Papers by Keyword: Weight Reduction

Abstract: Present demands for weight reduction of vehicles to decrease the carbon footprint in the transport industry have increased the need for lightweight tubes. In this paper, composite tubes are drawn from two aluminum tubes and reinforcements with the aim of maximizing mechanical performance while maintaining low weight. The reinforcements are placed between the two aluminum tubes and are made from blanks of 22MnB5 steel or carbon fiber laid in different quantities and patterns. The compressive stresses in tube sinking are used to hold the reinforcements in the composites without the need for resins and energy-intensive heating or curing cycles. The composites are weighed, and their performance is evaluated by mechanical test. Bending tests reveal an increase in the bending strength of the reinforced tubes by 15% for both composites reinforced by carbon fiber and 22MnB5 steel. However, the composites made from carbon fiber have higher stiffness and lower weight. The bending strength and residual stresses of composites manufactured with different carbon fiber layouts and quantities are evaluated to determine their performance. Increasing the carbon fiber content did not improve the stiffness and ultimate tensile strength of the composites, indicating the compressive stresses from drawing and carbon fiber content should be optimized to achieve the best mechanical performance.

Abstract: To control the product density uniformity and weight reduction for metal injection molding (MIM), this study investigated the influence of using gas-assisted technology to assess if uniform part density can be achieved. The findings show that gas-assisted molding has great potential for improving density uniformity, particularly for the part density at the position far away from the gate. The green parts and final parts also significantly improve density uniformity and shrinkage. Interestingly, the gas-assisted technology applied to MIM shows similar molding characteristics and advantages over gas-assisted injection molding of polymers. This also enables the design of MIM parts with a non-uniform thickness with a hollowed core in the thick portion.

Abstract: Basalt fibers are increasingly emerging as reinforcement of composite materials. Their use is purely technical, depending on the properties of the basalt fibers: thermal, chemical and electrical resistance, good mechanical properties and low environmental impact. Basalt fibers reinforced plastics penetrate to automotive, aerospace, building construction and building reparation, industrial applications, oil industry and sport tools. The topic of the paper is to find out the mechanical properties of basalt fiber reinforced plastic (BFRP) and to create a model of split pin that is originally made of steel. Basalt woven fabric was selected for this experiment. Two weave - plain and twill was available. Tensile strength test was made in three basic directions: 0°, 90° and 45°. Epoxy resin was used for production composite plates with one layer basalt reinforcement. Tensile strength test of composite plates provided input parameters for numerical model of small composite part - split pin. Real composite split pin will produced according to modeling properties. Weight decrease was supposed, this assumption was confirmed.

Abstract: In tractor brakes, when the brake is applied, tension in the operating rod causes the links to turn the two actuating disc slightly, in opposite directions. The shape of the recesses in which the hardened steel balls locate is such that, as disc move relative to each other, the ball force them apart and apply pressure to the rotating discs. The automotive industry has for many years identified weight reduction as a way of improving product competitiveness and thus the ability to make profits. In present work, an attempt has been made to reduce the thickness of link and hence achieve weight reduction and cost savings. The actuator link has been analyzed for stresses. The existing link is of 6 mm thickness and is made of C – 40 steel. The existing link of 6 mm thickness along with links of 5 mm and 4 mm thickness were considered for analysis. It is found that the stresses in 5 mm thick link are well within limits with a factor of safety of 2.3. This reduction in thickness would yield a reduction in weight of link and hence would reduce the cost of link with a saving potential of Rs.14, 40000/= per year considering the fact that 6, 00,000 tractors are sold in India every year. Experimental investigation showed the zone of failure of link is in line with the high stress zone indicated by finite element analysis.

Abstract: Modern shipbuilding yards apply traditional aluminum alloys in production of high-speed vessels, ships with dynamic principles of support, other small vessels and vessel constructions. These alloys provide the low weight for the construction, but have definite disadvantages, which could be improved by application of the new generation Al-Sc-alloy with low concentration of scandium. The developed technology allows to increase durability and to improve other mechanical characteristics, decrease the vessels’ weight, decrease operational costs, increase the operational lifecycle of the production, as well as to achieve some indirect effects. The feasibility study was held to assess the economic effect of applying the new generation Al-Sc-alloy in shipbuilding, which proves its advantages comparing to traditionally used Al-alloys.

Abstract: Optimization methods are useful and effective techniques for the design and development of components from the weight reduction point of view. This paper presents an optimization methodology applied to the front cross-member of a Maserati chassis for metal replacement application with the objective of the minimization of the mass of the structure using composite materials. Firstly, a topological optimization of the front side of the vehicle is performed, and the available design space is considered to determine the optimal load path of the design volume and, consequently, to assess a preliminary geometry of the component under scrutiny. Secondly, free-size optimization of the preliminary cross-member design is developed, initially neglecting and subsequently considering the manufacturing constraints. In addition, a linear analysis of the cross-member, modeled as a rigid component, is carried out to evaluate the maximum contribution of this component on the structural performance of the front side of the vehicle. Finally, size and shuffle optimizations are carried out on the new design concept to determine the number and the thickness of the composite plies, and the optimal stacking sequence, respectively, in order to fulfill the structural requirements. A comparison between the new composite structure and the aluminium Maserati cross-member is presented.

Abstract: Polymer extrusion is one of the most widely utilized manufacturing processes across many industries including automotive, architecture, aerospace etc. However, in order to maintain normal operations, polymer extrusion dies are conventionally designed with large dimensions and thick walls which results in the overweight of them. In this paper, a shape optimization method is proposed to reduce the weight of polymer extrusion dies without sacrificing the required performances of extrudate. Firstly, Finite element simulation of the extrusion process is conducted using the commercial software HyperXtrude to study both the essential flow characteristics of polymer melts and the deformation and stress distribution of extrusion die. Secondly, shape optimization is conducted to find the minimum weight of extrusion die while satisfying the required properties and productivity of polymer product. The extrusion die is then redesigned according to the result of shape optimization and compared with the original one. A Medium-sized polymer profile extrusion die is selected as case study, the result of which shows that the weight of the extrusion die is reduced by 31.6%,though the maximal deformation and stress of the die are increased by 1.7% and 16.1% respectively. The proposed approach is demonstrated to be effective for the lightweight design of polymer extrusion die.

Abstract: The first part of this paper deals with the structural analysis of automobile frame and design modification to reduce weight of the chassis, the second part is the study of rolling over effect and the multiple axle drives with active bogies for chassis levelling and the final part is the implementation of the active bogies and multiple axle drives for the prevention of rolling over. A method has been suggested to overcome the rolling over by design modification of the chassis. Active weights are used in order to prevent the rolling over of a vehicle.

Abstract: Leaf springs are the traditional suspension elements, occupying a vital position in the automobile industry. This paper deals us the replacement of existing steel leaf spring by composite leaf spring. The dimensions of existing middle steel leaf spring of commercial vehicle (Tata ace mini truck) were taken and fabricated using a specially designed die. Single leaf of the suspension springs, each made up composite with bidirectional carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), bidirectional glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) and hybrid glass-carbon fiber reinforced plastic (G-CFRP), was fabricated by hand layup process. It is to be mentioned here that the cross sectional area of the composite spring same as the metallic spring. A low velocity impact test rig was fabricated in the laboratory with loading set up. The composite leaf springs were tested with the low velocity impact test rig. By using the low velocity impact test rig, the deflection due to various drop height were measured.

Abstract: Thetemperature rise during ultrasonic and sonothermal pretreatments had induced the volatilisationof wastewater prior to anaerobic digestion process. In this study,wastewater from palm oil mill which is known as raw palm oil mill effluent (POME) was exposed to ultrasonic irradiation by using an ultrasonic bath at the rate of 37 kHz. Effects ofultrasonic and sonothermaltreatments onphysical properties of raw POME as a result of the volatilisation process were investigated through these analyses: weight reduction, particle sizedistribution and Specific Surface Area (SSA). The weight reduction was observed to be increased by 39.05% after 6 hours ofultrasonic exposure due to volatilisation process in aqueous phase.The combined sonothermal at a temperature of 75^oC resulted in the highest weight reduction, 19%, compared to lower sonothermal temperatures of 45^oC, 55^oC and 65^oC after 1 hour treatment. Looking at particle size distributions after the treatment, the process reduce the Average Particle Size, D[4,3](or de Brouckere mean diameter) while making the SSAincrease, both rather significantly. However, there were slight increase observed in D[4,3] and areduction in SSA after 3 hours of ultrasonic treatment. This is mostly due to thereflocculation process during the ultrasonic treatment. In contrast, an hour ofsonothermaltreatment showed that the D[4,3] of raw POME continuously reduced as the temperature increase from 45^oCto 75^oC.