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An optimally functioning SLI (Starting Lighting and Ignition) battery is a primordial element in the unimpaired operation of an ICE vehicle. Designed to deliver the highest current momentarily during ignition, and not intended for deep discharge, these batteries have been observed to suffer from premature degradation, attributed to misuse and lack of maintenance. Focused on the cell chemistry, a wet-cell lead-acid battery’s degradation is initiated by the reduction of active electrode area through sulfation in each charge-discharge cycle. While the formation and dissolution of sulfate crystals is a normal phenomenon, in scenarios of deep discharge the formation and agglomeration of larger insoluble sulfate crystals reduce the cell capacity leading to overall poor reserve capacity and cold cranking ability of the battery.

Engine mounts are an integral part of the vehicle that helps in reducing the vibrations generated from the engine. Engine mounts require a simple yet complicated amalgamation of two very different materials, steel and rubber. Proper adhesion between the two is required to prevent any part failure. Therefore, it becomes important that a comprehensive study is done to understand the mating phenomenon of both. A good linking between rubber and metal substrate is governed by surface pretreatment. Various methodologies such as mechanical and chemical are adopted for the same. This paper aims to present a comparative study as to which surface pretreatment has an edge over other techniques in terms of separation force required to break the bonding between the two parts. The study also presents a cost comparison between the techniques so that the best possible technique can be put to use in the commercial vehicle industry.

The intensifying demand of cleaner fuelled vehicles considering current norms of BSIV and upcoming stringent norms of BSVI with low cost solutions has promoted the development of CNG and dual fuel vehicles. CNG vehicle is anticipated to discover its extensive use for environment fortification and effective deployment of energy capitals. Thus, CNG vehicles can be pretty effective in averting environment deterioration. CNG has low carbon to hydrogen ratio, this leads to very low CO2 emissions compared to gasoline and diesel vehicles. CNG engines have the potential of low NOx and particulate emissions. Natural gas vehicle development has been directed on the way to current use of direct injection and port injection with S.I. engines. Generally for low cost development, all OEMs prefer optimization of existing engines. Similarly for this project, a diesel engine was converted to S.I. engine for development of low emission CNG engine.

Many methods have been developed to evaluate the fatigue life of structures when the joints are as per ideal case. But if the joints are loosening, it leads to increase in loading on the other members which causes failures. Most commonly in commercial vehicle segment welding joint & bolting joints are most popular ones. It is very easy to find out bolts strength & loosening effect in static conditions. But when vehicle is moving (i.e. dynamic condition), same method cannot be used. For this we have developed methodology to predict the bolts loosening in dynamic condition using vibration data. Similarly, loading may differ on the structural members if the welds are failing in dynamic conditions. To overcome this problem, in our organization we have a solution. Of course to simulate welding failures fatigue analysis is mandatory. We are using notch-stress approach for evaluating the welding strength of the joint.

During the last few decades, concerns have grown on the negative effects that diesel particulate matter has on health. Because of this, particulate emissions were subjected to restrictions and various emission-reduction technologies were developed. It is ironic that some of these technologies led to reductions in the legislated total particulate mass while neglecting the number of particles. Focusing on the mass is not necessarily correct, because it might well be that not the mass but the number of particles and the characteristics of them (size, composition) have a higher impact on health. During the diesel engine combustion process, soot particles are produced which is very harmful for the atmosphere. Particulate matter is composed of much organic and inorganic composition which was analyzed after the optimization of SCR and EGR engine out.

Air Pollution is a major concern in our country due to which Indian Government has taken a decision to move from BS-IV to BS-VI which is nearly 90% reduction in NOx and 50% in particulate matter along with addition of particulate number regulation for BS-VI in comparison to BS-IV norms in very short span of time. Vehicle manufacturers are also having the challenge to produce low cost and fuel efficient product with BS-VI solution in order to meet tightening emission regulations and increasing needs of lower fuel consumption. Detailed study is done with different approaches to meet BS-VI emission which is elaborately explained in different aspect of engine design and after treatment parameter with its pros and cons. After Treatment selection plays an important role in engine development to meet stringent emission legislations and customer demands. Strategies for BS-VI were described with the advantage and drawbacks for after treatment selection.

Engine down speeding is rapidly picking up momentum in many segment of world market. Numerous engine down speeding packages from OEM have been tailored to take advantage of the increased efficiencies associated with engine down speeding. Running engine at lower rpm has numerous advantages. The most obvious of these is reduced fuel consumption, since the engine can spend more time running within its optimum efficiency range. By down speeding, the engine is made to run at low speeds and with high torques. For the same power, the engine is operated at higher specific load- Brake Mean Effective pressure (BMEP) which results in higher efficiency and reduced fuel consumption-Brake Specific Fuel Consumption (BSFC). The reasons for increased fuel efficiency are reduced engine friction due to low piston speeds, reduced relative heat transfer and increased thermodynamic efficiency.

At the time of invention of road coaches, the vehicle consisted only of an axle with wheels and a body attached. Smooth roads were built for a better ride comfort however they were not consistent. The road coaches were too bumpy and uncomfortable for the passenger along with the driver who was not able to control the vehicle. That's why the engineers had to shift their attention to the suspension system for a better ride comfort and handling. The technology has advanced with time so as the suspension system. Rubber ended type leaf spring is one of the suspension system types available in the industry. The main function of a suspension in order of importance is as below: 1 Acts as a cushioning device ensuring the comfort of the driver and passengers; 2 Maximizes the contact between the tires and the road surface to provide steering stability with good handling; 3 Protects the vehicle itself and any cargo or luggage from damage and wear.

The existing head cover is having external oil and blow by separation unit, which is not only costlier but also complex and leads to increase in overall height of engine which was difficult to integrate in new variants of vehicles. A new head cover has been designed with internal baffle type oil and blow by separation system to ensure efficient separation and proper packaging of the system in new variants. The new system has been finalized after 26 DOE’s of different wire mesh sizes and different baffle plate size and positions. The final system has two bowl shaped separation unit with wire mesh, two cup type oil separation passages and one baffle plate for separating blow by. The system works on condensation and gravity method. The blow by is guided through a well-defined passage integrated in aluminum cylinder head cover itself. The passage angle is maintained to ensure minimum oil flow with blow by.

Three on the tree, four on the floor. The gear change mechanism is a component that is too often taken for granted but it is one of the more important features of the vehicle. It must be quick and smooth in action, efficient and totally reliable. Modern driving conditions demand that the driver makes frequent gear changes and a mechanism that is temperamental or inaccurate can be both frustrating and dangerous as well as physically tiring. The gear changing mechanism starts, quite obviously, with the gear lever. Most stem from the fact that a gear lever must move in two planes, forward and back and then from side to side to move across the gear "gate". A good many drivers think of gear changing as one simple action. This is more a tribute to the design of gear changing mechanisms than a reality. There are multiple gear selector mechanisms that are available for use in commercial vehicle industry.