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Abstract The project of lean management is implemented in General Motors India Private Limited, Pune, India plant. The aim of the project is to improve manpower utilization by removing seven types of wastes using lean management system in kitting process. Lean manufacturing or management is the soul of Just-In-Time philosophy and is not new in Automobile manufacture sector where it born. Kitting area is analogs to the modern supermarket where required components, parts, consumables, subassemblies are kept in bins. These bins are placed in racks so that choosing right part at right time can be achieved easily. Video recording, in-person observation, feedback from online operators and other departments such as maintenance, control, supply chain etc. are taken. It is observed that the work content performed by current strength of operators can be performed by less number of operators. After executing this project, it was possible to reduce one operator and increase manpower utilization.

Abstract Based on the characteristics of high strength and modulus of carbon fiber-reinforced composite (CFRP), in this article, the CFRP material was used to replace the steel material of the automobile’s B-pillar inner and outer plates, and the three-stage optimization design of the lamination structure was carried out. Firstly, this article used the principle of equal stiffness replacement to determine the thickness of the carbon fiber B-pillar inner and outer plates, and the structural design of the replaced B-pillar was also carried out. Secondly, on the basis of the vehicle collision model, the B-pillar subsystem model was extracted, and the material replacement and collision simulation were carried out.

Abstract Truck platooning comprises a number of trucks equipped with automated lateral and longitudinal vehicle control technology, which allows them to move in tight formation with short following distances. This study is an initial step toward developing an understanding of the occupant injury risks associated with the multiple sequential impacts between truck platoons and roadside safety barriers, regardless of whether the crash is associated with a malfunction of automated control or human operation. Full-scale crash impacts of a tractor-trailer platoon into a concrete bridge guardrail were simulated for a specific Test Level condition according to the Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware (MASH) standards. The model of the bridge barrier was developed based on its drawings, and material properties were assigned according to literature data.

Abstract Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) has been used in automobiles as well as airplanes. Because of its light weight and high strength, CFRP is a good choice for making vehicle bodies lighter, which would improve fuel economy. Conventional metal bodies provide a convenient body return for electric wiring and offer good shielding against electromagnetic fields. Although CFRP is a conductor, its conductivity is much lower than that of metals. Therefore, CFRP bodies are usually not useful for electric wiring. In thunderstorms, an automotive body is considered to be a Faraday cage that protects the vehicle’s occupants from the potential harms of lightning. Before CFRP becomes widely applied to automotive bodies, its electric and electromagnetic properties need to be investigated in order to determine whether it also works as a Faraday cage against lightning. In this article, CFRP and metal body vehicles were tested under artificial lightning.

Abstract In recent years, several buses have ignited in some cities in China, causing numerous deaths and significant property damage. However, few research studies have been conducted to deal with such accidents. Therefore, in this work, a linear-shaped charge jet with rectangular cross sections was used to hew out evacuation routes for burning buses, and the parameter design for the shaped charge jet was improved according to asymmetry limitations and human tolerance. A numerical finite element simulation model of the behavior of a jet penetrating the jambs was established using ANSYS/LS-DYNA software. The asymmetrical characteristics of an arc segment in the structure of a rectangular-shaped charge were analyzed, in addition to the influence on the deviations of the jet penetration capacity and blast injuries to occupants caused by the side effects of detonation.

Abstract This study aims to take the first step in bridging the gap between vehicle dynamics systems and autonomous control strategies research. More specifically, a nested method is employed to evaluate the collision avoidance ability of autonomous vehicles in the primary design stage theoretically based on both dynamics and control parameters. An integrated model is derived from a half car mathematical model in the lateral direction, consisting of two degrees of freedom, lateral deviation and yaw angle, with a traction mathematical model in the longitudinal direction, consisting of two degrees of freedom, the longitudinal velocity and rolling velocity of the wheel. The integrated model uses a mathematical power train model to generate the torque on the wheel and connects the two systems via the magic formula tyre model to represent the tyre non-linearity during augmented longitudinal and lateral dynamic attitudes.

Abstract The mechanical efficiency of the current continuously variable transmission (CVT) suffers from high pump loss induced by a high-pressure system. A novel wedge mechanism is designed into the CVT clamp actuation system to generate the majority of clamp force mechanically. Therefore, the hydraulic system can operate at a low-pressure level most of the time, and the pump loss is greatly reduced to improve the CVT’s mechanical efficiency. Through dynamic analysis and design optimization, 90% of clamp force is contributed by the wedge mechanism and the rest of the 10% is generated by a conventional hydraulic system. The optimal design is validated through dynamic modeling using Siemens Virtual.Lab software by simulating the wedge clamp force generation, ratio change dynamics, and system response under tip-in conditions. After that, we built prototype components that target 70% of the clamp force contributed by the wedge mechanism and tested them on a transmission dynamometer.

Abstract The brake discs are subjected to thermal load due to sliding by the brake pad and fluctuating loads because of the braking load. This combined loading problem requires simulation using coupled thermo-mechanical analysis for design evaluation. This work presents a combined thermal and mechanical finite element analysis (FEA) and evolutionary optimization-based novel approach for estimating the optimal design parameters of the ventilated brake disc. Five parameters controlling the design: inboard plate thickness, outboard plate thickness, vane height, effective offset, and center hole radius were considered, and simulation runs were planned. A total of 27 brake disc designs with design parameters as recommended by the Taguchi method (L27) were modeled using SolidWorks, and the FEA simulation runs were carried out using the ANSYS thermal and structural analysis tool.

Abstract Gasoline particulate filters (GPFs) are important aftertreatment components that enable gasoline direct injection (GDI) engines to meet European Union (EU) 6 and China 6 particulate number emissions regulations for nonvolatile particles greater than 23 nm in diameter. GPFs are rapidly becoming an integral part of the modern GDI aftertreatment system. The Active Exhaust Tuning (EXTUN) Valve is a butterfly valve placed in the tailpipe of an exhaust system that can be electronically positioned to control exhaust noise levels (decibels) under various vehicle operating conditions. This device is positioned downstream of the GPF, and variations in the tuning valve position can impact exhaust backpressures, making it difficult to monitor soot/ash accumulation or detect damage/removal of the GPF substrate. The purpose of this work is to present a unique example of subsystem control and diagnostic architecture for an exhaust system combining GPF and EXTUN.

Abstract The non-pneumatic tire (NPT) has been widely used due to its advantages of no run-flat, no need for air maintenance, low rolling resistance, and improvement of passenger comfort due to its better shock absorption. It has a variety of applications in military vehicles, earthmovers, the lunar rover, stair-climbing vehicles, etc. Recently, the Unique Puncture-Proof Tire System (UPTIS) NPT has been introduced for passenger vehicles. In this study, three different design configurations, viz., Tweel, Honeycomb, and newly developed UPTIS, have been compared. The effect of polyurethane (PU) material nonlinearity has also been introduced by applying five different nonlinear PU material properties in the spokes. The combined analysis of the PU material nonlinearity and spoke design configuration on the overall tire stiffness and spoke damage prediction is done using three-dimensional (3D) finite element modelling (FEM) simulations performed in ANSYS 16.0.

Abstract Obstacle avoidance is an important function in self-driving vehicle control. When the vehicle move from any arbitrary start positions to any target positions in environment, a proper path must avoid both static obstacles and moving obstacles of arbitrary shape. There are many possible scenarios, manually tackling all possible cases will likely yield a too simplistic policy. In this paper reinforcement learning is applied to the problem to form effective strategies. There are two major challenges that make self-driving vehicle different from other robotic tasks. Firstly, in order to control the vehicle precisely, the action space must be continuous which can’t be dealt with by traditional Q-learning. Secondly, self-driving vehicle must satisfy various constraints including vehicle dynamics constraints and traffic rules constraints. Three contributions are made in this paper.

Abstract Potential collisions with oncoming traffic while turning left belong to the most safety-critical situations accounting for ~25% of all intersection crossing path crashes. A Left Turn Assist (LTA) was developed to reduce the number of crashes. Crucial for the effectiveness of the system is the design of the human-machine interface (HMI), i.e. defining how the system uses the calculated crash probability in the communication with the driver. A driving simulator study was conducted evaluating a warning strategy for two use cases: firstly, the driver comes to a stop before turning (STOP), and secondly, the driver moves on without stopping (MOVE). Forty drivers drove through three STOP and two MOVE scenarios. For the STOP scenarios, the study compared the effectiveness of an audio-visual warning with an additional brake intervention and a baseline. For the MOVE scenarios, the study analyzed the effectiveness of the audio-visual warning against a baseline.

Abstract This article presents a fault diagnosis approach for roller bearing by applying the autocorrelation approach to filtered vibration measured signal. An optimal Morlet wavelet filter is applied to eliminate the frequency associated with interferential vibrations; the raw measured signal is filtered with a band-pass filter based on a Morlet wavelet function whose parameters are optimized based on maximum Kurtosis. Autocorrelation enhancement is applied to the filtered signal to further reduce the residual in-band noise and highlight the periodic impulsive feature. The proposed technique is used to analyze the experimental measured signal of investigated vehicle gearbox. An artificial fault is introduced in vehicle gearbox bearing an orthogonal placed groove on the inner race with the initial width of 0.6 mm approximately. The faulted bearing is a roller bearing located on the gearbox input shaft - on the clutch side.

Abstract To reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from mobile air conditioning (A/C) systems, “U.S. Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standards” identified solar/thermal technologies such as solar control glazings, solar reflective paint, and active and passive cabin ventilation in an off-cycle credit menu. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) researchers developed a sophisticated analysis process to calculate U.S. light-duty A/C fuel use that was used to assess the impact of these technologies, leveraging thermal and vehicle simulation analysis tools developed under previous U.S. Department of Energy projects. Representative U.S. light-duty driving behaviors and weighting factors including time-of-day of travel, trip duration, and time between trips were characterized and integrated into the analysis.

Abstract ISO 26262 needs to be considered when developing safety-relevant E/E systems within the automotive industry. One part of the development process according to ISO 26262 is the derivation of the safety requirements for component functions. Here, one attribute of the safety requirements is the Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL). The ASIL at a component level can be determined using ASIL allocation and decomposition. Considering complex systems such as vehicle electrical systems, countless possibilities can be identified for how the ASILs at a component level can be assigned in line with safety goals. In terms of efficiency, manual assignment is not expedient. Therefore, an algorithm for automated assignment of the ASILs will be introduced which considers constraints based on a fault tree analysis. The function of the approach will be demonstrated using the example of a vehicle electrical system from an automated vehicle.

Abstract Inspection of Composite panels is vital to the assessment of their ability to be fit for purpose. Conventional methods such as X-ray CT and Ultrasonic scanning can be used, however, these are often expensive and time consuming processes. In this paper we investigate the use of off-the-shelf Non-Destructive Test, NDT, equipment utilizing Fringe projection hardware and open source software to rapidly evaluate a series of composite panels. These results are then verified using destructive analysis of the panels to prove the reliability of the rapid NDT methods for use with carbon composite panels. This process allows us to quickly identify regions of geometric intolerance or formed defects without the use of expensive sub-surface scanning systems, enabling a fast and cost effective initial part evaluation system. The focus of this testing series is on 6mm thick pre-preg carbon-epoxy composite laminates that have been laid up using AFP and formed using TRF.

Abstract Potassium titanate (KT) fibers/whiskers are used as a functional filler for partial replacement of asbestos in NAO friction materials (FMs). Based on little information reported in open literature; its exact role is not well defined since some papers claim it as the booster for resistance to fade (FR), or wear (WR) and sometimes as damper for friction fluctuations. Interestingly, KT fibers and whiskers (but not powder) are proved as carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). However, hardly any efforts are reported on exploration of influence of KT powder and its optimum amount in NAO FMs (realistic composites) in the literature. Hence a series of five realistic multi-ingredient compositions in the form of brake-pads with similar parent composition but varying in the content of KT powder from 0 to 15 wt% (in the steps of 3) were developed. These composites were characterized for physical, mechanical, chemical and tribological performance.

Abstract The use of nanomaterials and nanostructures have been revolutionizing the advancements of science and technology in various engineering and medical fields. As an example, Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) have been extensively used for the improvement of mechanical, thermal, electrical, magnetic, and deteriorative properties of traditional composite materials for applications in high-performance structures. The exceptional materials properties of CNTs (i.e., mechanical, magnetic, thermal, and electrical) have introduced them as promising candidates for reinforcement of traditional composites. Most structural configurations of CNTs provide superior material properties; however, their geometrical shapes can deliver different features and characteristics. As one of the unique geometrical configurations, helical CNTs have a great potential for improvement of mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of polymeric resin composites.

Abstract Disc pad physical properties are believed to be important in controlling brake friction, wear and squeal. Thus these properties are carefully measured during and after manufacturing for quality assurance. For a given formulation, disc pad porosity is reported to affect friction, wear and squeal. This investigation was undertaken to find out how porosity changes affect pad natural frequencies, dynamic modulus, hardness and compressibility for a low-copper formulation and a copper-free formulation, both without underlayer, without scorching and without noise shims. Pad natural frequencies, modulus and hardness all continuously decrease with increasing porosity. When pad compressibility is measured by compressing several times as recommended and practiced, the pad surface hardness is found to increase while pad natural frequencies and modulus remain essentially unchanged.

Abstract More than a decade ago, we proposed combined use of direct injection (DI) and jet ignition (JI) to produce high efficiency, high power-density, positive-ignition (PI), lean burn stratified, internal combustion engines (ICEs). Adopting this concept, the latest FIA F1 engines, which are electrically assisted, turbocharged, directly injected, jet ignited, gasoline engines and work lean stratified in a highly boosted environment, have delivered peak power fuel conversion efficiencies well above 46%, with specific power densities more than 340 kW/liter. The concept, further evolved, is here presented for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications. Results of simulations for a new DI JI ICE with rotary valve, being super-turbocharged and having gasoline or methanol as working fuel, show the opportunity to achieve even larger power densities, up to 430 kW/liter, while delivering a near-constant torque and, consequently, a nearly linear power curve over a wide range of speeds.