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In ever increasing demand to reduce the product cost and to increase the product durability and reliability, the use of simulation tools for identifying the optimum structural load paths for a given component is crucial. Translating these structural load paths into light weight components that are easy to manufacture is also very important. In this paper, the structural optimization methodology in new product development process was discussed. Application of structural optimization methodology and some strategies to reduce overall product cost and weight were also presented with structural optimization analysis case studies.

This paper describes recent progress in our program to develop an emissions technology allowing diesel engines to meet the upcoming stringent worldwide regulations for NOx. The Plasma Fuel Reformer (PFR) has the ability to rapidly convert diesel fuel (with air), to a hydrogen rich gas on-board a vehicle, which is then utilized to efficiently regenerate a NOx trap. We have made several advances on the PFR as well as on the NOx reducing system. The Plasma Fuel Reformer operating range has been extended by 120% up to 1.5 g/s fuel flow rate while retaining the high hydrogen and low soot characteristics. The plasma power consumption has been further reduced and the high voltage design has been made more robust. The T90 start-up time during regenerations has been reduced to less than 4 seconds. The NOx reducing system utilizes a novel algorithm for NOx trap regeneration that reduces the fuel penalty by 25% while increasing NOx conversion by 10%.