Automobile Parts Research Articles

Effectiveness of Music Interventions in Occupational Stress of Women

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate if listening to music can help reduce stress for women who work in an electric car parts factory in Mashhad. Methods: Out of 200 people in this study, 32 were chosen at random and split into two groups: one for the experiment and one for comparison. To gather information, we used a job stress questionnaire and a music therapy plan that consisted of 30 sessions, which lasted for one month. In this study, we played the music that the participants liked 4 times during each session. Each time, we played the music for 15 minutes, while they were taking a break or before they started working. Results: There were 16 participants in the group we tested. The people in the control group followed their normal way of doing things and did not use this procedure. The research found that music intervention helps decrease the occupational stress in women more than the traditional work schedule method. The effect size of the music intervention was 0.809, which means it had approximately an 81% impact on reducing stress. Conclusion: The results of the pre-tests and post-tests indicated that the stress levels of women in the experiment group decreased significantly after listening to music. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that listening to music while taking breaks at work helps to lower job stress.

Optimization and Analysis of Drive Shaft Using CAE Tools

Drive shaft or propeller shaft is the essential part of Automobiles. It is used to deliver torque from transmission to the differential and further to the wheel to cause the motion of the vehicle. The drive shaft is used to connect with the transmission shaft with the help of universal joint whose axis intersects and the rotation of one shaft about its own axis results in the rotation of the other shaft about its axis. In present work the model of the drive shaft has been generated in Solid works and further imported in ANSYS workbench. A finite element analysis of the drive shaft has been carried out as a case study. In the present work the static analysis of a drive shaft has been carried out with the new design changes. The results for equivalent von-Mises stress, strain and deformation have been calculated by applying boundary conditions and compared with the existing results.

Experimental investigation of mechanical and erosion properties of twill E-glass/sisal fiber reinforced hybrid polymer composite

Natural fiber-reinforced hybrids are a new topic of study in supramolecular chemistry. Such natural fabrics are low-cost fibers exhibiting good specific characteristics and low density. The tribological and mechanical properties of handwoven sisal/twill glass fabric reinforced polymer blends were scientifically investigated. Hand lay-up lamination specimens were created in a mould and dried under mild pressure at atmospheric conditions for 24 h. Each of the hybrid composites had four layers, with the quantity and location of glass layers varying to provide five distinct layering patterns. A group of any and all sisal lamination, on the other hand, had been created. ASTM standards were followed for sample preparation and evaluation. The results revealed that incorporating twill E-glass fiber with polymer composites may considerably improve the characteristics of the sisal combination. S5 hybrid composites reached maximum tensile and bending strengths of 74.26 MPa and 161.25 MPa, respectively. The wear of the S3 series laminated hybrid is lower (0.84 × 10–4) than that of the other hybrid compound and plain polymer material. The layering arrangement has a stronger impact on hybrid composites in terms of both mechanical and tribological characteristics. The results show how layering affects the mechanical and tribological properties of these new natural fiber-reinforced combinations. This presents exciting new opportunities for many material research and engineering applications, such as making strong, portable car parts.

태국시장에서 한국 수출상품의 국제경쟁력에 관한 연구

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to analyze the competitiveness of Korea’s export products against China, Japan, and Malaysia in the Thai market. Design/Methodology/Approach – The analysis tools used were RCA and TSI to the world and Thailand. Trade volume data was extracted using the UN Comtrade DB for 5 years (2018 to 2022) between Korea and its competitors. Through this analysis, this study examines how each country's competitiveness has changed and presents implications. Findings – The international competitiveness of Korean export products in the Thai market was analyzed using RCA and TSI indices with those of China, Japan, and Malaysia. As a result, Korea's products that were competitive in the global market and those that were competitive in the Thai market showed conflicting results. Products from China, Japan, and Malaysia also showed similar competitiveness. Research Implications – Regarding the degree of TSI in the global market for the analyzed items, Korea has an advantage in items in which it is traditionally strong, such as HS 8542 electronic integrated circuits and HS 8708 automobile parts. In the Thai market, items such as HS 7403 refined copper and copper alloy and HS 3304 cosmetics show strong performance.

Global multi-sourcing network design with inventory planning under uncertainty

ABSTRACT In the current era of turbulence, demand uncertainty and significant supply delays have become recurrent challenges for every global supply chain, which are accentuated by geopolitical issues, regional conflicts, natural disasters, etc. Companies are keen to decide when and where nearshoring and offshoring their supply locations and to adapt their inventory control policies to cope with significant perturbations. To deal with these challenges, we investigate the integration of inventory planning at the strategic level through a novel setting of the location-inventory problem under uncertainty. This problem is characterised by inbound multi-sourcing, order splitting among multiple suppliers, and optimised inventory decisions from sourcing to customers under uncertain demand and lead time. A two-stage stochastic optimisation model is proposed and solved using a Benders decomposition algorithm, supported by a sample average approximation approach. The results show that both lead time and demand uncertainties impact strategic and tactical decisions of the global supply network. Specifically, multi-sourcing and inbound order splitting policies have proven beneficial when the network faces a high lead time uncertainty. Based on an illustrative case of a global automobile spare parts supply network under different supply-side scenarios, managerial insights are gained on the benefit of onshore, nearshore, and offshore decisions. When facing a high lead time uncertainty, as in the pandemic case or any geopolitical episode, our findings suggest the necessity to rely on nearshoring for the supply side.

The Optimization of Automobile Part Product Development Using Integrated Product Development (IPD)

This paper studies a new integrated product development (IPD) process at an automobile parts company. The process includes benchmarking and offers four optimization strategies for the new product development process: (1) re-structuring the new product development organization astraddle department teams, (2) reshaping the new product development and selection process already at the planning and conceptual design stages, (3) optimizing the design review process at the engineering stage, and (4) establishing a product development team with large project manager responsibilities in the industrialization stage so as to give full play to the guiding role of expert resources. This paper can help enhance the competitiveness of domestic auto parts enterprises compared to leading foreign auto parts enterprises.

Дослідження методів випробування лакофарбового покриття на стійкість до корозії

This scientific work is aimed at researching the testing methods of paint coatings used for protecting the metal parts of automobiles in order to determine their resistance to corrosion processes. Paint coatings are used to protect the metal surfaces of automobiles from corrosion in various climatic conditions and under the influence of aggressive factors such as atmospheric conditions, chemical substances on the road, polluted air, and other corrosive environments, making their quality and effectiveness of great significance.
 Different methods of testing paint and varnish coatings are considered, such as neutral salt spray test, acetic acid salt spray test (with and without copper acceleration), and cyclic corrosion testing. Attention is also given to parameters such as test duration, temperature regimes, and chemical aggressiveness of the environment to establish the effectiveness of these methods. The analysis of the tests allows determining which methods best meet the requirements for assessing the corrosion resistance of paint coatings. The work also investigates the impact of various factors, such as the type of paint coating, surface preparation, and operating conditions, on the test results. It was determined that the proper selection of test methods and adequate assessment of their effectiveness help in improving the corrosion resistance of the paint coating in various operating conditions.
 The work has important practical applications in the automotive industry by enhancing the quality of protection for automotive coatings against corrosion and extending their service life in various operating conditions. The obtained results will help improve the quality and durability of paint coatings, metal structures, and other products against corrosion by choosing the optimal method for testing paint coatings. This scientific work has practical significance for engineers and manufacturers involved in the development and application of corrosion-resistant coatings.

Design and analysis of serviceable cantilever fit snap in automotive plastic parts

Purpose Snap fits are crucial in automotive applications for rapid assembly and disassembly of mating components, eliminating the need for fasteners. This study aims to focus on designing and analyzing serviceable cantilever fit snap connections used in automobile plastic components. Snap fits are classified into permanent and semi-permanent fittings, with permanent fittings having a snap clipping angle between 0° and 5° and semi-permanent fittings having a clipping angle between 15° and 45°. Polypropylene random copolymer is chosen for its exceptional fatigue resistance and elasticity. Design/methodology/approach The design process includes determining dimensions, computing assembly, disassembly pressures and creating three-dimensional computer-aided design models. Finite element analysis (FEA) is used to evaluate the snap-fit mechanism’s stress, deformation and general functionality in operational scenarios. Findings The study develops a modified snap-fit mechanism with decreased bending stress and enhanced mating force optimization. The maximum bending stress during assembly is 16.80 MPa, requiring a mating force of 7.58 N, while during disassembly, it is 37.3 MPa, requiring a mating force of 16.85 N. The optimized parameters significantly improve the performance and dependability of the snap-fit mechanism. The results emphasize the need of taking into account both the assembly and disassembly processes in snap-fit design, because the research demonstrates greater forces during disassembly. The approach developed integrates FEA and design for assembly (DFA) concepts to provide a solution for improving the efficiency and reliability of snap-fit connectors in automotive applications. Originality/value The research paper’s distinctiveness comes from the fact that it presents a thorough and realistic viewpoint on snap-fit design, emphasizes material selection, incorporates DFA principles and emphasizes the specific requirements of both assembly and disassembly operations. These discoveries may enhance the efficiency, reliability and sustainability of snap-fit connections in plastic automobile parts and beyond. In conclusion, the idea that disassembly needs to be done with a lot more force than installation in a snap-fit design can have a good effect on buzz, squeak and rattle and noise, vibration and harshness characteristics in automobiles.

Effects of different design and lightweight material on energy distribution and collision characteristics for hot-formed B-pillar using finite element simulation

In line with international environmental policies and efforts to reduce carbon emissions, the number of electric vehicles also shows a sharp increase. This increase is aimed at reducing energy use, vehicle lightening, and increasing passenger safety by leading vehicle manufacturers to use new generation materials. However, the use of newly developed materials in the automotive industry takes a long time, and the developments in the field of materials and vehicle technologies are progressing at different speeds. In this study; the B-pillar part of a B-segment car was analyzed with HPF2000 material instead of the current HPF1500 material using the finite element method. The designs prepared as two different options were simulated with Ls-Dyna according to EuroNCAP side impact test standards. As a result of the simulations, the effects of different design and material variables on energy absorption, collision characteristics, and lightness were examined. It was seen that the energy absorbed by the part increased by 2.9% thanks to the new material and design. Specific energy absorption, another feature indicating the collision characteristic, increased by 11.81%. The total weight of the part decreased by 9.7% with using new generation material. In summary; With the use of new generation high-strength hot-formed steels in vehicle parts, besides the vehicle’s lightness, the mechanical properties have improved the collision characteristics and vehicle safety has also increased.

Thermoplastics For Up To 1,200 Degrees Celsius

On January 17, 2024, Freudenberg Sealing Technologies announced offering a new class of materials, intended to improve fire protection in electric vehicle drives. Its name is “Quantix ULTRA” and it reportedly resists melting even at extreme temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees Celsius. Processing the material in injection molding is claimed to be both versatile and economical. Given that today's vehicles call for lightweight construction, its lower density compared to metallic materials should be an advantage. The first series application is now underway, as a flame protection barrier for cooling system parts in an electric car's lithium-ion battery.

The characterization of porosity and externally solidified crystals in a high pressure die casting hypoeutectic Al-Si alloy using a newly developed ceramic shot sleeve

The effective methods to regulating porosity and externally solidified crystals (ESCs) have been remained as a challenging task for high pressure die casting (HPDC) automobile parts. In this work, a newly designed ceramic shot sleeve is proposed for reducing porosity and optimizing ESCs. As a result, both porosity and ESCs achieve an effective reduction after applying the ceramic shot sleeve. This study provides insights into regulating porosity and coarse ESCs of die castings and it is expected to expand its application in industrial manufacture.

Flexible thickness control of hydroforming by forced lubrication method in arbitrary region and time

The elastic and plastic properties of metal can be used in various applications. Junior Associate Professor Hiroaki Kubota is working to improve manufacturing design through the application of elasto-plastic mechanics. He is particularly interested in hydroforming; a process in which steel tubes are inflated by water pressure. This can be used to produce hollow, lightweight automobile parts. Kubota previously worked in the body design and advanced development department of a car manufacturing company, learning of the importance of thickness distribution of vehicle components. It was this that inspired his current work. At the Department of Mechanical Engineering, School of Engineering, Tokai University, Japan, where Kubota is based, he is conducting research on hydroforming technology and applied research on the optimisation of plastic working using finite element analysis (FEM) and artificial intelligence (AI). Through their research on lubrication hydroforming, the team developed a forced lubrication technology that supplies high-pressure lubricant between a die and a tube during tube hydroforming, leading to even distribution and uniform wall thickness. The researchers want to expand the application of high-strength steel tubes to contribute to more lightweight and rigid cars. In their work the team confirmed that when a high-pressure lubricant was injected between the die and the steel tube, uniform wall thickness was achieved and cracking prevented. This was the very first time that forced lubrication was found to be effective in hydroforming. The team also discovered that by managing the forced lubrication, the thickness of parts can be freely controlled.

Numerical analysis of the dependence of damage on friction during deep drawing of asymmetric geometries

The manufacturing of three-dimensional sheet metal components, such as car body parts, heavily relies on deep drawing. With the increasing demand for lightweight measures in the automotive industry due to CO2 limitation requirements, various methods are currently employed to reduce the weight of deep drawn components. However, these methods often overlook the potential for influencing the stress-strain dependent damage state within the component, even though it can greatly affect its performance in subsequent applications, and thus offers lightweight potentials. Friction between the deep drawing tools and the sheet metal is a key factor influencing the stress-strain state, and hence, represents a lever that can be utilized to manipulate the damage state in the component. This paper focuses on the numerical analysis of the dependence of damage on friction during deep drawing. Therefore, a rectangular geometry with an asymmetrical material flow is numerically investigated. A friction ratio is introduced with different constant friction coefficients for the corner of the tools and the straight sides. The established load paths at a chosen reference point are then considered in the form of selected stress and strain characteristics and the numerically predicted damage state is compared. The results are used to derive a recommended friction ratio that leads to less damage in the corner of the geometry. Afterwards strip drawing tool surfaces are modified to manipulate their friction properties using machine hammer peening. Subsequently, the influence of the structures of the strip drawing tool surfaces is quantified using strip drawing tests. The identified contact normal stress dependent friction coefficients are then implemented in the numerical simulation and the established numerical predicted damage state is examined to gain a more comprehensive understanding of how the friction ratio and the structure of the tool surfaces influence the damage state.

Reduction of Cr(VI) by planktonic cells and biofilm of Acinetobacter sp. (ADHR1) isolated from electroplating wastewater

In this research it was possible to analyze the capacity of Acinetobacter sp. (ADHR1) bacteria to reduce chromium (VI). Bacteria isolated from residual effluents from automobile chrome plating processes auto parts were identified by phenotypiic and genotypic methods. ADHR1 was able to 100% reduce Cr(VI) to Cr(III), resulting in: 100–500 mg / L of Cr(VI) in a lapse of time between 18 to 24 h; likewise, it was possible to show the reduction process in concentrations of 2000 mg / L which was 73% as a result. In addition to this, it was also possible to show that planktonic cells had a greater capacity to reduce hexavalent chromium compared to biofilm cells. The ChrR gene was amplified by PCR confirming the presence of the chromate reductase enzyme. The reduction in chromium was attributed to the presence of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydrogen (NADH) dependent enzyme chromate reductase in the cytosolic fraction and in the membrane associated fraction. In conclusion, Acinetobacter sp. (ADHR1) used in the study showed great potential to reduce different concentrations of Cr(VI). This research represents a truly eco-friendly alternative in the removal of sites contaminated by metals, knowing the Acinetobacter sp. (ADHR1) has the ability to reduce Cr(VI).

Numerical analysis of stretching/shrinking fully wet trapezoidal fin

<p>The purpose of fins or extended surfaces is to increase the dissipation of heat from hot sources into their surroundings. Fins like annular fins, longitudinal fins, porous fins, and radial fins are used on the surface of equipments to enhance the rate of heat transfer. There are many applications of fins, including superheaters, refrigeration, automobile parts, combustion engines, electrical equipment, solar panels, and computer CPUs. Based on a wide range of applications, the effects of stretching/shrinking on a fully wet trapezoidal fin with internal heat generation is investigated. The shooting approach is used to calculate the trapezoidal fin's thermal profile, tip temperature, and efficiency. It is observed that with an increase in the shrinking and wet parameter, the temperature distribution decreases and efficiency increases. On the other hand, when stretching increases, the temperature distribution increases and efficiency diminishes. Using the computed results, it is concluded that shrinking trapezoidal fins improves the effectiveness and performance of the system.</p>

Detection of Potholes and Speed Breaker for Autonomous Vehicles

As it is now the generation of autonomous vehicles, Every automotive company is aiming to build an autonomous vehicle, so an application to detect potholes and speed breakers is really necessary because poor road conditions are a constant concern since they annoy the public. Inefficient roadways increase traffic in a city. This directly bothers the traveller. Additionally, it harms a number of important car parts, which has a long-term negative impact on how well the car performs. Despite all of these inconveniences and harm, accidents are the main problem caused by bad roads that need to be addressed. The study highlights how crucial pothole and speed breaker detection are for enhancing driver safety and road infrastructure. The YOLOv5 implementation is used for the pothole detection and speed breaker models. By testing real-time data, the model provided an accuracy of 85 percent for potholes and 83.8 percent for speed breakers. More training and validation of photos can increase accuracy, which can then be used in the real world with sensors to indicate detection. This type operates automatically, assisting motorists with safe driving. More sensors might be added to the model to produce data on climate-vulnerable regions, which could then be used to design suspension systems and other car parts. Any unintended failure of the roads in the database may be promptly updated by cars with this model, serving as a warning.

Methodology for forming a rational structure of technology for the restoration of car, vehicle and road-building machinery parts

The scientific work examines the problem of effective and high-quality restoration of cars, vehicles and road construction machines. The assessment of approaches in determining the method and technology for restoring parts of roadbuilding machines is considered. The decisions at the stage of choosing a method for restoring parts and at the stage of forming the general structure of the technological process are analyzed. The new approach makes it possible to achieve maximum efficiency in structuring the technological process of restoring parts of road-building machines; it is carried out according to a number of well-founded criteria when integrating the zoning method on the principle of observing the ratio of probabilities of possible states of the research environment in solving the problem of dynamic programming. Keywords truck, vehicle, road construction vehicle, part restoration, mathematical model, quality, restoration quality indicators

Process strategies for optimizing the cooling behaviour of laser-welded Tailor Welded Blanks made of advanced high strength steels (AHSS)

AHSS with 1000 MPa tensile strength show promising properties for the use in Tailor Welded Blanks (TWBs) to locally strengthen car body parts. Challenges in laser beam welding of the sheets are hardness-drops and -peaks in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and weld, which cause risks during cold-forming. This happens due to rapid cooling caused by laser welding. A numerical approach aiming for slower cooling rates in the weld region is presented in this article. Laser welded sheets served as reference for setting up a process simulation. Models for pre-heating and a coaxial setup with power split were set up. A correlation between cooling-rate and hardness in the joining zone was established and applied to the modelled strategy. Splitting the power led to a slightly narrower weld seam and experimental pre-heating of the sheets to 600 °C could lower total seam hardening. It achieved a homogenization of the fusion zone.

An Approach to Inline Monitoring of the Electrode State in Resistance Spot Welding

Resistance Spot Welding (RSW) is a key technology for joining car body parts. During the process, the upper and lower electrodes of the welding gun are subject to wear, which affects the electric current flow and thus, the quality of the spot weld. To counteract this effect, the electrode tip is dressed after a predefined number of spot welds. The frequency for tip dressing is based on experience and does currently not directly reflect the actual state of the electrode. This work provides an approach to inline electrode state monitoring to determine the ideal and demand-based point in time for electrode tip dressing based on process data. We avoid costly and time-intensive experimental labeling of electrode states and utilize changes in the dynamic electrical resistance between dressing cycles to represent the electrode wear state. To describe the changes in the dynamic electrical resistance curve, new features such as the peak time delay are calculated and visualized. We evaluate our approach with a real-world data set that stems from a dynamic and complex environment out of a series production line, which, in contrast to laboratory data, ensures a successful application of the proposed methods in an industrial setting.

Research on vehicle routing problem of automobile part Milk-Run with time windows constrained

Based on the parts inbound logistics as the research object, this thesis introduces Milk-run of third party logistics enterprise mode. Establish mathematical model under the premise of time window, through genetic algorithm optimize the distribution route, and using MATLAB to simulation, the results show that distribution vehicles reduced from 18 to 6. Transportation costs were reduced by 30.05%. Though the research on the circular pick-up mode of incoming logistics of parts and components, this thesis explores the strategy of optimizing its transportation path. On the one hand, it can solve the contradiction of reducing inventory cost but increasing transportation cost to a certain extent, and effectively reduce the cost of the nodes of the whole supply chain, which has certain theoretical value and significance for the research of vehicle path optimization; On the other hand, a reasonable distribution route can reduce driving distance and alleviate urban traffic pressure, while reducing distribution vehicles can reduce urban noise and automobile exhaust emissions, and contribute to the realization of low-carbon environmental protection.