Search results for "Automotive"
showing 10 items of 619 documents
Effect of welding and heat treatment on the properties of UHSS used in automotive industry
2021
This paper deals with the undesired effects of the heat treatments on the mechanical properties of (UHSS) Ultra High Strength Steel used nowadays in automotive industry to improve crashworthiness performance of vehicles. The UHSS specimens were extracted from certain parts of the car body and subjected to different heat treatments. Four types of specimens were tested: untreated, welded with metal inert gas welding, heat treated at 800 °C, and heat treated at 1250 °C. All heat-treated specimens showed dramatically reduced values of strength. The results suggest that it is important to follow the official repair manuals avoiding unnecessary welding and improper heat treatments of UHSS. The ex…
Planning for an environment-friendly car
2000
During the process of developing a new product, consciously or unconsciously, a number of decisions are made that affect the environment, thus making a company responsible not only for the technical performance but also for the “environmental performance” of a product. This research paper broadly speaks about this development process and lists the various tools available to the modern decision maker for balancing the ecological, economical and technological aspects of production. The focus of this paper is on the environmental issues in the automobile industry and environmental impacts presently associated with the automobile life cycle. The paper reviews existing tools and opportunities fo…
Managing skunkworks to achieve ambidexterity: The Robinson Crusoe effect
2021
Abstract Literature on ambidexterity emphasizes the need for both exploration and exploitation. Large firms usually choose to implement structural ambidexterity to separate both activities. We here focus on an extreme case of such structural partitioning implemented as a secret skunkworks project in a large French automotive company. A qualitative survey using both primary and secondary data shows that the major basic and initial characteristics of a skunkworks (i.e. secrecy, urgency, and autonomy) created favorable conditions for the technological exploration. However, exploitation failed due to precisely those same characteristics coupled with the fact that the project did not respond to …
Innovation and creativity in the automobile industry: environmental proposals and initiatives
2011
Environmental issues are demanding deep changes, both by governments as well as by the private sector through strategic management, across all sectors. This is particularly the case in the automotive services sector, where the need to reduce CO2 emissions has become a central target. In this paper, the researchers seek to evaluate these innovative initiatives. For this purpose, the main tax measures are analysed as well as the strategies being developed by automobile companies in the context of the European Union in general and Spain in particular. It is found that different public policies and managerial initiatives are being used to achieve this goal.
Channel Modeling and System Concepts for Future Terahertz Communications: Getting Ready for Advances Beyond 5G
2020
Future terahertz (THz) communications will utilize the frequency spectrum around 300 GHz. This technology provides a promising solution for future high-data-rate communications due to the high available bandwidth. However, the unfavorable channel characteristics are a major barrier for the realization of THz communications. To address the challenges caused by the unfavorable propagation conditions, the world?s first THz communication standard includes a channel-modeling document (CMD).
Considerations on the automation of a natural gas compressor station
2018
Natural gas compressor stations are very important components of a natural gas life cycle. Unfortunately, in Romania most of the existing natural gas compressor stations are equipped only with old-type automation systems, with a high degree of physical and moral wear. The current paper describes the main elements and functions of an automation system that was implemented in a natural gas compressor station, offering an improved pressure control function, but also the possibility to control the compressors from a distance, for example from a central dispatching station.
The emission reduction potentials of First Generation Electric Aircraft (FGEA) in Finland
2020
Abstract Under the looming climate crisis, aviation needs to find new solutions to cut its greenhouse gas emissions. One pathway towards zero emissions is the use of electric aircraft. While current battery technology will not allow for medium and long-haul flights at full capacity, on short-haul routes First Generation Electric Aircraft (FGEA) could play a significant role in the near future. Current FGEA under development could carry 9–19 passengers on distances of 400–1046 km by 2025. This study focuses on the emissions reduction potentials of FGEA in Finland. It compares the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) emissions and real travel times (RTT) from door-to-door of FGEA on 47 routes w…
Reuse of electric vehicle batteries in buildings: An integrated load match analysis and life cycle assessment approach
2019
Abstract The increasing use of renewable energy technologies for electricity generation in buildings will require a growing number of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to enhance the reliability of electricity supply. The increasing number of retired electric vehicle (EV) batteries, expected from the automotive sector, can match this demand as EV batteries can be used as BESS, considering that they have about 80% of their original energy capacity. In this context, the study aims at examining the system, consisting of a BESS made by retired Li-ion EV batteries, a photovoltaic plant (20 kW) and the electricity grid, that provides the electricity required by an existing nearly net zero res…
Nanostructured lead acid battery for electric vehicles applications
2017
This paper presents an innovative lead acid battery, based on nanostructured active materials. Both charging time and specific energy are greatly enhanced in comparison with commercial lead acid battery. Starting from the extremely valuable performances of the nanostructured battery, also a circuital model, for application in electric vehicle traction, has been specifically developed. The circuital model has demonstrated that an enhanced nanostructured battery allows an increase of traveled distance by electric vehicles.
Parked Electric Vehicle’s Cabin Temperature Management Using Photovoltaic Powered Ventilation
2017
Abstract This paper presents how the electric vehicle roof integrated photovoltaic (PV) powered ventilation can be used for controlling the climate of the car. In this work, a fully-functional Renault Zoe electric car has been used to conduct experiments for PV powered ventilation. These experiments have been part of a wider research project of testing electric vehicles of the Edinburgh Napier University’s Transport Research Institute. The present work illustrates performance evaluation of electric car ventilation, when roof-mounted PV modules were used to operate DC powered fans for ventilation. It was found that the motor-fan selection for removing the warm air from cabin space is of impo…