, such as flow curves under different loading paths. For an initial microstructure the flow curves of each of the constituent phases (ferrite, austenite, martensite) are computed based on the crystal plasticity theory and the crystal orientation distribution function. Phase properties are then used as an input to a state variable model that computes macro-scale flow curves while accounting for hardening caused by austenite transformation into martensite under different straining paths.

In the next 20 years fully autonomous vehicles are expected to be in the market. The advance on their development is creating paradigm shifts on different automotive related research areas. Vehicle interiors design and human vehicle interaction are evolving to enable interaction flexibility inside the cars. However, most of today’s vehicle manufacturers’ autonomous car concepts maintain the steering wheel as a control element. While this approach allows the driver to take over the vehicle route if needed, it causes a constraint in the previously mentioned interaction flexibility. Other approaches, such as the one proposed by Google, enable interaction flexibility by removing the steering wheel and accelerator and brake pedals. However, this prevents the users to take control over the vehicle route if needed, not allowing them to make on-route spontaneous decisions, such as stopping at a specific point of interest.

In modern passenger vehicles, A-pillar plays an important role in its passive safety by minimizing the deformation of passenger compartment during the crash. To meet various crash requirements, as well as sometimes due to demand of vehicle styling, A-pillar cross section of modern vehicles is generally wider. This wider cross section acts as an increased obstruction to the field of vision of the driver. It is considered detrimental for the safety of road users. The current work proposes an innovative design solution to reduce the obstruction angle due to an A-pillar. It also addresses the weight reduction objective. This is done by utilizing the noble properties of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP). Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymers (CFRP) offer flexibility for complex design. Due to high specific strength and stiffness, CFRP's are suitable candidate for design considerations presented in this study.