Search Results

Available methodologies for model bias identification are mainly regression-based approaches, such as Gaussian process, Bayesian inference-based models and so on. Accuracy and efficiency of these methodologies may degrade for characterizing the model bias when more system inputs are considered in the prediction model due to the curse of dimensionality for regression-based approaches. This paper proposes a copula-based approach for model bias identification without suffering the curse of dimensionality. The main idea is to build general statistical relationships between the model bias and the model prediction including all system inputs using copulas so that possible model bias distributions can be effectively identified at any new design configurations of the system. Two engineering case studies whose dimensionalities range from medium to high will be employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of the copula-based approach.

This paper presents the application of model predictive control (MPC) to DOC temperature control during DPF regeneration. The model predictive control approach is selected for its advantage - using a model to optimize control moves over horizon while handling constraints. Due to the slow thermal dynamics of the DOC and DPF, computational bandwidth is not an issue, allowing for more complex calculations in each control loop. The control problem is formulated such that all the engine control actions, other than far post injection, are performed by the existing production engine controller, whereas far post injection is selected as the MPC manipulated variable and DOC outlet temperature as the controlled variable. The Honeywell OnRAMP Design Suite (model predictive control software) is used for model identification, control design and calibration.

Downhill tests are widely used as a method of evaluation, development and validation of braking efficiency, friction pair durability, braking balance, as well as fade characteristics and recovery of friction material properties. This test procedure is used for both: passenger vehicles and light & heavy commercial vehicles. The energy levels in the brake system are higher on commercial vehicles and the thermal characteristics much more critical. Added to the fact that such tests are conducted on public highways, it has an intrinsic security risk for both the vehicle tested and all others around. Until a few years ago, it was still feasible to conduct tests downhill on different routes keeping a high security level. Given an increasing traffic on highways, where the test is currently carried out, a need to create a similar downhill procedure (called Guaporé Mountain Test) within a Proving Ground under controlled conditions has been noticed.

During the development of a new friction material, besides the interface between lining/drum is also fundamental take in account all aspects involving the attachment of the linings on the brake shoes. This paper presents an optimization approach to the development and manufacturing parameters of brake linings, applied on medium and heavy duty commercial vehicles, aiming to assure the correct specification of the riveted joint clamp forces. These evaluations were conducted based on the quality tools documents and the theoretical aspects of the product usage as well as the modeling of key elements of the referred mechanism throughout various known applications. A calculation methodology was developed based on brake geometry, its generated forces and braking reactions required for each vehicle family.

This work presents an application of airborne source path contribution analysis with emphasis on prediction of wideband sounds inside a cabin from measurements made around a stand-alone engine. The heart of the method is a time domain source path receiver technique wherein the engine surface is modeled as a number of source points. Nearfield microphone measurements and transfer functions are used to quantify the source strengths at these points. This acoustic engine model is then used in combination with source-to-receiver transfer functions to calculate sound levels at other positions, such as at the driver's ear position. When combining all the data, the in-cabin engine sound can be synthesized even before the engine is physically installed into the vehicle. The method has been validated using a powertrain structure artificially excited by several shakers playing band-limited noise so as to produce a complicated vibration pattern on the surface.

Modal parameter identification is used to identify those parameters of the model which describe the dynamic properties of a vibration system. Structural dynamic methods and technologies have been used with great success by the automotive industry. Experimental Modal Analysis is the process of determining the modal parameters (modes, natural frequencies, damping factors) of a linear, time-invariant system. One common reason for experimental modal analysis is the verification or correction of the results of the analytical approach. Another reason to extract the modal parameters experimentally is due to its use for future evaluations such as structural modifications. This paper presents the Experimental Modal Analysis of a car in trimmed body configuration which represents a complex system due to the systems attached to it, increasing its damping and measuring noise. Both frequency and time domain system identification methods are studied to obtain the main modes of the structure.

This paper proposes an approach to use ABS wheel speed sensor signals together with other vehicle state information from a brake control module to detect an unbalanced tire or tires in real-time. The proposed approach consists of two-stage algorithms that mix a qualitative method using band-pass filtering with a quantitative parameter identification using conditional least squares. This two-stage approach can improve the robustness of tire imbalance or imbalances. The proposed approach is verified through vehicle testing and the test results show the effectiveness of the approach.

A new diesel engine, called the 6.7L Power Stroke® V-8 Turbo Diesel, and code named "Scorpion," was designed and developed by Ford Motor Company for the full-size pickup truck and light commercial vehicle markets. The combustion system includes the piston bowl, swirl level, number of nozzle holes, fuel spray angle, nozzle tip protrusion, nozzle hydraulic flow, and nozzle-hole taper. While all of these parameters could be explored through extensive hardware testing, 3-D CFD studies were utilized to quickly screen two bowl concepts and assess their sensitivities to a few of the other parameters. The two most promising bowl concepts were built into single-cylinder engines for optimization of the rest of the combustion system parameters. 1-D CFD models were used to set boundary conditions at intake valve closure for 3-D CFD which was used for the closed-cycle portion of the simulation.

A new diesel engine, called the 6.7L Power Stroke® V-8 Turbocharged Diesel, and code named "Scorpion" has been designed and developed by Ford Motor Company for the full-size pickup truck and light commercial vehicle markets. It incorporates the latest design technology to meet 2010 model year emission regulations for both chassis and dynamometer-based certifications, and is compatible with up to B20 biodiesel fuel. The engine is an entirely new 90 degree V-8 design featuring inboard exhaust, piezo common rail fuel injection, a new dual compressor wheel turbocharger, and dual loop cooling systems. The 6.7L is Ford's first diesel engine designed for the North American pickup and light commercial truck market.

This paper proposes a novel algorithm. This algorithm is called Self-Organizing Fuzzy Neural Network (SOFNN). SOFNN revolutionizes how researchers apply control theories, image/signal processing on control systems and other applications. In general, SOFNN is an identification technique that automatically initiates, builds and fine-tunes the required network parameters. SOFNN evaluates required structures without predefined parameters or expressions regarding systems. SOFNN sets out to learn and configure a system's characteristics. Self-constructing and self-tuning features enable SOFNN to handle complex, non-linear, and time-varying systems with higher accuracy, making systems identification easier. SOFNN constructs and fine-tunes the system parameter through two phases. The two phases are the construction and the parameter-tuning phase. The two phases run concurrently allowing SOFNN to identify systems on-line.

The purpose of this paper is to make a preliminary assessment of the potential toxicity of compounds that might be emitted from diesel vehicles using urea/SCR technology. The use of urea as a reductant in the removal of NOx from the exhaust of diesel-powered vehicles has the potential to emit at least seven thermal decomposition products and unreacted urea from the tail-pipe. These compounds include: urea, ammonia, cyanate ion, biuret, cyanuric acid, ammelide, ammeline, and melamine. The toxicity data base for these compounds, in general, is poor. In addition, there have been few, if any, studies examining the inhalation route of exposure - the most likely route of exposure for people from vehicle exhaust. The measurement and identification of these compounds from the exhaust of urea/SCR- equipped vehicles is needed to prioritize the kinds of health effects studies required to understand the toxicity of these compounds.

The headlamp beam pattern development process contains both subjective and objective evaluations. The subjective evaluation, communication between the customer and the engineer, was developed in previous work [1][2]. This paper presents exploratory models used in the identification of objective photometric variables of a beam pattern that relate to the subjective impression of the beam pattern. Additional research will allow use of the photometric variables and their selected ranges for designing and evaluating beam patterns to achieve improved customer pleasing beam pattern driving experiences.

Many foams exhibit significant strain rate dependency in their mechanical responses. To characterize these foams, a strain rate dependent constitutive model is formulated and implemented in an explicit dynamic finite element code developed at FORD. The constitutive model is developed in conjunction with a Lagrangian eight node solid element with twenty four degrees of freedom. The constitutive model has been used to model foams in a number crash analysis problems. Results obtained from the analyses are compared to the experimental data. Evidently, numerical results show excellent agreement with the experimental data.

One of the major goals in the design of the new Ford Aeromax and Louisville heavy truck product line was to achieve competitive leadership in visibility. Market research found that visibility was an important issue to the heavy truck driver. Visibility is defined as both direct and indirect (i.e., the driver's ability to see with and without the use of supplemental vision devices such as mirrors) and both interior and exterior. The scope of this paper includes the work which was accomplished in evaluating direct and indirect exterior visibility and the resulting vehicle design which achieved Ford's leadership goals. Poor weather visibility and interior vision are beyond the scope of this paper. Polar Plots were the method of choice in the Aeromax/Louisville visibility studies. Industry acceptance of these techniques has been established in the recent approval of SAE J1750, “Evaluating the Truck Driver's Viewing Environment”.

Regulated and non-regulated emissions from five current European diesel passenger cars and one light-duty diesel truck were measured to assess the environmental impact of diesel vehicles and to help determine the emission characteristics of the two types of combustion systems: indirect injection (IDI) and high speed direct injection (HSDI). The vehicle emissions were measured using the European Motor Vehicle Emissions Group (MVEG) cycle and the U.S. Federal (FTP 75) test procedures. Measured emissions included HC, CO, NOx and particulate mass (PM), C1 to C12 hydrocarbon species (here called light hydrocarbon or LHC), aldehydes, particulate composition and particle size distribution. The particulate composition measurements included soluble organic fraction (SOF), its oil and fuel sub-fractions, and the sulfate fraction. All passenger cars and the light-duty commercial vehicle tested complied with the current European Emissions Directive 91/441/EEC.

Proving Ground cyclic testing was used to evaluate vehicles assembled with electrogalvanized and organic composite coated electrogalvanized steel. These same materials, along with several commonly available precoated steels, were also evaluated as hem flange assemblies on towed trailers at the Proving Ground. Testing was terminated as perforation of some of the assemblies occurred. Pitting depth was used to quantitatively evaluate metal loss.

THIS PAPER GIVES an overview of the aerodynamic development of a medium commercial vehicle. It deals with the setting out and achievement of the objectives of reducing aerodynamic drag as well as other aspects of aerodynamic design development such as engine cooling, heating and ventilating and sensitivity to side winds. Reference is made to measures taken to develop heater intake designs which are suitable for a low resistance vehicle with a fast attached flow over most of the forward surfaces. At the time of initial design studies, the Ford of Europe windtunnel in Cologne, West Germany, had not yet been commissioned and it was necessary therefore to adapt testing methods to suite the different windtunnels which were used at various stages of the development programme.

Structural system identification was applied to small sample problems and to large automotive structures. The technique combines mass and stiffness matrices from a finite element model with experimental mode shapes and natural frequencies to produce improved mass and stiffness matrices. In numerical experiments on small problems the procedure enabled us to identify regions of original finite element models where changes of model parameters were required to bring finite element predictions into better agreement with exact results. Also, node point displacements were calculated for small structures subjected to time-dependent sinusoidal loads, and it was found that predictions of displacements from “improved” models were more accurate than original finite element model predictions when forcing frequencies were within the range of experimental frequencies used with structural system identification calculations.

Splash and spray conditions created by tractor-trailer combinations operating on the Federal highway system have been studied and tested for many years with mixed results. Past events are reviewed briefly in this paper. In additional testing during 1983, using new state-of- the-art splash/spray suppressant devices, some encouragement was provided that these devices could work. The 1984 Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association (MVMA) test program was designed to develop practicable and reliable test procedures to measure effectiveness of splash and spray reduction methods applied to tractor-trailer combination vehicles. Over 40 different combinations of splash/spray suppression devices on five different tractors and three van trailer types were tested. The spray-cloud densities for some 400 test runs were measured by laser transmissometers and also recorded by still photography, motion pictures, and videotape. On-site observers made subjective ratings of spray density.

This paper discusses a motor vehicle noise source identification technique designed for use during the SAE J986a or similar drive-by test procedure. It provides, by application of the Fourier Transform, the capability to obtain a narrowband (9.8 Hz) frequency resolution over an extended frequency range (0-10,000 Hz) at the peak vehicle noise level, a particular RPM, or a particular vehicle location in the test zone. Other features include corrections for the Doppler shift, averaging of noise tests, and subtraction of spectra of two separate noise tests from a component disconnect/reconnect procedure. The above analysis, in conjunction with the noise source isolation resulting directly from the disconnect procedure, identifies the major vehicle noise contributors in terms of their respective amplitudes and frequencies.