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On the path to decarbonizing road transport, electric commercial vehicles will play a significant role. The first applications were directed to the smaller trucks for distribution traffic with relatively moderate driving and range requirements, but meanwhile, the first generation of a complete portfolio of truck sizes is developed and available on the market. In these early applications, many compromises were accepted to overcome component availability, but meanwhile, the supply chain can address the specific needs of electric trucks. With that, the optimization towards higher usability and lower costs can be moved to the next level. Especially for long-haul trucks, efficiency is a driving factor for the total costs of ownership. Besides the propulsion system, all other systems must be optimized for higher efficiency. This includes thermal management since the thermal management components consume energy and have a direct impact on the driving range.

With the automotive industry's increasing focus on electromobility and the growing share of electric cars, new challenges are arising for the development of electric motors. The requirements for torque and power of traction motors are constantly growing, while installation space, costs and weight are increasingly becoming limiting factors. Moreover, there is an inherent conflict in the design between power density and efficiency of an electric motor. Thus, a main focus in today's development lies on space-saving and yet effective and innovative cooling systems. This paper presents an approach for a multi-physical optimization that combines the domains of electromagnetics and thermodynamics. Based on a reference machine, this simulative study examins a total of nine different stator cooling concepts varying the cooling duct positions and end-winding cooling concepts.

Homologation is an important process in vehicle development and aerodynamics a main data contributor. The process is heavily interconnected: Production planning defines the available assemblies. Construction defines their parts and features. Sales defines the assemblies offered in different markets, where Legislation defines the rules applicable to homologation. Control engineers define the behavior of active, aerodynamically relevant components. Wind tunnels are the main test tool for the homologation, accompanied by surface-area measurement systems. Mechanics support these test operations. The prototype management provides test vehicles, while parts come from various production and prototyping sources and are stored and commissioned by logistics. Several phases of this complex process share the same context: Production timelines for assemblies and parts for each chassis-engine package define which drag coefficients or drag coefficient contributions shall be determined.

As the market for electric vehicles grows, so does the demand for appropriate charging infrastructure. The availability of sufficient charging points is essential to increase public acceptance of electric vehicles and to avoid the so-called “charging anxiety”. However, the charging stations currently installed may not be able to meet the full charging demand, especially in areas where there is a general lack of grid infrastructure, or where the fluctuating nature of charging demand requires flexible, high-power charging solutions that do not require expensive grid extensions. In such cases, the use of mobile charging stations provides a good opportunity to complement the existing charging network. This paper presents a prototype of a mobile charging solution that is being developed as part of an ongoing research project, and discusses different use cases.

EU legislation provides for only local CO2 emission-free vehicles to be allowed in individual passenger transport by 2035. In addition, the directive provides for fuels from renewable sources, i.e. defossilised fuels. This development leads to three possible energy sources or forms of energy for use in individual transport. The first possibility is charging with electricity generated from renewable sources, the second possibility is hydrogen generated from renewable sources or blue production path. The third possibility is the use of renewable fuels, also called e-fuels. These fuels are produced from atmospheric CO2 and renewable hydrogen. Possible processes for this are, for example, methanol or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The production of these fuels is very energy-intensive and large amounts of renewable electricity are needed.

The issue of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the transportation sector is widely acknowledged. Recent years have witnessed a push towards the electrification of cars, with many considering it the optimal solution to address this problem. However, the substantial battery packs utilized in electric vehicles contribute to a considerable embedded ecological footprint. Research has highlighted that, depending on the vehicle's size, tens or even hundreds of thousands of kilometers are required to offset this environmental burden. Human-powered vehicles (HPVs), thanks to their smaller size, are inherently much cleaner means of transportation, yet their limited speed impedes widespread adoption for mid-range and long-range trips, favoring cars, especially in rural areas. This paper addresses the challenge of HPV speed, limited by their low input power and non-optimal distribution of the resistive forces.

Squeak and rattle (SAR) noise audible inside a passenger car causes the product quality perceived by the customer to deteriorate. The consequences are high warranty costs and a loss in brand reputation for the vehicle manufacturer in the long run. Therefore, SAR noise must be prevented. This research shows the application and experimental validation of a novel method to predict SAR noise on an actual vehicle interior component. The novel method is based on non-linear theories in the frequency domain. It uses the harmonic balance method in combination with the alternating frequency/time domain method to solve the governing dynamic equations. The simulation approach is part of a process for SAR noise prediction in vehicle interior development presented herein. In the first step, a state-of-the-art linear frequency-domain simulation estimates an empirical risk index for SAR noise emission. Critical spots prone to SAR noise generation are located and ranked.

Dampers (PDs) are passive devices employed in vibration and noise control applications. They consist of a cavity filled with particles that, when fixed to a vibrating structure, dissipate vibrational energy through friction and collisions among the particles. These devices have been extensively documented in the literature and find widespread use in reducing vibrations in structural machinery components subjected to significant dynamic loads during operation. However, their application in reducing vehicle interior sound has received, up to now, relatively little attention. Previous work by the authors has proven the effectiveness of particle dampers in mitigating vibrations in vehicle body panels, achieving a notable reduction in structure-borne noise within the vehicle cabin with an additional weight comparable to or even lower than that of bituminous damping treatments traditionally used for this purpose.

Design verification and quality control of automotive components require the analysis of the source location of ultra-short sound events, for instance the engaging event of an electromechanical clutch or the clicking noise of the aluminium frame of a passenger car seat under vibration. State-of-the-art acoustic cameras allow for a frame rate of about 100 acoustic images per second. Considering that most of the sound events introduced above can be far less than 10ms, an acoustic image generated at this rate resembles an hard-to-interpret overlay of multiple sources on the structure under test along with reflections from the surrounding test environment. This contribution introduces a novel method for visualizing impulse-like sound emissions from automotive components at 10x the frame rate of traditional acoustic cameras.

Gas bearings are an effective solution to high-speed rotor applications for its contamination free, reduced maintenance and higher reliability. However, low viscosity of gas leads to lower dynamic stiffness and damping characteristics resulting in low load carrying capacity and instability at higher speeds. Gas bearings can be enhanced by adding a foil structure commonly known as gas foil bearings (GFBs), whose dynamic stiffness can be tailored by modifying the geometry and the material properties resulting in better stability and higher load carrying capacity. A detailed study is required to assess the performance of high-speed rotor systems supported on GFBs, therefore in this study a bump type GFB is analyzed for its static and dynamic characteristics. The static characteristics are obtained by solving the non-linear Reynolds equation through an iterative procedure.

For electric vehicles, road noise, together with wind noise, is the most important contributor for vehicle interior noise. Road noise is very dependent on the NVH behavior of axle system including wheels and tires. Axle system is part of vehicle platform which should be compatible with different body variants. Therefore, il is important to characterize the NVH performance of an axle system independently of car body structure, so that the design the axle can be optimized at the early stage according to the global requirements of all the related vehicles. The best way to characterize the NVH performance of an axle system is to measure the blocked forces on an appropriate test rig. However, the measurement of blocked forces from an axle system requires very stiff boundary conditions which is difficult to achieve in practice. For axles with rigid mountings, it is nearly impossible to measure the blocked forces on test rig.

Despite being ubiquitous elements in aerospace structures, thin cylindrical shells’ catastrophic buckling response under axial compression has still remained an enigma. The recent advancements in theoretical and numerical studies aided in realising the role of localisation in shell buckling. However, the buckling being instantaneous made it unfeasible for the experimental observations to corroborate the numerical results. This necessitates high-fidelity shell buckling experiments using full-filed measurement techniques. Cut-outs are deliberate and inevitable geometrical imperfections in actual structures that could dictate the buckling response. Additive manufacturing makes it feasible to fabricate shells with tailored imperfections and study various conceivable designs.

Dimensional optimization has always been a time consuming process, especially for aerodynamic bodies, requiring much tuning of dimensions and testing for each sample. Aerodynamic auxiliaries, especially wings, are design dependent on the primary model attached, as they influence the amount of lift or reduction in drag which is beneficial to the model. In this study CFD analysis is performed to obtain pressure counter of wings. For a wing, the angle of attack is essential in creating proper splits to incoming winds, even under high velocities with larger distances from the separation point. In the case of a group of wings, each wing is then mentioned as a wing element, and each wing is strategically positioned behind the previous wing in terms of its vertical height and its self-angle of attack to create maximum lift. At the same time, its drag remains variable to its shape ultimately maximizing the C L /C D ratio.

A typical high-pressure hose assembly consists of hose made with synthetic polymer braids and Teflon tube crimped with metallic fittings. These hose assemblies are mainly used for aircraft landing gear application considering its high-pressure sustenance and better flexibility. The proposed study investigates the effect of thermo-mechanical stress generated due to cyclic soaking and flexibility testing at thermostatic subzero (-65°F) and high temperature (+275°F) on performance of high-pressure hose assembly. This effect is further studied through hose tear-down which was envisioned to investigate the hose layer degradation and focused on changes in inner PTFE tube, which ultimately leads to product performance issues. Keywords: braids, tear down analysis, thermo-mechanical, inter-layer abrasion.

Industries have been increasingly adopting AI based computer vision models for automated asset defect inspection. A challenging aspect within this domain is the inspection of composite assets consisting of multiple components, each of which is an object of interest for inspection, with its own structural variations, defect types and signatures. Training vision models for such an inspection process involves numerous challenges around data acquisition such as insufficient volume, inconsistent positioning, poor quality and imbalance owing to inadequate image samples of infrequently occurring defects. Approaches to augmenting the dataset through Standard Data Augmentation (SDA) methods (image transformations such as flipping, rotation, contrast adjustment, etc.) have had limited success. When dealing with images of such composite assets, it is challenging to correct the data imbalance at the component level using image transformations as they apply to all the components within an image.

In any aerospace mission, after the vehicle has taken off, the visual is lost and the information about its current state is only through the sensor data telemetered in real-time. Very often, this data is difficult to perceive and analyze. In such cases, a 3D, near to real representation of the data can immensely improve the understanding of the current state of mission and can aid in real-time decision making if possible. Generally, any aerospace vehicle carries onboard an inertial system along with other sensors, which measures the position and attitude of the vehicle. This data is communicated to ground station. The received telemetry data is encoded as bytes and sent as packets through the network using the Universal Datagram Protocol (UDP).  The transmitted data is often available in a very low frequency, which is not desirable for a smooth display. It is therefore necessary to interpolate the data between intervals based on the time elapsed since last rendered frame.

In the dynamic landscape of battery development, the quest for improved energy storage and efficiency has become paramount. The contemporary energy transition, coupled with growing demands for electric vehicles, renewable energy sources, and portable electronic devices, has underscored the critical role that batteries play in our modern world. To navigate this challenging terrain and harness the full potential of battery technology, a well-defined and comprehensive data strategy resp. knowledge management strategy are indispensable. Conversely, the imminent and rapid progression of artificial intelligence (AI) is poised to have a substantial impact on the forthcoming landscape of work and the methodologies organizations employ for the management of their knowledge management (KM) procedures. Conventional KM endeavors encompass a spectrum of activities such as the creation, transmission, retention, and evaluation of an enterprise’s knowledge over the entire knowledge lifecycle.

The automotive sector’s growing focus on sustainability has been spurred to investigate the creation of sustainable resources for different parts, emphasizing enhancing efficiency and minimizing environmental harm. For use in automobile flooring trays and underbody shields, this study examines the impact of injection molding on composite materials made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and Linum usitatissimum (flax) fibers. As processed organic fiber content was increased, the bending and tensile rigidity initially witnessed an upsurge, peaking at a specific fiber loading. At this optimal loading, the composite exhibited tensile strength, flexural strength, and elastic modulus values of 41.26 MPa, 52.32 MPa, and 2.65 GPa, respectively. Given their deformation resistance and impact absorption attributes, the mechanical properties recorded suggest that such composites can be efficiently utilized for automotive underbody shields and floor trays.

The analysis presented in this document demonstrates the mathematical model approach for determining the rotation of a door about the hinge axis. Additional results from the model are the torque due to gravity about the axis, opening force, and the door hold open check link force. Vector mechanics, equations of a plane, and parametric equations were utilized to develop this model, which only requires coordinate points as inputs. This model allows for various hinge axis angles and door rotation angles to quickly be analyzed. Vehicle pitch and roll angles may also be input along with door mass to determine the torque about the hinge axis. The vector calculations to determine the moment arm of the door check link and its resulting force are demonstrated for both a standard check link design and an alternate check link design that has the link connected to a slider translated along a shaft.

Understanding left-turn vehicle-pedestrian accident mechanisms is critical for developing accident-prevention systems. This study aims to clarify the features of driver behavior focusing on drivers’ gaze, vehicle speed, and time to collision (TTC) during left turns at intersections on left-hand traffic roads. Herein, experiments with a sedan and light-duty truck (< 7.5 tons GVW) are conducted under four conditions: no pedestrian dummy (No-P), near-side pedestrian dummy (Near-P), far-side pedestrian dummy (Far-P) and near-and-far side pedestrian dummies (NF-P). For NF-P, sedans have a significantly shorter gaze time for left-side mirrors compared with light-duty trucks. The light-duty truck’s average speed at the initial line to the intersection (L1) and pedestrian crossing line (L0) is significantly lower than the sedan’s under No-P, Near-P, and NF-P conditions, without any significant difference between any two conditions.