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An early development vehicle experienced an unusually high rate of windshield breakage. Most breaks were identified as due to impact, but the severity of impact was low. It was reasoned that the windshield should possess a greater level of robustness to impact. Many theories were put forth to explain the breakage data. It was universally agreed that the unusual breakage rate could be due to only one condition, but its source was indefinite. The condition present must be tensile stress. One of three situations were considered regarding its source: 1) the tensile stress was present in the glass after manufacture due to improper annealing; 2) the installation of the windshield into the vehicle body put the glass into stress; 3) some combination of the other two sources. A gray-field polariscope was used to measure the stresses of the windshield from both the manufacturing process as well as the installation in the vehicle.

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) collaborated with Millennium Cell and DaimlerChrysler to study heat and water management in a sodium borohydride (NaBH4) storage/processor used to supply hydrogen to a fuel cell in an automotive application. Knowledge of heat and water flows in this system is necessary to maximize the storage concentration of NaBH4, which increases vehicle range. This work helps evaluate the NaBH4 system's potential to meet the FreedomCAR program technical target of 6 wt% hydrogen for hydrogen storage technologies. This paper also illustrates the advantages of integrating the NaBH4 hydrogen processor with the fuel cell.

The destruction of low concentrations (<600 ppm) of nitric oxide using a low-temperature, dielectric barrier/packed-bed corona reactor has been studied. We compare the chemistry and energy efficiencies observed using various packing materials in warm moist air under oxidative (lean-burn) conditions. Measurements of NO and NOx removal in the effluent gas were made as a function of energy dissipated in the reactor. Changes in the observed fate of NO as a function of the packing material are discussed.

The hole stretchability of two Aluminum Alloys (AA6111 and AA6022) are studied by using a two stages integrated finite element framework where the edge geometry and edge damages from the hole piercing processes were considered in the subsequent hole expansion processes. Experimentally it has been found that AA6022 has higher hole expansion ratios than those of AA6111. This observation has been nicely captured by finite element simulations. The main cause of differences have been identified to the volume fractions of the random distributed second phase hard particles which play a critical role in determining the fracture strains of the materials.

For the 2003 model year DaimlerChrysler Corporation will launch a totally new 5.7L V-8 engine for applications of the Dodge Ram pick-up truck. The new engine was created largely within a digital environment using the latest computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided engineering (CAE) techniques and tools. Utilizing a co-located team of design engineers, designers, and CAE engineers enabled the simulations to impact the design from program inception to the assembly line, saving program time and investment. This paper describes the successful merging of design and advanced analysis techniques by highlighting examples throughout the new HEMI® program. Case studies include issues in the areas of structural optimization, engine loading, lubrication circuit, cooling circuit, and manufacturing.

Automobile body and truck cab structures are composed primarily of stampings formed from monolithic and constant gage blanks. Cost and weight penalties can arise when strength or other requirements in one small area of the part leads to the use of a material or gage that is overmatched to the needs of the rest of the stamping. Tailor Welded Blanks (TWBs) are hybrid sheet products composed of either different materials or different thickness sheets that are joined together, then subjected to a stamping operation to create a formed assembly. The strategy is employed generally to save weight and material costs in the formed assembly by placing higher strength or thicker sections only where needed. The forming or stamping process requires the joint to be severely deformed along with the parent sheets. Aluminum TWBs for automotive applications are particularly problematic because of the low formability of aluminum weld metal.

The effect of hydroforming on the mechanical properties and dynamic crush behaviors of tapered aluminum 6063-T4 tubes with octagonal cross section are investigated by experiments. First, the thickness profile of the hydroformed tube is measured by non-destructive examination technique using ultrasonic thickness gauge. The effect of hydroforming on the mechanical properties of the tube is investigated by quasi-static tensile tests of specimens prepared from different regions of the tube based on the thickness profile. The effect of hydroforming on the dynamic crush behaviors of the tube is investigated by axial crush tests under dynamic loads. Specimens and tubes are tested in two different heat treatment conditions: hydroformed-T4 (as-received) and T6. The results of the quasi-static tensile tests for the specimens in hydroformed-T4 condition show different amounts of work hardening depending on the regions, which the specimens are prepared from.

Resonant frequencies of a resonant bending system with notched crankshaft sections are obtained experimentally and numerically in order to investigate the effect of notch depth on the drop of the resonant frequency of the system. Notches with the depths ranging from 1 to 5 mm, machined by an EDM (Electrical-Discharging Machining) system, were introduced in crankshaft sections at the fillet between the main crank pin and crank cheek. The resonant frequencies of the resonant bending system with the crankshaft sections with various notch depths were first obtained from the experiments. Three-dimensional finite element models of the resonant bending system with the crankshafts sections with various notch depths are then generated. The resonant frequencies based on the finite element computations are in good agreement with those based on the experimental results.

Sustained NOx reduction at low temperatures, especially in the 150-200 °C range, shares some similarities with the more commonly discussed cold-start challenge, however, poses a number of additional and distinct technical problems. In this project, we set a bold target of achieving and maintaining 90% NOx conversion at the SCR catalyst inlet temperature of 150 °C. This project is intended to push the boundaries of the existing technologies, while staying within the realm of realistic future practical implementation. In order to meet the resulting challenges at the levels of catalyst fundamentals, system components, and system integration, Cummins has partnered with the DOE, Johnson Matthey, and Pacific Northwest National Lab and initiated the Sustained Low-Temperature NOx Reduction program at the beginning of 2015 and completed in 2017.

We developed a non-destructive and non-contact method for measuring stress at the mid-plane of tempered glass plates that uses Bragg scattering from a pair of thermal gratings. These gratings are formed by 1064 nm beams from a seeded Nd:YAG laser and we measure the polarization state of light from a 532 nm beam that scatters from both these thermal gratings. The change in polarization of the doubly scattered light with separation between the two gratings allows measurement of the in-plane stress. Stress measurements are reported.

The performance of shunt piezo damping is demonstrated by adding damping to the first mode of a plate with the dimensions of 28 by 38 cm and thickness of 0.8 mm. A small 1 by 2 inch piezoelectric patch with the thickness of 10 mil is bonded to the plate at a location where strain due to the first mode of vibration is high. The peizo is shunted with a resistance-inductance (RL) circuit, tuned to the first resonance frequency of the plate at 38 Hz. The plate is excited at its first natural frequency and the power spectrums of the acceleration at the center of the plate with and without the damping treatment were measured. These measurements showed that the shunt piezo damping treatment tuned to the first mode added an appreciable amount of damping to that mode.

Significant efforts are underway in the automotive industry to reduce vehicle weight while maintaining performance and cost competitiveness. One such effort is the use of advanced high strength steels (AHSS) as the primary body materials method to meet weight targets using the existing automotive manufacturing infrastructure. Issues related to the stamping of AHSS are well known, and significant hurdles still exist for successful implementation. Due to material strength and mechanical behavior, springback is a major hurdle in forming AHSS. While working to form AHSS parts and reduce springback, press shops have encountered a new fracture type. The term shear fracture or local elongation has been loosely used to specify these fractures, which occur at part radii under low strains in multiphase AHSS. These fractures cause design limitations and manufacturing uncertainty.

The catalytic activity of selected materials (BaY and NaY zeolites, and γ-alumina) for selective NOx reduction in combination with a non-thermal plasma was investigated. Our studies suggest that aldehydes, formed during the plasma treatment of simulated diesel exhaust, are the important species for the reduction of NOx to N2. Indeed, all materials that are active in plasma-assisted catalysis were found to be very effective for the thermal reduction of NOx in the presence of aldehydes. For example, the thermal catalytic activity of a BaY zeolite with aldehydes gives 80-90% NOx removal at 250°C with 200ppm NOx at the inlet and a VHSV=12,000 h-1. The hydrocarbon reductants, n-octane and 1-propyl alcohol, have also shown high thermal catalytic activity for NOx removal over BaY, NaY and γ-alumina.

Mixing controlled compression ignition, i.e., diesel engines are efficient and are likely to continue to be the primary means for movement of goods for many years. Low-net-carbon biofuels have the potential to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of diesel combustion and could have advantageous properties for combustion, such as high cetane number and reduced engine-out particle and NOx emissions. We developed a list of over 400 potential biomass-derived diesel blendstocks and populated a database with the properties and characteristics of these materials. Fuel properties were determined by measurement, model prediction, or literature review. Screening criteria were developed to determine if a blendstock met the basic requirements for handling in the diesel distribution system and use as a blend with conventional diesel. Criteria included cetane number ≥40, flashpoint ≥52°C, and boiling point or T90 ≤338°C.

In a consortium of European industrial partners and research institutes, a combination of industrial development and scientific research was organised. The objective was to improve the catalytic NOx conversion for lean burn cars and heavy-duty trucks, taking into account boundary conditions for the fuel consumption. The project lasted for three years. During this period parallel research was conducted in research areas ranging from basic research based on a theoretical approach to full scale emission system development. NOx storage catalysts became a central part of the project. Catalysts were evaluated with respect to resistance towards sulphur poisoning. It was concluded that very low sulphur fuel is a necessity for efficient use of NOx trap technology. Additionally, attempts were made to develop methods for reactivating poisoned catalysts. Methods for short distance mixing were developed for the addition of reducing agent.

A noticeable degree of inconsistent forming behaviors has been observed for the 1st generation advanced high strength steels (AHSS) in production, and they appear to be associated with the inherent microstructural-level inhomogeneities for various AHSS. This indicates that the basic material property requirements and screening methods currently used for the mild steels and high strength low alloys (HSLA) are no longer sufficient for qualifying today's AHSS. In order to establish more relevant material acceptance criteria for AHSS, the fundamental understandings on key mechanical properties and microstructural features influencing the local formability of AHSS need to be developed. For this purpose, in this study, DP980 was selected as model steels and eight different types of DP980 sheet steels were acquired from various steel suppliers.

This paper describes a method for predicting structural failure probabilities for automotive windshields. The predictive model is supported by the data from strength tests performed on specimens of automotive glass. Evaluations of stresses can be based on finite element calculations, or measurements of the residual stresses that arise from fabrication. Failure probabilities for each subregion of a windshield are estimated from the local state of stress, the surface area or length (for edge elements) of the subregion, and statistical distributions of glass strengths. Example calculations are presented that show the relative contributions of edge stresses, surface stresses and residual stresses to calculated failure probabilities.

In this paper, a three-dimensional (3D) microstructure-based finite element modeling method (i.e., extrinsic modeling method) is developed, which can be used in examining the effects of porosity on the ductility/fracture of Mg castings. For this purpose, AM60 Mg tensile samples were generated under high-pressure die-casting in a specially-designed mold. Before the tensile test, the samples were CT-scanned to obtain the pore distributions within the samples. 3D microstructure-based finite element models were then developed based on the obtained actual pore distributions of the gauge area. The input properties for the matrix material were determined by fitting the simulation result to the experimental result of a selected sample, and then used for all the other samples’ simulation. The results show that the ductility and fracture locations predicted from simulations agree well with the experimental results.

Traditional methods used to produce a die set (from developing initial machining cutter paths through finalized die tryout to produce a part that meets design intent) begin with draw simulation and development. It is here, traditionally, that scientific evaluation of actual metal stretch and theoretical ideals end. In past programs, a designed part would be simulated for stretch and a development model created to include various die compensations (i.e. springback, overcrown, etc.) based on past experience for area and amount. At this point, the die is cut and undergoes a metamorphosis through die tryout to finally produce a quality part. This is currently an open loop system. This paper will focus on the differences in the predicted way the die should look and the actual outcome (after part buyoff).

This paper describes two independent studies on γ-alumina as a plasma-activated catalyst. γ-alumina (2.5 - 4.3 wt%) was coated onto the surface of mesoporous silica to determine the importance of aluminum surface coordination on NOx conversion in conjunction with nonthermal plasma. Results indicate that the presence of 5- and 6- fold aluminum coordination sites in γ-alumina could be a significant factor in the NOx reduction process. A second study examined the effect of changing the reducing agent on NOx conversion. Several hydrocarbons were examined including propene, propane, isooctane, methanol, and acetaldehyde. It is demonstrated that methanol was the most effective reducing agent of those tested for a plasma-facilitated reaction over γ-alumina.