Engineering Commons^™

Strategies To Increase Competitive Advantage In The Automotive Manufacturing Supply Chain, Amber Willis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some automotive manufacturing supply chain leaders lack strategies that are needed to implement information technology (IT) systems. Business leaders are concerned with implementing IT systems to achieve and maintain a competitive advantage. Grounded in the resource-based view theory (RBV), the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore information system strategies used by leaders in the automotive manufacturing supply chain to achieve competitive advantage. Participants were five leaders of an automotive manufacturing supply chain organization who implemented IT systems. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of organization project documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes were …

The Analysis, Development And Calibration Of Prototype Hardware In Effort To Improve Brake Thermal Efficiency And Real-World Fuel Economy Of The International Supertruck, Matthew Taylor

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The work performed for this project was in part of the effort of the Department of Energy Sponsored program called ‘SuperTruck’. The entirety of the Supertruck program encompasses total vehicle re-design to achieve 80% freight efficiency improvement (over the 2009MY baseline production vehicle). However, the other main goal for the program is to achieve 50% engine brake thermal efficiency. The work outlined in this document describes the efforts performed on base engine and thus mainly contributing towards 50% BTE. Though ultimately reducing BSFC by increasing BTE contributes to both outcomes. The engine development data discussed in this paper was collected …

Machine Learning Approach To Investigate Ev Battery Characteristics, Shayan Falahatdoost

Major Papers

The main factor influencing an electric vehicle’s range is its battery. Battery electric vehicles experience driving range reduction in low temperatures. This range reduction results from the heating demand for the cabin and recuperation limits by the braking system. Due to the lack of an internal combustion engine-style heat source, electric vehicles' heating system demands a significant amount of energy. This energy is supplied by the battery and results in driving range reduction. Moreover, Due to the battery's low temperature in cold weather, the charging process through recuperation is limited. This limitation of recuperation is caused by the low reaction …

Automotive Sensor Fusion Systems For Traffic Aware Adaptive Cruise Control, Jonah T. Gandy

Theses and Dissertations

The autonomous driving (AD) industry is advancing at a rapid pace. New sensing technology for tracking vehicles, controlling vehicle behavior, and communicating with infrastructure are being added to commercial vehicles. These new automotive technologies reduce on road fatalities, improve ride quality, and improve vehicle fuel economy. This research explores two types of automotive sensor fusion systems: a novel radar/camera sensor fusion system using a long shortterm memory (LSTM) neural network (NN) to perform data fusion improving tracking capabilities in a simulated environment and a traditional radar/camera sensor fusion system that is deployed in Mississippi State’s entry in the EcoCAR Mobility …

Characterization Of Friction Element Welding Using Finite Element Modeling, Ankit Varma

All Dissertations

Friction element welding (FEW) has been advocated as a solution to weld different materials together, with the ability to join high-strength materials for a range of thicknesses with low input energy and a short processing time. This work develops a coupled thermal-mechanical finite element model to better understand the physical mechanisms involved in the process and to predict temperature and material flow during the process. Furthermore, microstructural analysis is performed for the steel layer using a scanning electron microscope and Vickers microhardness tester to understand the variation in its grain structure and hardness. Results from the finite element model and …

Pscc Formula Sae Aerodynamic Sub-Team, Nicholas Boccuzzi, Candler Boland, Adam Cain, Michael Palmaccio, Anna "Liece" Tessman

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Electric Vehicles, Oliver P. Allen

Senior Projects Spring 2022

The SPROJ will be an investigation into what it takes to build an electric vehicle, from design to engineering to the manufacturing. In the past couple years especially, companies have developed their own electric vehicles in search of an environmentally friendly and energy efficient way of using our Earth’s resources. This project aims to produce a greater understanding of what this development entails. The main ideas were to develop a design that would be the blueprint for the vehicle, look into the physical properties of the materials and create an efficient power conversion from motor to wheels. The process and …

Torque Vectoring To Maximize Straight-Line Efficiency In An All-Electric Vehicle With Independent Rear Motor Control, William Blake Brown

Theses and Dissertations

BEVs are a critical pathway towards achieving energy independence and meeting greenhouse and pollutant gas reduction goals in the current and future transportation sector [1]. Automotive manufacturers are increasingly investing in the refinement of electric vehicles as they are becoming an increasingly popular response to the global need for reduced transportation emissions. Therefore, there is a desire to extract the most fuel economy from a vehicle as possible. Some areas that manufacturers spend much effort on include minimizing the vehicle’s mass, body drag coefficient, and drag within the powertrain. When these values are defined or unchangeable, interest is driven to …

Adaptive Vehicle Control, Brian L. Finger, Maria Vargas, Jacob T. Larson, Christopher J. Villa

Mechanical Engineering

This report presents the final design for our device made for Mrs. Laura Jagels. Mrs. Jagels, who has an above the knee amputation, needed a device that would allow her to operate a manual car in a safe and reliable way that still gives her the traditional driving experience. This report takes into consideration the shortcomings of current market devices that enable amputees to operate vehicles. From this research and through interviews with Mrs. Jagels, we were able to decide on our device specifications, giving us a basis to objectively evaluate designs. Ideation and concept prototype building was performed for …

Camper Conversion, Owen Christian Hafler, Zebediah Paul Benedict Zehentbauer, Madilyn Beatrice Willis, Zachary Eli Owen, Justin Robert Nicholas

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020-2021 has seen hundreds of thousands sequestered in quarantine for long periods of time. When quarantined in an urban setting, many cannot leave their respective apartment buildings which only adds to the strain of isolation. In the context of isolation, the design team of Hafler, Nicholas, Owen, Willis, and Zehentbauer personally sought to incorporate their individual enthusiasm for nature with the benefits of living off-grid. After initial research and deliberation, the team discovered the “Skoolie” community and the plans for a mobile tiny home began production.

The team outlined the design project as the full design, …

Evaluation Of Warpage For Composite Automotive Components, Eric J. Martin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thermoplastic composite parts are manufactured using compression molding for the purposes of assembly in a car seat sub-assembly. Concerns about the dimensional accuracy of the parts prompted an investigation into the part warpage. The warpage of the parts needs to be evaluated for the purposes of determining processing conditions which are linked to part warpage, in order to reduce part warpage.

Laser line probes (LLP) are becoming a more attractive tool for the purposes of part inspection. LLPs quickly acquire point cloud data from complex surfaces and are a non-contact method of measurement; these qualities make LLPs the best tool …

Design Of A Printed Circuit Board For A Sensorless Three-Phase Brushless Dc Motor Control System, Joshua Castle

Master's Theses

The use of brushless motors has increased in recent years due to superior performance characteristics compared with alternatives. The operation of a brushless motor is dependent upon a separate controller which is often in the form of a printed circuit board. As such, the size and performance capability of the controller can restrict the performance of the overall motor control system so advancements of these controllers further the potential use of BLDC motors. This project outlines the design of a PCB based, sensorless motor controller for operation of a three-phase BLDC motor powered by a 24 V, high current external …

Examining Career And Technical Education Practitioner Preparation And Professional Development Needs, Shane Wilson Lange

Theses and Dissertations

This quantitative study was used to investigate Illinois automotive educator professional development needs and to identify the demographic landscape of Illinois secondary and post-secondary automotive teachers. The study should bring a greater understanding of what automotive teachers feel they need to learn in order to continue as successful educators. A modified Borich (1980) needs assessment model was used to identify the perceived importance and ability levels for 32 professional competencies. Mean Weighted Discrepancy Scores (MWDS) were calculated using the importance and ability scores in order to report the professional development need. The administered survey was also utilized to examine their …

Galvanic Corrosion In Aluminum/Steel Joints, Maegan Saul

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

As car manufacturers seek to use lighter weight materials, aluminum is being more commonly used in the construction of vehicles. However, the strength of steel cannot be matched and both metals are necessary, leading to the joining of dissimilar metals. This connection of different metals leads to a galvanic coupling and subsequent corrosion of the less noble metal. This project aims to observe the corrosion and galvanic coupling behavior of aluminum alloys and carbon steel so that a model may be produced which can accurately predict the expected responses of the metals in various environments. Better, more accurate modeling of …

Asts Frame, Dustin Braun

All Undergraduate Projects

The automotive industry has been an industry of many breakthroughs in technology and mechanical systems over the course of its history. But in one area, its innovation has slowed. That is in the area of the short throw shifter. All aftermarket short throw shifters are currently one dimensional. No adjustability, no ability to finetune to one’s personal desire. The goal of this project is to create a short throw shifter frame that is easier/faster to install, as well as allow for full adjustability of the shifter from inside the car. This frame design uses mostly 6061-T6 aluminum, along with some …

Catmobile Ev Front Suspension, Daymon Fritz

All Undergraduate Projects

The Central Washington University (CWU) Mechanical Engineering Technology (MET) program owns an electric vehicle called the “Cat-Mobile” designed to be entered into an Electrothon America race. The Cat-Mobile is a collaborative project, various aspects of which are built by CWU MET students in the capstone sequence of the senior year. For the Cat-Mobile to operate safely and effectively, it was necessary to design and build a proper front suspension system. The suspension needed to meet Electrothon America Handbook rules dictating a minimum ground clearance of 2” and optimize material usage to keep added weight at or below 20lbs. Loading and …

Zips Electric Racing Suspension Design, Madison Hughes, Christopher Thompson, Erikah Jackson, Anna Signorino

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

I am working with three others on the suspension and steering sybsystems for the Zips Electric Racing design team at The University of Akron. We are improving upon last year's design to help create an optimized vehicle. As part of this project, we take part in weekly design reviews and team meetings, model parts in Solidworks, and perform simulations and FEA using MATLAB/SIMULINK, Solidworks, and Optimum Kinematics.

2-Axis Electric Off-Road Bucket Seat Bases, Brennan K. Slater, Alexander P. Croteau, Spencer M. Kubik

Mechanical Engineering

Off-road vehicle bucket seats are currently restricted to a single position relative to the floor of the vehicle. Drivers and riders desire the ability to adjust their seat position to increase comfort and allow for a greater size range of riders to fit safely within the cabin or roll cage. To develop a viable solution, the team has gone through an extensive design process and has constructed a functioning prototype. This Final Design Report encapsulates the entire design process and concludes with recommendations for changes we would make looking both back in review as well as moving forward with further …

The High Rise Storage System, Justin H. Harmon

Chancellor’s Honors Program Projects

No abstract provided.

Development Of Mbd Model And Analysis Methodology For Vehicle Design, Alfonso Christopher Ponce

Mechanical Engineering ETDs

This thesis is to provide a new methodology that considers the effects the chassis applies during dynamic load to the suspension and the handling characteristics of a road course vehicle. A methodology in which is described in detail as well as an applied demonstration where literature before this thesis, lacks in replication and serves to establish a basis for multi-body dynamic analysis in this area. Two models to be created, rigid and flexible, and to compare each other to study the effects the chassis torsional stiffness has during load transfer. Ultimately, to assist in the design of a vehicle that …

Cal Poly Supermileage Electric Vehicle Drivetrain And Motor Control Design, Clarisa Joy Howe, Christopher Joseph Mclaughlin, Erik Alvarado, Enyi Liang

Mechanical Engineering

The Cal Poly Supermileage Vehicle team is a multidisciplinary club that designs and builds high efficiency vehicles to compete internationally at Shell Eco-Marathon (SEM). Cal Poly Supermileage Club has been competing in the internal combustion engine (ICE) category of the competition since 2007. The club has decided it is time to expand their competition goals and enter their first battery electric prototype vehicle. To this end, a yearlong senior design project was presented to this team of engineers giving us the opportunity to design an electric powertrain with a custom motor controller. This system has been integrated into Ventus, the …

Autojack - Hydraulic Powertrain System, Tyce Vu

All Undergraduate Projects

A primary problem for mechanics and automotive enthusiasts is the risk associated with lifting and securing a vehicle with conventional jack stands. Often times, improper jack-stand installation results in the vehicle collapsing unexpectedly, causing injury and/or death. This problem can be minimized through the application of a newly re-designed vehicle lifting system. The conventional method for lifting cars is time consuming and can be unsafe in many circumstances. A better, safer, and more efficient lift design was needed; the AutoJack. The approach of the AutoJack design was entirely focused on the safety of lifting a vehicle. Safety was improved by …

Automated Vehicle Electronic Control Unit (Ecu) Sensor Location Using Feature-Vector Based Comparisons, Gregory S. Buthker

Browse all Theses and Dissertations

In the growing world of cybersecurity, being able to map and analyze how software and hardware interact is key to understanding and protecting critical embedded systems like the Engine Control Unit (ECU). The aim of our research is to use our understanding of the ECU's control flow attained through manual analysis to automatically map and identify sensor functions found within the ECU. We seek to do this by generating unique sets of feature vectors for every function within the binary file of a car ECU, and then using those feature sets to locate functions within each binary similar to their …

Passive Balancing Battery Management System For Cal Poly Racing's Formula Sae Electric Vehicle, Alvin Joseph Ha

Electrical Engineering

This senior project aims to replace the current battery management system (BMS) on Cal Poly’s Formula SAE electric vehicle with a more versatile, advanced, and reliable system. A BMS manages a rechargeable battery by ensuring the battery device operator’s safety, protecting battery cell integrity, prolonging battery lifetime, maintaining functional design requirements, and sending optimal usage information to the application controller. Passive balancing maximizes a battery pack’s capacity by dissipating excess energy through heat to regulate cell state of charge.

Forward-Looking, Velocity-Driven, Powertrain Modeling And Optimal Control For Continuous Variable Transmission, Paresh Deshmukh

Masters Theses

This thesis is the second part of a two-part study focused on improving Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) ratio management and control. The objective of the overall project was to develop a methodology for a vehicle with a CVT and a downsized gasoline engine to deliver the maximum vehicle fuel economy within drivability and performance constraints. The first part of this study, as described in [1], focuses on developing a cycle driven model for optimizing the CVT ratio. The study presented in this paper focuses on developing a velocity driven model to simulate the real-time behavior of a vehicle. The results …

A Data-Driven And Mixed Methods Analysis Of Automotive Retail Operations Management, Mark Allen Colosimo

Wayne State University Dissertations

The importance of effective retail operations management has never been more significant. Our research aims to expand the understanding for efficiency and dynamics of franchise outlets within retail networks with a focus on sales performance and profitability. The focus and contribution is the development of an actionable data analytics driven process by which automotive dealerships (retail outlets) can be analyzed to identify areas of opportunity for improvement. In general, automotive dealerships aim to sell product to make a profit, the manufacturer of the product/brand desires to sell vehicles to make a profit, and the customer desires to find a suitable …

M3 Pi: Obd-Ii Touchscreen Car Computer, Geoffrey Wacker

Computer Engineering

There are a wide range of off-the-shelf OBD-II car computers available for purchase, but the majority of them are either prohibitively expensive or simply unreliable. Furthermore, almost all of these devices are closed-box systems that cannot be expanded or modified. As such, this project aims to create a Raspberry Pi-powered OBD-II car computer that will allow data from the ECU of a 1997 BMW M3 to be displayed on an interactive touchscreen GUI. This will allow the user to quickly monitor important information about the vehicle during high performance applications such as track use. The end product should be low-cost, …

Transition To Electric Vehicles In The California Automobile Industry, Jinglu Song

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive study on the market adoption of electric vehicle and policy impact of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate in the California automotive market. This research is primarily consisting of three parts. The author first built a technology innovation pricing model based on multi-nomial logit modelling method. This studies the dynamics among customer preferences, market acceptance and policy impact on vehicle pricing in the California automotive market. Results show that the ZEV mandate could profoundly enhance the market adoption of electric vehicles. There is a threshold on the magnitude of policy intervention. If the number of …

Optimal Design Of Automotive Exhaust Thermoelectric Generator (Aeteg), Hassan Fagehi

Masters Theses

A consumption of energy continues to increase at an exponential rate, especially in terms of automotive spark ignitions vehicles. About 40% of the applied fuel into a vehicle is lost as waste exhaust to the environment. The desire for improved fuel efficiency by recovering the exhaust waste heat in automobiles has become an important subject. The thermoelectric generator (TEG) has the potential to convert exhaust waste heat into electricity as long as it is improving fuel economy. The remarkable amount of research being conducted on TEGs indicates that this technology will have a bright future in terms of power generation. …

Thermal Modeling For Light Armored Vehicle, Marc-André H. Brooks

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Light Armored vehicles are required to operate in a variety of extremely hot and arid climates. As such, these vehicles are often subject to large heat gains due to environmental factors. The current systems employed for vehicle cooling do not always perform to the levels that are required, mainly due to the lack of a good estimate of the cooling load. A thermal analog circuit was created which separated each of the heat sources into its own module. Using material properties provided by General Dynamics Land Systems as well as information from acquired from CFD studies and ASHRAE, the values …