Automotive Engineering Research Articles

Experimental investigation on tailoring compressive properties and energy absorption of 3D printed gradient star re-entrant hybrid auxetic structure

Purpose Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is a widely used 3D printing technique for the fabrication of mechanical metamaterials with intricate geometries. Gradient strategy is applied to geometric parameters of gradient star re-entrant hybrid auxetic (GSRA) structure. Deformation behaviour is studied under compressive loading. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of gradient geometric parameters on mechanical properties, namely, specific strength (SS), specific modulus (SM) and specific energy absorption (SEA). Design/methodology/approach Response surface methodology (RSM) is implemented for the design of experiments of gradient geometric parameters to minimize the number of experimental tests. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene material is used for the fabrication of GSRA structures by FFF technique. The best set of gradient parameters has been optimized maximizing all three responses using RSM and artificial neural network optimization technique. Findings During compressive testing, row-wise deformation is observed with two-stage plateau regions, which results in increase in SEA of the structure. Furthermore, based on analysis of variance and 3D response plots, it is found that height gradient is the most influencing gradient geometric parameter on SS and SM, whereas the wall thickness gradient has maximum influence on SEA. Meanwhile, the interaction effect of wall thickness gradient and height gradient has maximum influence on SS, SM and SEA. Research limitations/implications This study of applying gradient strategy to geometric parameters is limited to GSRA structure under compressive loading. In addition, findings are valid within the selected range of gradient geometric parameters. These findings are useful for the selection of gradient geometric parameters to maximize SS, SM and SEA of GSRA structure simultaneously. These outcomes pave the way for designing light-weight gradient hybrid auxetic structures in the field of construction, aerospace, automobile and biomedical engineering. Originality/value Limited experimental study is available on investigating the influence of gradient geometric parameters on mechanical properties, namely, SS, SM and SEA, and deformation behaviours of hybrid auxetic structures. This study directly addresses the above research gaps.

Empowering Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles Towards Sustainable Transportation: An Analytical Assessment, Emerging Energy Management, Key Issues, and Future Research Opportunities

Fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) have received significant attention in recent times due to various advantageous features, such as high energy efficiency, zero emissions, and extended driving range. However, FCEVs have some drawbacks, including high production costs; limited hydrogen refueling infrastructure; and the complexity of converters, controllers, and method execution. To address these challenges, smart energy management involving appropriate converters, controllers, intelligent algorithms, and optimizations is essential for enhancing the effectiveness of FCEVs towards sustainable transportation. Therefore, this paper presents emerging energy management strategies for FCEVs to improve energy efficiency, system reliability, and overall performance. In this context, a comprehensive analytical assessment is conducted to examine several factors, including research trends, types of publications, citation analysis, keyword occurrences, collaborations, influential authors, and the countries conducting research in this area. Moreover, emerging energy management schemes are investigated, with a focus on intelligent algorithms, optimization techniques, and control strategies, highlighting contributions, key findings, issues, and research gaps. Furthermore, the state-of-the-art research domains of FCEVs are thoroughly discussed in order to explore various research domains, relevant outcomes, and existing challenges. Additionally, this paper addresses open issues and challenges and offers valuable future research opportunities for advancing FCEVs, emphasizing the importance of suitable algorithms, controllers, and optimization techniques to enhance their performance. The outcomes and key findings of this review will be helpful for researchers and automotive engineers in developing advanced methods, control schemes, and optimization strategies for FCEVs towards greener transportation.

Ozone-Catalytic Treatment of Automotive Exhaust

In the paper, an original design of an ozone-catalytic device, in which the process of ozone formation occurs directly inside the catalyst monolith of the honeycomb structure, is proposed for solving the problem of exhaust gases purification at the "cold start" of an automobile engine. For the considered device, various regimes of operation were examined, and the equations allowing us to calculate the concentrations of ozone depending on time were obtained. The developed mathematical model shows a significant decrease in ozone concentration after the "cold start" is over and the temperature of the exhaust gases increases, because of changes in the balance of various chemical reactions. Thus, the ozone concentration is maximum during a cold start, precisely when the lower temperatures do not allow other reactions than those of oxidation of toxic gases with ozone, and decreases by the time the catalytic unit warms up, when effective neutralization of toxic impurities becomes possible without the participation of ozone. The results of the mathematical modeling were confirmed by testing this device for purifying exhaust gases of a YaMZ-238M2 engine. The test results show that the use of ozone-catalytic reactions significantly increases the efficiency of neutralizing toxic impurities under cold start conditions, compared to the case when only catalytic reactions with oxygen without the participation of ozone are used.

An Analysis Comparing the Taguchi Method for Optimizing the Process Parameters of AA5083/Silicon Carbide and AA5083/Coal Composites that Are Fabricated via Friction Stir Processing

Aluminium metal matrix composites are widely used in automotive, aerospace, marine, and structural engineering due to their high strength-to-weight ratio and superior mechanical properties. Optimizing friction stir process parameters is critical to enhancing the performance of these materials. This study investigates the effects of FSP parameters such as rotational speed, tilt angle, and traverse speed, on the mechanical properties of AA5083/Silicon carbide and AA5083/Coal composites. Using a Taguchi L9 design of experiments, signal-to-noise ratio, and analysis of variance, this study identifies the optimal process settings for maximizing ultimate tensile strength, microhardness, and elongation. From the results, the study revealed that for AA5083/Silicon carbide composites, rotational speed was the most significant factor affecting tensile strength, while for AA5083/Coal composites, tilt angle played a more critical role. Rotational speed consistently influenced microhardness and elongation for both materials. The signal-to-noise ratio analysis indicates that optimal FSP parameters vary depending on the reinforcement material used. This study highlights the importance of tailoring FSP settings to specific reinforcements to achieve optimal mechanical properties. These findings contribute to the advancement of friction stir processing techniques for fabricating high-performance aluminium metal matrix composites, particularly for applications in industries requiring strong, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant materials.

A Enhanced Process for Examining Resumes and Organizing Candidates Through Statistical Methods

Selecting suitable applicants is an important part of the screening process in a recruitment consulting firm. In general, traditional recruiting practices are used by the majority of businesses and consulting organizations. The primary strategy is employing resume-based screening techniques to attract exceptionally skilled researchers and developers for high-tech enterprises. Typically, the organization evaluates the individual's qualifications, professional history, employment experience, motivations, specialist abilities, and past creative projects as shown in their résumé in order to select the most suited candidate. The study sought to examine and mechanize efficient screening techniques utilized by consulting firms, emphasizing the need of ongoing research in comprehending evolving customer requirements and enhancing the screening process. Various techniques typically employ automated image analysis and heuristic methods to extract tabular bioinformatics data from resumes, with the aim of gathering pertinent information. This research employs optical character recognition (OCR) as it circumvents the inherent automotive engineering of the document and has been demonstrated to be a viable approach. Resumes in PDF format were gathered via convenience sampling and systematic random sampling, and data was then extracted from the resume documents by OCR. The pertinent data is subsequently analyzed using statistical techniques such as the Chi-square test, percentage studies, and the weighted average approach based on factors such as experience, technical/non-technical skills, employability, career advancement, salary expectations, and role/designation expectations. The proposed approach empowered the selection of the appropriate resumes for the subsequent recruitment progression.. sections. Such references are made by indicating the section number, for example, “In Sec. 2 we showed...” or “Section 2.1 contained a description....” If the word Section, Reference, Equation, or Figure starts a sentence, it is spelled out. When occurring in the middle of a sentence, these words are abbreviated Sec., Ref., Eq., and Fig. At the first occurrence of an acronym, spell it out followed by the acronym in parentheses, e.g., charge-coupled diode (CCD). Key Words: Resume screening process; Optical character recognition; Recruitment; Chi-square test, subsequently analyzed pertinent data; efficient screening technique; appropriate resume; PDF;

An innovative virtual sensing system for the vehicle-centric evaluation of emissions in the sustainable mobility transition

The objective of the research is to develop a new methodology capable of quantifying the emissions of internal combustion engine cars based not only on their technology but also on the dynamic behavior of the individual vehicle. No complicated exhaust measurement apparatus is needed. Employing just a telematic device equipped with GNSS and an inertial measurement unit, which can be easily attached to the vehicle, we demonstrate how individualised, accurate climate-altering emissions result by using figures extracted from European test databases, appropriately combined with real travelled distances, speeds, and driving style of each individual car. Pollutant emissions are, in this paper, also assessed though in a more general manner, and this represents a starting point for a future complete vehicle-centric emissions evaluation. This research demonstrates that circulating car emissions have to be assessed considering not only the Euro class and type of fuel, but also how the vehicle is driven. In this work a new, implementation oriented methodology is proposed in order to properly merge average European standard emission data with car-based telematic measures to highlight a new paradigm for regulating in a more conscious way the transition of the internal combustion engine car park towards a large scale, sustainable mobility ecosystem. This approach would place greater responsibility on the driver, without leaving anyone behind and without compelling the car scrapping solely based on the Euro class of its engine. The key contribution is ultimately to establish an easy to handle methodology enabling targeted and behavior-based traffic management policies. In fact, through a massive telematics recent dataset, the proposed virtual emission sensing system reveals that an extensive and inefficient use of eco-friendly vehicles produces much more greenhouse gas emissions than older vehicles driven in an environmentally responsible way.

Reduced ultimate-bound of tracking error convergence for ETV system with unknown upper-bound mismatched perturbation

The electronic throttle valve (ETV) is widely used in automobile engines to obtain efficient fuel combustion, improved fuel economy, and reduced emissions. The control of the ETV system is a challenging problem due to the unmatched structure of perturbation and its unknown upper bound. As such, deep control concerns are required. For such a system, recent control approaches could partially solve the ultimate boundedness of convergence error, but they have failed to find a solution in the presence of unknown upper-bound perturbation. The contribution of this study is to develop a novel backstepping-based barrier function integral sliding mode controller (BS-BFISMC) to find a solution for the ETV system without the pre-knowledge of the upper bound of perturbation. The proposed control scheme gets the benefits of the backstepping algorithm (BS) and barrier function integral sliding mode control (BFISMC), and the combined scheme could lead to reduced ultimate-bound convergence of tracking error and result in chattering-free control action. A rigorous stability analysis has been conducted to prove the finding reached by the proposed control approach. The efficacy and effectiveness of the proposed controller have been shown by conducting a comparison study with other existing control methods; namely, conventional backstepping controller, robust continuous backstepping (CRBS), and backstepping-based quasi-integral sliding mode controller (BS-QISMC). The numerical results showed that the proposed BS-BFISMC yields the lowest level of ultimate bound of tracking errors and the least control efforts as compared to other controllers. Also, it has been shown that the proposed controller does not require the upper bound of perturbation, which is a pre-requisition of all compared controllers.

Numerical Investigation of Different Cooling Methods for Battery Packs

This paper contains the results of numerical investigations into two cooling system types for cells of three types. The galvanic cell geometries which were considered were pouches, cylinders and prisms. By design, the cooling system for a vehicle is specialised to prevent an uncontrolled temperature increase at higher discharge rates. Consideration was given to the question of which cooling method would be sufficient to reduce the temperature rise of battery cells. The first cooling method investigated is one that uses direct contact with the air flow to cool the cells, a method that is very commonly used in automotive engineering, as it is less complicated. This study employs a method that uses a fan to induce forced convection, increasing the airflow over cells housed within a thermoplastic composite container. Another method, fluid cooling, is notable for its greater efficiency due to the use of a non-conducting coolant, which has also better energy absorption properties. In this study, immersion cooling was employed, utilising oil circulation through cells contained within a thermoplastic composite container, which was facilitated by a pump system. This publication shows the influence of the cell’s geometry and the type of cooling system on the temperature rise of cells when they are discharging at the appropriate power rate. The results of this study highlight the differences in cooling performance between the two methods, providing a clear basis for selecting the most suitable solution for specific applications.

High-speed nonlinear dynamic analysis of dual springs system considering internal structural impact

The significant dynamic responses of helical springs are widely reported as the main reason causing pre-failure in various high-speed conditions. Though the concept of nonlinear springs is proposed to reduce their own dynamic responses, they are found to induce unexpected spike forces during operations. This study presents a dual springs system used within high-speed sports car engines, which aims to mitigate the dynamic responses and spike forces. Analytical models are first developed to calculate the fundamental frequencies of the outer and the inner springs of the system. Then, a transient finite element (FE) model is developed to accurately simulate the dual springs system working at various high engine speeds and validated experimentally by the results of the engine head tests. The simulations reveal that the use of dual springs with different natural frequencies can mitigate the dynamic responses of the whole system to a certain extent. Nevertheless, it is still a compromise as coil clash occurs on each isolated spring though the effects are reduced. The findings of this study indicate that the establishment of direct connections between every component spring would be a promising way to better mitigate the dynamic responses including the effects of coil clash.

Magnetic field effects on double-diffusive mixed convection and entropy generation in a cam-shaped enclosure

This study investigates double-diffusive mixed convection and entropy generation under magnetic influence within a novel cam-shaped enclosure, with applications in automotive engineering. The unique geometry creates distinct flow patterns that enhance heat and mass transport. Using the Galerkin finite element method, we analyzed the effects of key parameters, including buoyancy ratio, Reynolds number, Hartmann number, magnetic field inclination angle on average Nusselt and Sherwood numbers, and total entropy generation. Results show that increasing the buoyancy ratio and Reynolds number enhances heat transfer, while the Hartmann number significantly impacts flow characteristics and entropy generation. The magnetic field inclination angle exhibits a non-linear effect on heat transfer and entropy production. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing heat transfer systems in complex automotive geometries.

СВІТОВІ ТРЕНДИ У АВТОМОБІЛЕБУДІВНІЙ ГАЛУЗІ: УРОКИ ДЛЯ РОЗВИТКУ АВТОМОБІЛЕБУДУВАННЯ УКРАЇНИ В УМОВАХ ЕКОНОМІЧНОЇ ГЛОБАЛІЗАЦІЇ

The article demonstrates that the automotive industry is a significant component of the global economy due to its overall market volume, contribution to GDP, and the number of employed workers. The importance of the automotive industry has prompted an exploration of current global trends in the automotive industry. The trends identified include the development of 'green' technologies in the context of addressing climate change, the rise of 'green' protectionism, and the intensification of economic rivalry between China and Western countries. Other trends encompass the proliferation of autonomous vehicles based on the advancement of artificial intelligence technologies, the integration of cars into the broader network of connected devices within the Internet of Things and cloud technologies, the increased concentration of global value chains, the growth of the sharing economy, urbanization, and the development of urban transport. Furthermore, there is a heightened emphasis on the safety of vehicles, along with regulatory frameworks addressing these requirements. The emergence and development of individual flying devices as alternative modes of transportation are also noteworthy trends. With the aim of assessing the relevance of these trends for Ukraine and their implementation, manifestations of these trends in Ukraine have been evaluated. It has been shown that the most pronounced manifestations include the increased concentration of global value chains and urbanization along with the development of urban transport. To assess the prospects for further development of the examined trends in Ukraine, an evaluation of the readiness of the Ukrainian economy to implement these trends in the automotive industry is presented. The analysis reveals that the Ukrainian economy is most prepared for trends such as the development of 'green' technologies in the context of combating climate change and the growth of the sharing economy. It is shown that the trends in automotive engineering both present opportunities and pose threats to domestic car manufacturers. The composition of these opportunities and threats is outlined. Explored opportunities are mainly associated with the emergence of additional market segments, a stable demand pattern, and the creation of additional economic advantages. The presented threats are mostly linked to changes in demand structure and the insufficient competitiveness of Ukrainian automobile manufacturers in the global market. Factors limiting the opportunities of Ukrainian automotive manufacturers are identified, and the consequences of these factors are demonstrated, ultimately leading to the insufficient competitiveness of Ukrainian producers, an inability to scale production, and difficulties in technical upgrading. The results of the article are of interest for shaping the development of the automotive industry in Ukraine.

Investigating the Role of Adaptivity in Video Games for Attitude Change

Video games have become one of the most widespread forms of media in the 21st century, bringing interactive digital narratives to over 3 billion people globally. Like other media, video games feature topics from our society, culture, and history. Research has shown that narrative-driven video games have a unique potential to influence explicit and implicit attitudes toward the topics they depict. However, the concrete mechanisms through which video games shape our attitudes remain unclear. Identifying the mechanisms behind the attitude-shaping effect would help to design more effective educational games and simulations. One aspect that reduces the potential of video games to change attitudes is a so-called credibility bias, a phenomenon where information contradicting one’s pre-existing beliefs is deemed less credible. For this reason, our work focuses on employing adaptivity to improve the attitude-shaping effect of video games. We hypothesize that adapting gameplay elements based on players’ pre-existing attitudes will mitigate the credibility bias, leading to greater attitude changes and enhanced game enjoyment compared to a static presentation. We propose assessing players’ attitudes before playing and adapting the game content accordingly, utilizing in-game metrics to track players’ actions to further refine the content. This work focuses on adapting highlights in user interfaces, narrative-related messages, and in-game goals. To empirically test our hypothesis, we have developed two versions of a video game – an experimental version featuring adaptive game elements and a control version with static content. For this proof-of-concept experiment, we have chosen the topic of electromobility, but we designed the adaptive elements to be usable with any topic. The experimental game is a delivery manager simulator featuring electric and combustion engine cars, with the aim of showcasing the usability and advantages of electric cars. Our experimental design involves a pretest-posttest setup with an experimental and a control group. We utilize measures for implicit and explicit attitudes and game enjoyment. This empirical study will bring valuable data reacting to the identified research gap. Should the adaptive approach prove to be usable, it could be widely utilized to improve the attitude-shaping potential of educational games.

Indentation Fracture Toughness of Aluminium-Graphite Composites: Influence of Nano-particles

In the field of composite materials, extensive research has been undertaken on aluminum-graphite composites. However, a research gap has been identified regarding the specific influence of nano-sized graphite particles on their fracture toughness. Previous studies have predominantly focused on larger graphite particles or different reinforcement materials, resulting in relatively unexplored effects of nano-graphite particles. This research is deemed critical as it has the potential to generate lightweight, high-strength materials, aligning with the demands of aerospace, automotive, and structural engineering. The primary objective of this study is to investigate how the inclusion of nano-sized graphite particles affects the fracture toughness of aluminum-graphite composites. To achieve this objective, systematic dispersion and incorporation of nano-sized graphite particles into an aluminum matrix will be carried out. Mechanical testing, including fracture toughness assessments, will be conducted to evaluate the performance of the composite materials. Factors such as particle size, distribution, volume fraction, and interfacial bonding will also be characterized within the study. It is anticipated that the presence of nano-sized graphite particles will lead to a significant enhancement of the fracture toughness of the aluminum-graphite nanocomposites. This enhancement is expected to be attributed to crack deflection, tortuosity, altered stress distribution, and increased plastic deformation around cracks.

Dielectric properties of low-temperature co-fired capacitor ceramics and MLCC devices with Ag inner electrodes

Low-temperature sintered 0.99((1−x)Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-xNaNbO3)-0.01Sr0.8Na0.4Nb2O6 (100xNN, x = 0.25 and 0.30) ceramics and MLCC were successfully prepared, and the dielectric properties were systematically investigated. The dielectric permittivity at 25 °C (ε′25 °C) of 25NN ceramic is 1088, and the dielectric variation is small between −88 °C and 400 °C (|△ε′/ε′25 °C| ≤ 15%, △ε′=ε′-ε′25 °C). The dielectric loss tangent (tanδ) of 25NN ceramic is less than 0.02 between -65 °C and 358 °C. The MLCC with 25NN ceramic dielectrics and Ag inner electrode also has excellent dielectric stability, of which |△ε′/ε′25 °C| is less than 15 % between −100 °C and 400 °C, and the dielectric loss is less than 0.02 between −88 °C and 373 °C. All these results indicate that the low-temperature sintered MLCC with Ag inner electrodes is a promising capacitor in automobile engines and aerospace fields, where the usage temperature is often above 300 °C.

Application of electric pulse and ultrasonic mufflers for increasing the degree of exhaust gas purification in car engines

The purpose of the article is to compare the efficiency of using electro-pulse and ultrasonic mufflers for cleaning exhaust gases from internal combustion engines of automobiles. The authors have developed full-size stands for conducting experiments with both types of mufflers on gasoline and diesel engines. Experimental studies have shown that electro-pulse mufflers are more effective in reducing the smoke of diesel engine exhausts, while ultrasonic mufflers are promising for cleaning exhaust gases from solid particles of gasoline engines. In the electro-pulse muffler, at the considered values of the angular velocity of the engine, the smoke indicators of the gas decreased to approximately 30%, while in the ultrasonic one, to 15%. The changes in the mass of the sold particles in the ultrasonic muffler of a diesel engine and a comparison with a gasoline engine show that ultrasonic mufflers have a lot of potential to stop solid particles from forming in the gas flow. In particular, the mass of the precipitated particles in a gasoline engine is 3 times greater than in a diesel engine. The alternative mufflers studied in the article allow for the purification of exhaust gases from solid particles, reducing their negative impact on the environment and giving impetus to the development of environmentally friendly motor transport.

Preliminary investigation of nanofibrous membranes for sound absorption

Nanofibrous membranes show interesting mechanical properties, low thickness and lightness, besides the possibility of using a great variety of polymers. The electrospinning technique makes possible the production of polymeric random nanofibres to form nonwoven membranes, which are currently used in several application fields, such as filtration, biomedicine, biomechanics, electronics, and composite materials. Their application in the automotive and aerospace engineering field could bring significant benefits to the acoustic comfort design. However, their acoustics properties still need to be further assessed. This study investigates the acoustic absorption of electrospinning-made nanofibrous membranes in Nylon 66 with different fibre diameters and mat thicknesses. Morphological and thermal characterisation of the electrospun membranes have been assessed via Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), respectively. The acoustic absorption characteristics of various samples changing fibre diameter, membrane thickness and mounting conditions were tested in the impedance tube. The results showed more relevant acoustic absorption properties in the nanofibrous membrane coupled with a polyester fibre. Further studies will clarify if filament direction and constituent material can be improved for a more durable and resistant membrane application.

Effects of integrated takeover request warning with personal portable device on takeover time and post-takeover performance in level 3 driving automation

Introduction: Level 3 driving automation defined by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) requests human drivers to drive manually when the vehicle cannot perform the driving task. In this regard, researchers have studied the integrated takeover request (TOR) which provides visual and auditory TOR warning in both vehicle interface (e.g., dashboard, windshield (head-up display) and personal portable device (PPD) (e.g., cell phone, tablet). However, these studies neither used auditory TOR warning in PPD nor examined the effect of use of headphone on takeover. Thus, this study evaluates the effects of the integrated TOR with the use of headphones on the takeover time and the post-takeover performance. Method: The behavior of 60 drivers was observed in the driving simulator experiment. During the experiment, the drivers watched a video on a tablet in automated driving, received the TOR warning, and manually drove in the lane change and pullover scenarios. The survey was also conducted to ask drivers’ experience and preference for TOR warning. Results: The integrated TOR significantly reduced the takeover time compared to the conventional TOR which provides the TOR warning in vehicle interface only. The integrated TOR also improved the post-takeover performance as indicated by more stable steering operation and safer driving behavior after TOR warning. However, the use of headphones did not significantly reduce the takeover time or improve the post-takeover performance for the integrated TOR. The participants generally perceived higher subjective comfort and safety level with the integrated TOR than the conventional TOR. Conclusions: The integrated TOR with auditory warning in PPD can significantly reduce the takeover time and improve the post-takeover performance in both urgent and less urgent conditions. Practical applications: The integrated TOR with auditory warning in PPD can be applied to SAE Level 3 driving automation for safe transition from automated to manual driving.

Comparative analysis of ternary TiAlNb interatomic potentials: moment tensor vs. deep learning approaches

Intermetallic titanium aluminides, leveraging the ordered γ-TiAl phase, attract increasing attention in aerospace and automotive engineering due to their favorable mechanical properties at high temperatures. Of particular interest are γ-TiAl-based alloys with a Niobium (Nb) concentration of 5–10 at.%. It is a key question how to model such ternary alloys at the atomic scale with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to better understand (and subsequently optimize) the alloys. Here, we present a comparative analysis of ternary TiAlNb interatomic potentials developed by the moment tensor potential (MTP) and deep potential molecular dynamics (DeePMD) methods specifically for the above mentioned critical Nb concentration range. We introduce a novel dataset (TiAlNb dataset) for potential training that establishes a benchmark for the assessment of TiAlNb potentials. The potentials were evaluated through rigorous error analysis and performance metrics, alongside calculations of material properties such as elastic constants, equilibrium volume, and lattice constant. Additionally, we explore finite temperature properties including specific heat and thermal expansion with both potentials. Mechanical behaviors, such as uniaxial tension and the calculation of generalized stacking fault energy, are analyzed to determine the impact of Nb alloying in TiAl-based alloys. Our results indicate that Nb alloying generally enhances the ductility of TiAl-based alloys at the expense of reduced strength, with the notable exception of simulations using DeePMD for the γ-TiAl phase, where this trend does not apply.

Effective reduction of iron impurities in recycled aluminium-silicon alloy type LM-6 through sedimentation and filtration with synthesized Mn, Cr and Zr transition metal powders

Abstract In secondary aluminium recycling, impurity reduction, especially of iron, is a significant challenge as it deteriorates the material quality in the aluminium melt. Recycled aluminium alloys are widely used in various industries, including automotive, marine, and structural engineering. Specifically, LM-6 aluminium alloy is commonly used in automotive engine parts and transmission cases. This research focused on reducing the excessive iron content in LM-6 alloy scrap. Elements like manganese (Mn), chromium (Cr) and zirconium (Zr) were added to the melt in form of synthesized powders to form intermetallic compounds. These powders will also act as grain refiners, neutralizers and reducing the detrimental effects on the alloys. The powders were synthesized using the ball milling method with a ball to powder ratio of (5:1) to enhance mixing and amalgamation with the melt. The melt was held at an optimized temperature of 640 ± 10 °C to promote the formation of intermetallic sludge, encouraging the sedimentation of aluminium-iron (Al-Fe) intermetallic phases. XRD confirmed the formation of AlMn, AlCr, AlZr with other phases. After sedimentation, a glass fabric mesh with a pore size of 200 μm was used to effectively filter out β-iron during the filtration process. This technique reduced iron impurity in the melt by 50%–60%. As a result, the mechanical properties of the recycled aluminium improved significantly: hardness increased by 14%, and tensile strength increased by 36%. The wear and corrosion resistance of the material also improved due to the incorporation of the synthesized powders. SEM analysis revealed the plate-like formation of iron structures and confirmed the presence of the manganese, chromium, and zirconium powders in the metallographic analysis.

Unveiling the Future of Safety: Cutting-Edge Simulation Testing of e-Kart Bumpers

Abstract This research project proves the importance of simulation technology in developing safe and efficient components for electric Go-Kart and how this approach could impact the future of automotive design and engineering. The development of electric Go-Kart present unique challenges in ensuring safety and performance, given the increasing demand for eco-friendly mobility solutions in motorsports. As the adoption of the electric vehicles grow, the importance of designing robust and reliable safety components, such as bumpers, become critical to protect drivers and enhance vehicle durability. While previous studies have explored Go-Kart safety and performance, they often relied on traditional testing methods that are time-consuming and limited in their ability to simulate complex crash scenarios. Moreover, many studies have not fully addressed the specific challenges associated with the unique dynamics of electric Go-Kart. This research fills these gaps by focusing on testing electric Go-Kart bumpers through advanced computer simulations used to thoroughly examine various crash and impact scenarios to assess the reliability and durability of the front, side and rear bumpers to improve safety and performance. The results of the stress analysis carried out on the electric Go-Kart body showed that the electric go-kart body experienced displacement and safety factors, with the stress experienced being at a point below the yield strength or yield strength so that the body construction was declared safe against the static loading received, so that the test results this provides detailed insight into material strength, structural design, and possible improvements that can be made to reduce the risk of rider injury.