Search Results

As part of the International Lubricant Standardization and Approval Committee's (ILSAC) goal of developing a global automatic transmission fluid (ATF) specification, members have been evaluating test methods that are currently used by various automotive manufacturers for qualifying ATF for use in their respective transmissions. This report deals with comparing test methods used for determining torque capacity in friction systems (shifting clutches). Three test methods were compared, the Plate Friction Test from the General Motors DEXRON®-III Specification, the Friction Durability Test from the Ford MERCON® Specification, and the Japanese Automotive Manufacturers Association Friction Test - JASO Method 348-95. Eight different fluids were evaluated. Friction parameters used in the comparison were breakaway friction, dynamic friction torque at midpoint and the end of engagement, and the ratio of end torque to midpoint torque.

A new material recycling technology for crosslinked rubber was developed using the continuous reactive processing method. In this process of producing reclaimed rubber, breakage of crosslinking points in the crosslinked rubber occurs selectively under the controls of shear stress, reaction temperature, and internal pressure in a modular screw type reactor. Deodorization during the process has also become possible by a newly developed method. The reclaimed rubber obtained from rubber waste generated from both automobile manufacturing products and post-consumer products shows excellent mechanical properties applicable to new rubber compounds. Furthermore, an enhanced rubber recycling process for producing thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) based on rubber waste has been established. The obtained TPE exhibits highly recoverable rubber elasticity and mechanical properties comparable to commercial TPE.

In this study, a new practical design method (tool) for engine sound quality in a car interior is proposed. The tool can automatically create the target interior sound using the psychoacoustic index ‘powerfulness’ based on subjective tests. Moreover, it can calculate the intake noise characteristic to create the target interior sound and select the suitable intake specification from the prepared database. By using this method sound engineering can be easily and effectively carried out without manufacturing an experimental car.

A new 4.0 liter V8 engine, 1UZ-FE, has been developed for the luxury sedan, LEXUS LS400. The engine has 4 camshafts and 32 valves, and weighs only 195 kg (430 lbs) having many light alloy components and carefully designed configurations. The appropriate engine displacement and high technology adopted throughout from design to manufacturing process enable the LS400 to run powerfully with excellent fuel economy and a pleasant sounds. It develops 250HP at 5600 rpm and 260ft-lbs of torque at 4400 rpm, and its fuel economy figure, well exceeds the EPA's tax charge level of 22.5mpg. These figures have been achieved through the newest technologies applied to every part of the design, such as: Well studied intake and exhaust systems, centrally located spark plug in the TOYOTA original four-valve combustion chamber, which has a narrow valve including angle, and low friction components like aluminum alloy valve lifters and well balanced moving parts.

Many efforts have been made to understand the mechanism of whiplash injury. Recently, the cervical facet joint capsules have been focused on as a potential site of injury. An experimental approach has been taken to analyze the vertebral motion and to estimate joint capsule stretch that was thought to be a potential cause of pain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the kinematics of the cervical facet joint using a human FE model in order to better understand the injury mechanism. The Total Human Model for Safety (THUMS) was used to visually analyze the local and global kinematics of the spine. Soft tissues in the neck were newly modeled and introduced into THUMS for estimating the loading level in rear impacts. The model was first validated against human test data in the literature by comparing vertebrae motion as well as head and neck responses. Joint capsule strain was estimated from a maximum principal strain output from the elements representing the capsule tissues.

This paper describes development of a numerical simulation method for the FMVSS 201 testing. This method considers not only deformation but also fracture of plastic materials. a simplified calculation method for predicting the load during impact of absorbing plastic materials was introduced from the numerical simulation results. By applying this simplified calculator method trial and error in development would be reduced.

Reductions of hardware costs as well as implementations of new innovative functions are the main drivers of today's automotive electronics. Indeed more and more resources are spent on adapting existing solutions to different environments. At the same time, due to the increasing number of networked components, a level of complexity has been reached which is difficult to handle using traditional development processes. The automotive industry addresses this problem through a paradigm shift from a hardware-, component-driven to a requirement- and function-driven development process, and a stringent standardization of infrastructure elements. One central standardization initiative is the AUTomotive Open System ARchitecture (AUTOSAR). AUTOSAR was founded in 2003 by major OEMs and Tier1 suppliers and now includes a large number of automotive, electronics, semiconductor, hard- and software companies.

Our two types of NOx storage-reduction (NSR) catalyst have been tested under various conditions of thermal endurance; the performance of these catalysts have been regressed to give the formulas that enable to estimate the performance after thermal endurance; and we have found the method to simplify (shorten the duration of) the thermal endurance tests and that the thermal deterioration of NSR catalysts is controlled by the worst condition of endurance (at least approximately). The regression formula for the amount of potassium that contributes to the catalyst performance (active K) after the endurance has also been obtained. These formulas predict that the amount of active K is the least for the worst condition of endurance and suggest a difference in deterioration mechanism that reflects the performance between low and high temperatures and the portion of worse deterioration (front or rear).

NO2 sources of roadside atmosphere at Matsubarabashi monitoring station in Tokyo were investigated analytically. The result showed that contribution of urban background is dominant from November to February and NO oxidation with O3 has large contribution from April to September. NO2 air quality standard will be achieved by reducing vehicle NOx emission to post-new long-term regulation level. The analytical method was verified by using our developed simulation system, which consists of micro traffic flow analyzer and CFD-based, unsteady-state diffusion with chemical reaction solver.

The use of lead-free (Pb-free) solder and plating in onboard electronic components has accelerated rapidly in recent years, but solutions have yet to be found for the issues of whisker generation in tin (Sn) plating and crack initiation in Pb-free solder, despite widespread research efforts. Analysis of the whisker generation mechanism has focused on internal energy levels and crystal orientation, and analysis of the crack initiation mechanism in Pb-free solder has examined changes in the grain boundaries of Sn crystals.

The dissolution and exfoliation of chromium plating specific to Russia was studied. Investigation and analysis of organic compounds in Russian soil revealed contents of highly concentrated fulvic acid. Additionally, it was found that fulvic acid, together with CaCl2 (a deicing agent), causes chromium plating corrosion. The fulvic acid generates a compound that prevents reformation of a passivation film and deteriorates the sacrificial corrosion effectiveness of nickel.

The purpose of this study is to analyze the piston skirt friction reduction effect of a diamond-like carbon (DLC)-coated wrist pin. The floating liner method and elasto-hydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) simulation were used to analyze piston skirt friction. The experimental results showed that a DLC-coated wrist pin reduced cylinder liner friction, and that this reduction was particularly large at low engine speeds and large pin offset conditions. Friction was particularly reduced at around the top and bottom dead center positions (TDC and BDC). EHL simulation confirmed that a DLC-coated wrist pin affects the piston motion and reduces the contact pressure between the piston skirt and cylinder liner.

By using analytical techniques (FT-IR, TG-MS, ICP) and DFT calculations, the potassium (K) used as a storage component in NOx Catalysts can be analyzed. The results from this study show that the, K exists as K2CO3, and that the amount, molecular structure, and thermal stability of K2CO3 are different, depending on the support material (ZrO2, Al2O3, or TiO2). If the amount of K that interacts with the support to form an inactive complex oxide is decreased, the amount of K2CO3 and NOx storage is increased. The amount of the inactive K varies with the basicity of the supports. K2CO3 that exists in unstable structures on the supports can be easy to react with NOx to form the nitrate. So, the higher the quantity of unstable K2CO3, the higher the NOx storage capacity. Based on these results, a development guideline was proposed to improve the NOx storage performance.

Behavior of sprays formed by slit nozzle as well as swirl nozzles with the spray cone angle in the range of 40° ∼110 ° were studied in a constant volume N2 gas chamber. The fuels used are iso-pentane, n-heptane, benzene and gasoline. The ambient pressure and temperature were raised up to 1.0 MPa and 465 K, respectively. The injection pressure was mainly set at 8 MPa. Spray penetrates at an almost constant speed for a while after injection start and begins to decelerate at a certain point. This point was judged as breakup point, based on a momentum theory on spray motion, the observation of spray inside and the analysis of the spray front reacceleration which occurs under highly volatile condition.

Ride quality is an important purchasing consideration for consumers. It is typically defined in terms of noise, vibration and harshness. These phenomena are a result of vibrations caused at the engine/powertrain and from the road surface, which are transmitted to the passenger cabin. To minimize such vibrations, rubber parts are used extensively at mounting points for the cabin, such as engine mountings and suspension bushings. The vehicle development process increasingly requires performance testing, including rubber parts using CAE, prior to prototype evaluation. This in turn requires a rubber material model that can accurately describe dynamic characteristics of rubber components, particularly frequency and amplitude dependency.

Currently, to achieve the desired design in automotive paint, absorption pigments, such as organic pigments, are used in combination with brilliant pigments (ex. aluminum or mica etc.). However, many beautiful colors exist in the world, especially in the natural world. Until now, automotive paints have not been able to replicate those colors. In this project, by first analyzing the coloring principles of the natural world, we have focused on the development of a previously non-existent coloring technology (structural color). By combining this with nanostructure control technology, we have established a radically new coloring process enabling the design of hues, chromaticity and reflection intensity. This technology has tangible results, as new pigments are available for paint formulations.

To meet future stringent emission regulations such as Euro6, the design and control of diesel exhaust after-treatment systems will become more complex in order to ensure their optimum operation over time. Moreover, because of the strong pressure for CO₂ emissions reduction, the average exhaust temperature is expected to decrease, posing significant challenges on exhaust after-treatment. Diesel Oxidation Catalysts (DOCs) are already widely used to reduce CO and hydrocarbons (HC) from diesel engine emissions. In addition, DOC is also used to control the NO₂/NOx ratio and to generate the exothermic reactions necessary for the thermal regeneration of Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) and NOx Storage and Reduction catalysts (NSR). The expected temperature decrease of diesel exhaust will adversely affect the CO and unburned hydrocarbons (UHC) conversion efficiency of the catalysts. Therefore, the development cost for the design and control of new DOCs is increasing.

The effects of intake dilution with various dilution gases including nitrogen, argon, and carbon dioxide on low temperature diesel combustion were investigated in a naturally aspirated DI diesel engine to understand the mechanism of the simultaneous reductions in smoke and NOx with ultra-high EGR. NOx almost completely disappears with the intake oxygen concentration diluted below 16% regardless of the kind of dilution gas. Smoke emissions decrease with increased heat capacity of the charged gas due to promotion of mixture homogeneity with longer ignition delays. Intake dilution with the 36% CO2 + 64% Ar mixture which has a similar specific heat capacity as N2 shows lower smoke emissions than with N2. Chemical kinetics analysis shows that carbon dioxide may help to reduce NOx and soot by lowering the reaction temperature as well as by changing the concentrations of some radicals or/and species related to soot and NOx formation.

All-solid-state lithium (Li)-ion batteries have attracted significant interest for their enhanced energy density compared with conventional batteries employing an organic liquid electrolyte. However, the interfacial impedance and reaction between electrodes and the electrolyte can hinder the transport of Li-ions, thus degrading the battery performance. This paper presents a systematic screening method to identify coatings to reduce impedance and maintain interface stability during battery operation. Promising coating materials are rapidly selected by evaluating properties for ideal coating materials from computational databases containing a vast collection of Li compounds. Finally, a few candidates are discovered and their battery performances are tested. This approach is demonstrated to be an efficient way to predict and evaluate functional coatings for a high performance all-solid -state battery design.

This research investigates the influences of the injection timing, injection pressure, and compression ratio on the combustion and exhaust emissions in a single cylinder 1.0 L DI diesel engine operating with ultra-high EGR. Longer ignition delays due to either advancing or retarding the injection timing reduced the smoke emissions, but advancing the injection timing has the advantages of maintaining the thermal efficiency and preventing misfiring. Smokeless combustion is realized with an intake oxygen content of only 9-10% regardless of the injection pressure. Reduction in the compression ratio is effective to reduce the in-cylinder temperature and increase the ignition delay as well as to expand the smokeless combustion range in terms of EGR and IMEP. However, the thermal efficiency deteriorates with excessively low compression ratios.