The material—hot deformed neodymium—is being used first in a new permanent-magnet traction motor powering Honda’s 2017 Freed Sport Hybrid compact minivan. Significantly, the material is not a “heavy” rare-earth metal, one that requires “doping” with dysprosium or terium rare earths to achieve high heat-resistance characteristics.
Semiconductors are tiny compared to the off-highway vehicles that carry them, but their thermal issues aren’t small. Keeping the sub-micron elements of a chip cool is a major challenge for the developers of electronic controls.
Mercedes-Benz has taken the wraps off its third-generation Sprinter light commercial vehicle, offering increased versatility, reduced operating costs and new levels of connectivity and technology.
Rhonda Walthall’s groundbreaking work has resulted in more than 90 airlines sharing data for nearly 3000 aircraft. And now, she’s spearheading the development of Ascentia, a new tool that’s built on the foundation of ASHM, integrates more data sources, and is cloud based to allow for the use of big data.
The Global 7500 business jet from Bombardier Inc. in Montreal appears to be on the fast track to entering service, thanks in large part to high-tech engineering design, simulation, and test tools. Bombardier engineers and officials are crediting the program’s extensive use of proven engineering tools, digital simulation, innovative ground testing systems for helping to ensure: a mature aircraft at the start of flight testing, an efficient flight validation program, test aircraft that exceed original performance goals, and completion of one lifetime of simulated flights, which exceeds the requirements at time of certification.
Aircraft orders exceed $95 billion in value and are complemented by roughly $3 billion in aircraft engine and engine service agreement contracts announced in the first two days of the 2018 Farnborough International Airshow. “The future starts at Farnborough; our exhibition halls are full of innovation that will shape how we fly, enabling us to go further, faster, and with less environmental impact,” says Farnborough International Commercial Director Amanda Stainer.
As the complexity of aircraft rises, it’s becoming more difficult to ensure that all the mechanical and electrical elements work together well. More and more companies are establishing data management schemes that enable design and manufacturing engineers to work more closely together.
Boeing collaborates with Assembrix to manage and protect intellectual property shared with vendors across its global supply chain for additive manufacturing.
U.K. Space Agency officials in Swindon, England, are partnering with Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Md., to execute several strategic projects to support the U.K. Spaceflight Program, with a goal of building its first commercial spaceport in Scotland and achieving its first vertical space launch in the early 2020s.
The race to build up an infrastructure for over-the-air (OTA) updating is heating up as suppliers go all-out to gain a spot in a field that’s expected to see momentous growth.
Standards development teams at SAE International in Warrendale, Pa., have issued 11 new technical documents and revised or reaffirmed another 54 technical reports focused on mobility engineering across the aerospace, automotive, and commercial transportation communities. The new documents, issued throughout June 2018, cover a variety of technical subject areas, including: diagnostic link connector security, mitigation strategies against illumination effects, data dictionary for quantities used in cyber physical exams, requirements for production of metal powder feedstock for use in additive manufacturing of aerospace parts, and laser powder bed fusion process.
Delphi Automotive on August 1 announced an extensive autonomous-vehicle pilot program in Singapore, aimed at demonstrating cloud-based fully automated mobility on demand (AMoD) capability “at the [SAE] Level 4 performance level” by late 2019.
Solvay Engineering Plastics, a global specialist in polyamide-based engineering plastics, has developed a new Technyl range for the demanding environment of automotive electronic applications.
The connected car’s emergence is as disruptive for insurance companies as it is for automakers. Usage based insurance (UBI) holds a major role in future plans, prompting insurers to partner with OEMs and create apps that provide services that make UBI more attractive to customers.
Nano Dimension Ltd., an additive electronics provider based in Ness Ziona, Israel, has developed the world’s first side-mounting technology for printed circuit boards (PCBs) produced through additive manufacturing (AM) or “3D-printing.” The side mounted designs allow for more functionality on circuit boards, which will impact Internet of Things (IoT) and Industry 4.0 applications where customized designs and shapes are a growing demand.
As part of its ongoing Wi-Fi 6 program, the Wireless Broadband Alliance (WBA) – an industry association focused on next generation Wi-Fi services and interoperability – is starting the world’s first Wi-Fi 6 Industrial Enterprise and Internet of Things (IoT) trial at Mettis Aerospace Limited’s (Mettis Aerospace’s) 27-acre West Midlands facility.
Kepler Communications, Inc.’s (Kepler’s) TARS six-unit cubesat – the company’s third satellite scheduled for launch later this year – will feature an innovative smart radiator device (SRD) designed to significantly optimize heat dissipation on communication satellites where environmental conditions have a big impact on transmission signals.