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“Spotlight on Design” features video interviews and case study segments, focusing on the latest technology breakthroughs. Viewers are virtually taken to labs and research centers to learn how design engineers are enhancing product performance/reliability, reducing cost, improving quality, safety or environmental impact, and achieving regulatory compliance. In the episode “Composite Materials: Advanced Materials and Lightweighting” (30:20), Molded Fiber Glass Companies, known for its deep involvement in the creative development of the molded fiberglass process for the Corvette, demonstrates the manufacturing of sheet molded composite for fiberglass parts. Tanom Motors introduces the Tanom Invader, a blend between an automobile and a motorcycle made exclusively with composite materials. Finally, Euro-Composites demonstrates the manufacturing of honeycomb core material made out of aramid paper and phenolic resin used in aircraft structures.

TERBAN® hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) is a specialty elastomer used in demanding engineering applications such as the automotive, heavy duty, and industrial markets. It has excellent combination of heat, oil and abrasion resistance in addition to its high mechanical strength, very good dynamic and sealing properties. This paper will present data on aging HNBR for five thousand hours in an aggressive and un-stabilized B30A biodiesel fuel blend (70% ULSD, 30% SME, and an aggressive additive package) and explore the effect of HNBR polymer properties and vulcanizate composition on the performance in such fuel blends. Presenter Victor Nasreddine

Since 2006 Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL) and the Pacific Northwest National Labs (PNNL) have conducted research of injection molded long glass fiber thermoplastic parts funded by U.S. DOE. At DOE's request, ACC's Plastics Division Automotive Team and USCAR formed a steering committee for the National Labs, whose purpose was to provide industry perspective, parts materials and guidance in processing. This ACC affiliation enabled the plastics industry to identify additional key research requirements necessary to the success of long glass fiber injection molded materials and their use in the real world. Through further cooperative agreements with Autodesk Moldflow and University of Illinois, a new process model to predict both fiber orientation distribution and fiber length distribution is now available. Mechanical property predictive tools were developed and Moldflow is integrating these models into their software.

Combustion engines are typically only 20-30% efficient at part-load operating conditions, resulting in poor fuel economy on average. To address this, LiquidPiston has developed an improved thermodynamics cycle, called the High-Efficiency Hybrid Cycle (HEHC), which optimizes each process (stroke) of the engine operation, with the aim of maximizing fuel efficiency. The cycle consists of: 1) a high compression ratio; 2) constant-volume combustion, and 3) over-expansion. At a modest compression ratio of 18:1, this cycle offers an ideal thermodynamic efficiency of 74%. To embody the HEHC cycle, LiquidPiston has developed two very different rotary engine architectures ? called the ?M? and ?X? engines. These rotary engine architectures offer flexibility in executing the thermodynamics cycle, and also result in a very compact package. In this talk, I will present recent results in the development of the LiquidPiston engines. The company is currently testing 20 and 40 HP versions of the ?M?

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.

Recent field data have shown that the occupant protection in vehicle rear seats failed to keep pace with advances in the front seats likely due to the lack of advanced safety technologies. The objective of this study was to optimize advanced restraint systems for protecting rear seat occupants with a range of body sizes under different frontal crash pulses. Three series of sled tests (baseline tests, advanced restraint trial tests, and final tests), MADYMO model validations against a subset of the sled tests, and design optimizations using the validated models were conducted to investigate rear seat occupant protection with 4 Anthropomorphic Test Devices (ATDs) and 2 crash pulses.

Dynamic impact test represent various automotive collision conditions. The impact testing recommended practice is intended to recognize the capabilities of autonomous vehicles while at the same time recognizing the vehicle fleet into which they are introduced will consist of non-autonomous vehicles for a considerable period of time. The scope of the document is to cover the range of impact conditions expected taking into account the capabilities of the vehicle and the impact testing technology now available for performance evaluation including virtual and physical testing.

This document describes a method for measuring deformations, and fragment distribution patterns during an impact between a soft or frangible projectile and a regular helispherical leading edge. The document describes the hardware, setup, and instrumentation required. In this test method a soft body projectile impacts a helispherical leading edge symmetric to the curvature and centric in the transversal direction. The ductile target is backup by a rigid adapter structure behind. The target must be sufficiently large so that the projectile flows around its curvature and induces an indentation. This test is intended for measuring the remaining plastic deformation of the target after the impact. The projectile breakup pattern data may also be captured during this test. The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are considered separate standards. The values stated in each system may not be exactly equivalent; therefore, each system must be considered as independent.

This document describes a method for measuring deformations from a normal impact between a soft or frangible projectile and clamped plate. The document describes the hardware, setup, and instrumentation required. In this test method a soft body projectile impacts a square ductile plate clamped on all four sides. This test is intended for measuring the remaining plastic deformation of the target after the impact.The values stated in either SI units or inch-pound units are considered separate standards. The values stated in each system may not be exactly equivalent; therefore, each system must be considered as independent. This standard does not address all of the safety concerns associated with its use. It is the responsibility of each user of this standard to ensure that any safety issues are properly addressed.

This document defines the Level 1 tests required for qualifying an artificial bird for certification testing of aircraft and aircraft engines. Level 1 refers to the lowest level of the test pyramid associated with the building block approach defined in the CMH-17 Composite Materials Handbook. The test pyramid consists of a sequence of 5 levels of testing, ranging from the most basic at the lowest level of the pyramid to the most complex at the apex. Typically the number of tests performed has an inverse relationship to the complexity of the tests. The building block approach is used for defining the tests required to qualify an artificial bird that would be accepted by regulatory agencies for certification testing of aircraft, including rotorcraft, fixed wing fuselages and engines, where bird strike testing is currently required. This document only describes the tests required for Level 1 of the test pyramid. Separate documents define the tests required at higher levels.

This specification covers resin-bonded glass fibers in the form of felted pads, flat or in rolls.

This specification covers resin-bonded glass fibers in the form of felted pads, flat or in rolls.

This specification covers resin-bonded glass fibers in the form of felted pads, flat or in rolls.

For over 30 years, field research and laboratory testing has consistently demonstrated that proper utilization of a seat belt dramatically reduces the risk of occupant death or serious injury in motor vehicle crashes. The injury prevention benefits of seat belts require that they remain fastened during collisions. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and SAE Recommended Practices set forth seat belt requirements to ensure proper buckle performance in accident conditions. Numerous analytical and laboratory studies have investigated buckle inertial release properties. Studies have repeatedly demonstrated that current buckle designs have inertial release thresholds well above those believed to occur in real-world crashes. Nevertheless, inertial release theories persist. Various conceptual amplification theories, coupled with high magnitude accelerations measured on vehicle frame components are used as support for these release theories.

This document provides recommended practices for impact testing of ground vehicle that are also aero-capable. The scope characterizes recommended impact testing taking into account the unique design characteristics involved in aero-capable ground vehicle

This specification covers one type of hot-melt, addition-type, polyimide adhesive in the form of supported film furnished in rolls or cut sheets.

This specification covers one type of hot-melt, addition-type, polyimide adhesive in the form of supported film furnished in rolls or cut sheets.