Automotive Technology News

Out of the lab and onto the proving ground — that's the action taken by the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory to obtain real-world data on plug-in and fuel cell electric vehicles. The initiative provides performance data for automotive manufacturers and other researchers, and technology demonstrations for consumers. A Kia Borrego with a 115 kW fuel cell stack and 100 kW ultracapacitor instead of a battery was recently tested. After it's refueled with hydrogen produced by wind and solar systems as part of the Wind2H2 project, the zero emissions vehicle will have a range of 466 miles.

Dow Automotive Systems is a leading global provider of technology-driven automotive solutions for interior, exterior, under-the-hood, body-in-white structural, acoustic and thermal management, and powertrain. Our advanced material solutions contribute to vehicles that perform better, and are less expensive, cleaner, more comfortable, durable, fuel-efficient, and safer.

Schoelly Imaging, Inc. offers the FSC2 borescope camera system. Features include an integrated camera head LED, which eliminates the need for light cables. Small CCU features auto white balance, variable brightness control, AGC, and a custom image to camera chip window feature. Outputs include composite video, S-Video, and USB 2.0.

M300 plastic battery holders from Jackson Plastics are made of rugged co-polymer propylene. Designed to fit group 24 battery types, these plastic battery boxes are resistant to battery acid, as well as gasoline or motor oil.

MAZeT provides sensor ICs and boards with evaluation electronics for a variety of applications where sensor signals need to be directly coupled, processed, or transmitted current voltage.

Reliably verifying the dashboard display cluster in today's cars requires a comprehensive regimen of functional tests. In addition to a speedometer and other more mundane functions, the display cluster also warns a driver if the fuel is too low or the handbrake light does not go out when the handbrake is released — activities that involve different sensors and types of analysis.

Taking advantage of highly-accurate current-sensing capabilities, these solid-state power switches designed for automotive use improve reliability in intelligent glow-plug controls, auxiliary positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heaters, engine cooling fan drivers, and interior fan controllers. High accuracy at low current improves detection of open loads, overloads, and stalled motors. The devices also protect against electrostatic discharge and provide over-current shutdown.

Japan's Sumitomo Electric has produced an aluminum-based metal mesh material called Celmet which the company says could boost electric vehicle range as much as 200%. The mesh is up to 98% porous for efficient filling, retention, and electric current collecting if used with an active fluid. The aluminum version has good corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity — ideal for the high-voltage Li-ion batteries (replacing foil positive electrodes) used in electric cars.

Bake hardening steel can make car panels such as doors, deck lids, and roofs resistant to denting. A bake-hardenable steel is one that exhibits a capacity for a significant increase in strength via a combination of work hardening during part formation and strain aging during a subsequent thermal cycle — such as a paint-baking operation. However, these steels need adequate carbon or nitrogen in solution to allow for strain aging, as explained in this tutorial.

PCB® Series 339A Triaxial ICP® accelerometers are designed with a low temperature coefficient, wide operating temperature range, and good broadband measurement resolution, making them ideal for powertrain development and powertrain NVH applications, or any vibration measurement requiring tight control of amplitude sensitivity over a wide thermal gradient.

When your target is lightweight parts with outstanding performance, look to Evonik's Advanced Material Intermediates. We provide monomers and intermediates for polyimides, epoxies, and other performance resins. These excel in demanding environments, including underhood, where heat, grease, and moisture prove a constant challenge. Contact us to find your custom solution.

Vertimatic parts washers have 50 years of proven capability for high production cleaning of precision turned, CNC machined, stampings, and deep drawn components. Jenfab Vertimatic machines combine Agitated Immersion and Turbulation for optimal cleaning action to remove chips-lubricants and shop soils.

Lean Clean parts washers are used for cellular cleaning.

Saving time and increasing design quality and accuracy is key. E3.series is a powerful electrical CAD software solution to help with that challenge. From planning the topology and functionality of a design, to adding connectors and handling signals, electrical design engineers around the globe know the power it delivers.

General Motors is increasingly turning to rapid prototyping to meet fuel efficiency goals. The company's Rapid Prototype Laboratory employs two fabrication processes — selective laser sintering and stereo lithography (SLA) — in applications like the design of the battery cooling system for the Chevolet Volt. For SLA projects, Materialise software automatically calculates the required structure based on the original 3D model so that the prototype uses the minimum amount of resin material.

For a new engine plant, a heavy equipment manufacturer wanted ThyssenKrupp System Engineering to build an assembly line with an inspection system that would reduce operator errors that cause defects. The solution: use of Iris GT smart cameras for such applications as verifying proper alignment of the crank gear and water pump, as well as presence and location of water seals. The cameras' superior memory allows multiple inspection jobs to be programmed simultaneously.

GE researchers demonstrated a dual battery concept in a hybrid bus test bed. The system uses sodium and Li-ion batteries for high energy density paired with high power, respectively. The investigators say dual batteries can optimize driving range and acceleration for heavy vehicles and cut overall battery size as well as cost — the latter by 20%.

Antonov's three-speed transmission for electric vehicles is an entirely new design. Electric motors with their high low-speed torque usually don't need a transmission, but the UK company claims efficiency can drop enough to require one. Additional gears improve off-the-line performance, top speed, and efficiency by nearly 15% — resulting in greater range or a smaller, lighter battery.

HVR provides high energy resistors custom-engineered for the automotive market. Our innovative resistor technology is perfectly matched to the demanding needs of the transportation industry: for city cars, heavy-duty, off road vehicles, and construction equipment. Learn more.

MPI covers the automotive industry. Robotic Painting & Automated Process lines provide the quality necessary for the automotive industry. Offering a complete line of Anti-Corrosive Coatings (Magni-565, Magni-560, Magni-567, Geomet-250, Geomet-321, Everlube, and Sandstrom Dry-Film-Lubricants) to serve North American, European, and Asian OEM requirements.

Lower production costs, zero downtime, and maximize OEE. Ritech's affordable MPM System provides real-time production metrics for lean manufacturing, production output control, automatic or on demand printed reports, and e-mail alerts. Metrics are viewable on PCs, tablets, smartphones, or overhead displays. Limited time offer: trial unit installed at no charge.

The oil water separator is a special purpose prefabricated parallel corrugated plate, rectangular, gravity displacement, type oil water separator. The separator shall be comprised of a tank containing an inlet compartment, separation chamber, sludge chamber, and clean water outlet chamber.

Register Today!
GlobalSpec's Industrial Automation & Robotic Systems Event — September 28, 2011

Join your peers and leading manufacturers for this free, informative, and interactive ONLINE conference and trade show — right from the convenience of your desktop. Participate in any or all of the educational sessions, network with peers, and meet with manufacturers eager to showcase their latest products, services, and new technology offerings. Learn more about the educational sessions offered to meet your information needs, and register today!

SCI USB adapter:

• Lighter plug #A13-164
• Rating: 12/24 VDC 1 A/2.0 A/2.5 A; 2.5 A mini blade fuse max
• With seven changeable TIP sockets, R4-66

Council directive 2004/108/EC(EN61000-6-6+EN61000-6-1) compliance. Car directive 2009/19/EC(ECE-R10) compliance.

Always remember to listen to industry "experts" and prognosticators with a grain (or a ton) of salt. Earlier this year, they predicted a significant slowdown in the market for 3D machine-vision systems. It seems they didn't count on the increased application of the technology in the automobile industry. This item explores the trend and its implications.

In the U.S., all electric cars have to make noise when driven so as not to be a danger to pedestrians, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration decided. Fortunately or not, individual automakers have been left to decide what kind of warning sound their EVs should emit. Listen to four sounds proposed for the electric Ford Focus.

Are Cars Too Complex?

Overloaded electronic dashboard goodies add up to electrical faults causing 27% of today's breakdowns. How can car manufacturers simplify?

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