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39 The advent of stop-starttechnology AUTOMOTIVE POWERTRAIN

As environmental concerns grow for R&D teams, OEMslook to bring the strategy further into the mainstream.

41 Recycling opportunities forhybrid/electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries ENERGY | ENVIRONMENT

With limited reserves and strict environmental regulations,recyclers look to established extraction means to reuse,recycle, and dispose of the used batteries.

43 Cameras look to go the distance AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS | SAFETY

Automakers seek vision systems with greater distances,improved reliability, and more functionality, thanks toruggedized complementary metal-oxide semiconductortechnologies.

46 Getting it right with composites AEROSPACE DESIGN FOR MANUFACTURABILITY

With composites now a mainstay in most new aircraftdesigns, the engineering emphasis has switched fromunderstanding if they work to thinking through the mostefficient way to manufacture them, such as using design-for-manufacturing software.

Features

CoverMercedes-Benz has expandedproduction at its Pune, India,assembly plant to six model

series with the recent additionof the GLA compact SUV. Salesof that model in India tripled inthe first quarter of 2015,

justifying the move.

50 Making sense of autonomyOFF-HIGHWAY ELECTRONICS

Industry offers a range of sensors that will free humansfrom many tasks while also improving reliability, thoughdevising strategies that meet demanding requirementswithout breaking the bank is no easy challenge.

53 Chipping in to get more frombattery packs AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS| POWERTRAIN

Power semiconductors help extend range, keeping theircool while improving efficiency at higher voltages.

CONTENTS

SEPTEMBER 2015 1MOBILITY ENGINEERING

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Departments 4 Editorial Opportunities in electronics outsourcing

6 Focus Fulfilling SAEINDIA’s vision and mission

8 SAEINDIA News 8 Gearing up for the knowledge economy

8 SAEISS Student Trek at Kalasalingam University

10 Kalasalingam University also hosts KnowledgeRound Table Trek

10 Bangalore Section hosts Members Day

12 Symposium on fuels, lubricants, emissions, andaftertreatment devices

14 Industry News

16 Technology Report 16 Ford tests cylinder deactivation on its 1.0-L

EcoBoost triple AUTOMOTIVE POWERTRAIN

18 Kohler extends its hand in off-highway dieselsOFF-HIGHWAY POWERTRAIN

19 Propulsion performance model for efficientsupersonic aircraft AEROSPACE PROPULSION

20 Flight propulsion goes electric AEROSPACEPROPULSION

22 JLR reveals some R&D secrets AUTOMOTIVEELECTRONICS

24 John Deere’s MDT allows users to make data-drivendecisions OFF-HIGHWAY ELECTRONICS

25 Relieving the pressure on fleet managers, installersOFF-HIGHWAY ELECTRONICS

26 Fiat demonstrates improved fuel efficiency withlow-temperature liquid cooling loop AUTOMOTIVE

INTERIORS

27 Ford expands ‘split-view’ camera applications inSUVs, trucks AUTOMOTIVE INTERIORS

28 HMI’s simple challenge: control everything possiblewithout any difficulty AUTOMOTIVE INTERIORS

29 Mounting structure stiffness critical for isolationperformance on off-highway machinesOFF-HIGHWAY BODY & CHASSIS

31 Aluminum frame rails, new alloy castings fromAlcoa help cut 2500 lb from tractor-trailersTRUCK CHASSIS

32 High-strength aluminum powder developed foradditive manufacturing AEROSPACE | AUTOMOTIVEMATERIALS

33 Freudenberg-NOK develops lightweight, fireproofmaterials for engine nacelles AEROSPACE MATERIALS

34 Dassault Systèmes on everyone’s side with 3Dvisualization for cabin design AEROSPACE SIMULATION

35 Accelerated testing of embedded software codeleverages AUTOSAR and virtual validation AUTOMOTIVE SIMULATION

36 3D-printed parts fly on Airbus A350 XWB and ULArockets AEROSPACE MANUFACTURING

38 Additive manufacturing startup added to Ford’sresearch roster AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING

56 Global Vehicles

56 Audi chooses high technology but cautious designevolution for new A4

58 Alternative drive system for Wacker Neuson’ssmallest excavator

60 Sierra Nevada breathes life into D328, determined tomake it fly again, and evolve

61 2016 Chevrolet Cruze is larger, longer, and sheds 250 lb

62 Cat designs its 336F L XE Hybrid excavator withbuilding-block technologies

63 Companies Mentioned

63 Ad Index

64 Q&A Mark Brooks of Southwest Research Institute’s

Automation and Data Systems Division discussescybersecurity for commercial vehicles

MOBILITY ENGINEERING

CONTENTS

2 SEPTEMBER 2015

© SAEINDIA and SAE INTERNATIONAL reserves all rights .

No part of this publication and/or website may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system ortransmitted in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher. Permission is only deemedvalid if approval is in writing. SAEINDIA and SAE International buys all rights to contributions, text andimages, unless previously agreed to in writing.In case of Address/addressee not found return to SAEINDIA, No 1/17Ceebros Arcade, 3rd Cross, Kasturba Nagar, Chennai -600 020. Telefax: 91-44-2441-1904,Phone: 91-44-4215 2280.

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MOBILITY ENGINEERING4 SEPTEMBER 2015

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL Kevin JostEditorial Director

[email protected]

Asit K. BarmaSAE India Editor

C. V. RamanED, [email protected]

Arun JauraVP, [email protected]

Bala BharadvajMD, Boeing R & [email protected]

Mathew AbrahamSr. GM, [email protected]

Dr. Venkat SrinivasVice President & Head -Engineering & ProductDevelopment, Mahindra &Mahindra Truck and Bus [email protected]

Jean L. Broge

Managing Editor [email protected]

Lindsay BrookeSenior [email protected]

Ryan GehmAssociate [email protected]

Zach NoceraEditorial Assistant

Patrick PonticelMembership [email protected]

Lisa ArrigoCustom ElectronicProducts [email protected]

Contributors

Kami BuchholzDetroit Editor

Stuart Birch

European EditorJack YamaguchiAsian Editor

Steven AshleyDan CarneyTerry CostlowRichard GardnerJenny HesslerJohn KendallBruce MoreyJennifer ShuttleworthLinda TregoPaul Weissler

DESIGNLois ErlacherCreative Director

Ray CarlsonAssociate Art Director

SALES &

MARKETINGK. ShriramchandranSAE IndiaNo.1/17, Ceebros Arcade3rd Cross Kasturba NagarChennaiIndia 600 020(T)91-44-42152280(E) [email protected]

Marcie L. HinemanGlobal Field Sales [email protected]

Opportunities in electronics outsourcing

In this issue, we take a look at the increasing

role that semiconductors are playing in auto-

motive powertrain electrification. The feature

“Chipping in to get more from battery packs”

reveals how engineers are pushing semicon-

ductor technologies to help extend electrified

vehicle ranges and reduce battery pack

weight.

Power semiconductor improvements arealso helping move to higher voltages and

reduce losses while managing a battery pack’s

nemesis—heat.

Many of the changes have occurred in spec-

ifying more insulated gate bipolar transistors

and field effect transistors—central players in

electrified powertrain components.

Power semiconductors represent a small

portion of the total automotive electronics

market and the outsourcing opportunities

coming from OEMs and major suppliers.

In July, Zinnov, a consulting firm based in

Bangalore, released results of a study on auto-

motive electronics R&D globally and the ser-

vices market in India specifically, with a focus

on engineering services. The firm expects the

automotive electronics market to be a $265

billion opportunity by 2018, and the overall

addressable automotive-electronics market for

globalization and R&D services to be $11.5 bil-

lion. The study pegged current automotive

electronics outsourcing from OEMs and Tier 1

suppliers at $204 billion, with major out-

sourcers being top OEMs like Daimler, Audi,

Jaguar, and BMW, as well as Tier 1s Bosch,

Denso, Continental, and Delphi.

Apart from Europe, the study found thatthe availability of a large talent pool and

established R&D ecosystem have made the

Bay Area in California the R&D hub for auto-

motive electronics. It also found that, while

the OEMs’ major R&D focus areas are concen-

trated around advanced transmissions, electric

vehicles, and hybrid vehicle technology, the

Tier 1s have focused on areas such as

advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS),

infotainment solutions, and autonomous-car

technology.

ADAS is seen as one of the more immediateoutsourcing opportunities. “Advanced driver

assistance systems and infotainment systems

will see increased outsourcing, and larger

deals can be expected in the next two to three

quarters,” said Sidhant Rastogi, Partner &

Practice Head, Zinnov. “The opportunities for

service providers will continue to open up as

we move towards a more connected world.”

The study authors provided a few key

observations for service providers:

• ADAS is the differentiating factor:

Analysis of OEMs’ spending activity shows

that they will continue to increase R&D spend

on emerging areas such as ADAS as they real-

ize that moving forward it is going to be the

differentiating factor among them.

• R&D investment lags product maturity

curve: With driver assistance becoming a

major R&D investment by OEMs, Tier 1 suppli-

ers and consumer electronics companies will

have a major presence in the product areas

that lie in the emerging and growing zone of

the “S-curve” of development.

• Building capability for emerging areas is

the key: Service providers should focus more

on building frameworks/capabilities for the

products that lie in the growing and emergingzone as outsourcing will increase in these

areas as they climb the S-curve.

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FOCUSSAEINDIA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dr. Aravind S. BharadwajPresident

Mr. Shrikant R. MaratheImmediate Past President

Dr. R.K. MalhotraSr. Vice President & Chairman,

Finance Board

Dr. Bala BharadvajVice President & Chairman,Aerospace Board

Dr. K.C. VoraVice President & Chairman,

Sections Board

Mr. I.V. RaoChairman, Meetings & Expo Board

Dr. Venkat SrinivasSecretary & Vice Chairman,

Development Board

Mr. C.V. RamanVice Chairman, Sections Board

Dr. Arun JauraChairman, Automotive Board

Mr. Prakash SardesaiChairman, PDP Board

Mr. Sanjay DeshpandeChairman, Membership Board

Mr. Asit K. BarmaChairman, Publications Board

Mr. Nitin AgarwalChairman, Off-Highway Board

Dr. S. ThrumaliniChairman, Engineering Education Board

Mr. B. BhanotChairman, Development Board

Mr. P.K. BanerjeeJt. Secretary, Vice Chairman,

Engineering Education Board

Dr. Arunkumar SampathTreasurer, Vice Chairman,

Meetings & Expo Board

Mr. M. KannanVice Chairman, PDP Board

Mr. Arun SivasubrahmaniyanJt. Treasurer & Vice Chairman,

Publications Board

RepresentingSAE International

Dr. David. L. Schutt

Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Murli M. IyerExecutive Advisor-Global Affairs

Office of the Chief Executive Officer

Presented by SAEINDIAMedia, Communications andPublications Committee

Mr. Asit K. BarmaChairman

Mr. Arun SivasubrahmaniyanVice Chairman

Mr. Rajesh KumarVice Chairman

Dr. RameshMember

Dr. SaravanenMember

Prof. J.M. MallikarjunaMember

Dr. S.S. ThipseMember

Prof. Sudhir GupteMember

Mr. Anupam DaveMember

Mr. Vasanth KiniMember

Prof. RavishankarMember

Mr. Deepak PandaMember

Dr. Aravind BharadwajPresident, SAEINDIA

Fulfilling SAEINDIA’s vision and mission

In the last issue of Mobility Engineering, Idiscussed building the SAEINDIA brand in

this column.

We got a shot in the arm with the accep-

tance of our bid to host the FISITA Summit in

the third quarter of 2018. This will be a true

game changer as it will catapult the SAEINDIA

brand to the most coveted status as a premier

professional society in the comity of nations.

We were successful with APAC 16, and

the FISITA Business Council Sessions in 2011

preceding it won wholesome praise from all

quarters. The FISITA Summit will be a crown-

ing glory for SAEINDIA in 2018.

In April, we had a symposium on “Fuels,

Lubricants, Emissions & After-Treatment

Devices—The Road Ahead,” which was a

huge success with over 200 delegates in a

packed hall from industry, government, and

public sector undertakings, as well as other

key stakeholders. There were keynote

speeches, panel discussions, and focused

presentations that dealt with every critical

aspect of the subject, and the road map for

the future was presented to move forward.

SAEINDIA Bangalore Section celebrated

Members’ Day for the first time and found a

rousing response from industry and aca-

demia. They had panelists and a small expo-

sition, with industry putting up stalls and

reaching out to the mobility community.

I attended the 7th edition of GMCV 2020 asChief Guest at Coimbatore. There a cross sec-

tion of major industries joined hands with SME

and Micro SME units drawn from various parts

of the country. It also witnessed many of the

trade consulates from the U.K., France, and

Belgium supporting the event by exploring

opportunities for investment and commerce

focusing on small and medium industries.

The 4th edition of SUPRA SAEINDIA 2015

took place 14-19 July at Madras Motor Race

Track (where international Racing Events are

regularly held) and over 98 teams vied for

honors and trophies from all over the country.

Virtual BAJA SAEINDIA was held on the10th and 11th of July at Chitkara University,

Punjab, making inroads into another untrod-

den territory, spreading the message of

SAEINDIA and its activities to every nook and

cranny of the country.

We are also organizing a seminar on vehi-

cle dynamics at Amrita University,

Coimbatore, with the Engineering Education

Board, which will be webcast in six different

locations including remote centers like

Bhubaneshwar, Hyderabad, Pune, Dindigul,

and Delhi. This will be a forerunner for many

more programs in the future, setting a new

milestone in knowledge dissemination.Dr. Richard Greaves visited SAEINDIA during

the last week of July and first week of August,

with each vertical organizing a conference, con-

clave, or event at Chennai, Bangalore, Pune,

and Delhi with the thrust on getting the CEOs

and CXOs connected to the vertical Viz.

Aerospace, automotive, and off-highway sector

sections are also planning new and innovative

programs at Chennai, Bangalore, and Pune.

We are making slow but steady progress in

organizing the first conference on

International Transport Electrification in India

with IEEE IAS (Industry Applications Society),

and the involvement of the government of

India in launching pilot projects and dissemi-

nating information on incentives for upfront

acquisition of hybrid and electric vehicles is

truly heartening. The conference will provide a

strong platform to exhort users to move from

conventional to hybrid and electric vehicles,

saving precious fossil fuels that are imported

at heavy cost to the government.

SAEINDIA is setting an exciting calendar

of activities and events under all verticals

and operating boards striving constantly to

fulfill its vision and mission with the core

objectives being achieved with a sense of

satisfaction and optimism.

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SAEINDIA

News

SAEISS Student Trek at Kalasalingam University

The SAEINDIA Southern Section

(SAEISS) successfully conducted the

two-day Student Trek program on the

4th and 5th of April 2015 at

Kalasalingam University, Virudhunagar.

Dr. M. Uthayakumar, KLU, welcomed

the gathering and inaugurated the pro-

gram. Mr. S. Selvamani facilitated the

program.

The Student Trek program was con-

ducted in two sessions. In the first, Mr. T.

Kasiraja and Mr. B. Kumaran started the

engineering design process, and videos

were presented to the participants to

have a better understanding. In session

two, the participants were taken for trek

to Shenbagathoppu Hills and Kattalagar

Temple as per the schedule.

Gearing up for the knowledge economy

The 7th Edition of the Global Manufacturing Cluster Vision2020 (GMCV 2020) was held on the 5th of June 2015 at The

Residency, Coimbatore, India with the theme “Innovation,”

which plays a vital role in the growth and sustainability of any

manufacturing company.

Dr. Aravind S. Bharadwaj, President of SAEINDIA, was the

chief guest of this GMCV conclave. This one-day conference

was organized by Texas Ventures along with Coimbatore

District Small Industries Association (CODISSIA) and sup-

ported by SAEINDIA to deliberate upon the challenges in the

manufacturing industry and lay the road map for the future.

Dr. Bharadwaj said Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises

(MSMEs) need to register new ideas for products or manufactur-

ing processes, and look at developing these to generate revenue

during his speech on “Gearing up for the knowledge economy.”

He also said that it is extremely critical for industries to focus

on capability building and making technologies accessible to all

as it helps the units gain competitive advantage. India is migrating

to an advantage that will come only through knowledge. Over the

last decade, we are seeing a transition to the development of

products that are made in India for the Indian market. Customers

need more features, specifications, and technology at an afford-

able price and companies have been able to provide it.

He stated that in the automobile sector, our country is today

a global manufacturing hub for the small cars segment. The life

cycle of several products, including automobiles, is reducing as

customers want new products and industries need to deliver to

meet this expectation. He added that they needed to upgrade

the skills of the employees and have a well-defined structure

for the process of manufacturing meeting global standards.GMCV 2020 conclave highlights were:

• 250 CEOs as delegates from manufacturing industries

forming a powerful forum.

• A forum with international content and talks from emi-

nent personalities from the manufacturing industry.

• One-on-one interaction with industry heads.

The increasingly competitive nature of the 21st century econ-

omy is forcing manufacturers to pursue more growth opportuni-

ties to survive. One such opportunity is international markets.

This conference also showcased a clear methodology to identify

the emerging opportunities for Indian manufacturers globally.

GMCV 2020 has created a forum to deliberate, orient, and

enable Indian manufacturing leaders in understanding the

fundamental challenges that must be met to tide over the cur-

rent economic challenges.

Session 2 – SAEISS Trek – ShenbagathoppuHills and Kattalagar Temple.

Lighting up by conference chair Dr. M. Manickam, ExecutiveChair, Shakthi Groups. Presentation of momento to Dr. Aravind S. Bharadwaj.

Bird’s eye view of the conference.

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SAEINDIA

News

Kalasalingam University also hosts Knowledge Round Table Trek

The SAEINDIA Southern Section (SAEISS) successfully con-ducted a two-day KRT (Knowledge Round Table) Trek pro-

gram on the 4th and 5th of April 2015 at Kalasalingam

University, Virudhunagar. Dr. M. Uthayakumar, KLU, welcomedthe gathering and inaugurated the program.

After the Inauguration, the program was conducted in twosessions. In the first session, there was group discussionamong KRT members along with Mr. S. Selvamani and Mr. S.

Shanmugam of SAEISS. The following points were discussed:Each KRT participant (faculty and regular member) has to• Lead and conduct the Toptech programs and be involved

in the ENE program (deliver lectures).

• Launch KRT in different zones (Chennai, Mahindra City,Coimbatore, Madurai, Kerala, and Hyderabad).

• Develop activities and programs, as well as networking intheir respective zones.

The following points were also discussed:• Developing industry/institute interaction—sharing of

experience and knowledge.• A group of 10 SAE faculty advisors working in an institute

should form an academic KRT.• Value-added courses (soft skills to suit the needs of the

industry) to be included in SKIP.

Bangalore Section holds Members Day

On 19th April 2015, SAEINDIA

Bangalore Section (BS) organized anevent for its professional & studentmembers called “Members Day 2015”for the first time in the country.

The event was hosted by PesUniversity and the institute officially

welcomed members. The dignitariespresent were Dr. K. N. BalasubramanyaMurthy, Vice Chancellor, PESU; Dr. K. S.Sridhar, Principal, PESIT; Mr. DamodaranSubramaniam, Event Convener; Mr. K. P.

Murthy, Co-convener; Mr. MunirathnamJavaji, Vice Chair, SAEINDIA BS; fol-lowed by speakers Mr. Dilip Chhabria,

DC Designs, Mr. Raghav Gulur,Continental; & Dr. Rao Chalsani,Chairman, SAEINDIA, BS. The mainhighlight of the event was the technical

talk presented by the speakers duringthis occasion.

Mr. Dilip Chhabria, Chairman andManaging Director of DC Designs, spokeon his new supercar, the Avanti, followedby its technical specification. Chhabria

said that it has “good design is always agreat business.” The Avanti is the firstIndian supercar for the market.

He was followed by Mr. RaghavGulur, Head of Technical Centre,

Session 2 – SAEISS Trek – Shenbagathoppu Hills and Kattalagar Temple. Certificate distribution to participants.

Dr. Rao Chalasani,Chairman,SAEINDIA, BS.

Mr. Dilip Chhabria,Chairman, DCDesigns.

Delegates visit to SAEINDIA stall.

Continental India. Gulur spoke about

autonomous driving vehicles, whichwould be the future of all four and eightwheelers, mainly focusing on reducingthe stress factors on the drivers to havemore pleasurable driving experience.

One more key speaker, Dr. Rao

Chalasani, Chairman, SAEINDIABangalore Section, spoke on an electricmobility mission plan for India and whatwould be the next alternative energysource to petroleum fuels. These fuels

would play a significant role on cleanand green energy for the country’s eco-nomic growth in the coming years.

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SAEINDIA

News

Symposium on fuels, lubricants, emissions andaftertreatment devices

SAEINDIA Northern Section organized a

two-day symposium on fuel emissions

and aftertreatment devices at the India

Habitat Center (IHC), New Delhi, from

24th and 25th of April 2015. A total of

seven technical sessions were held and

29 presentations were made, which were

then followed by a panel discussion.

The program began with enlighten-

ing welcome notes by Mr. Ambuj

Sharma, Additional Secretary,

Department of Heavy Industry, Ministry

of Heavy Industries & Public

Enterprises; Dr. R. K. Malhotra, Senior

VP and Chair, Finance Board, SAEINDIA;

and Mr. I. V. Rao, Executive Advisor,

Maruti Suzuki India Limited who drew

the participants attention toward the

current Indian auto industry and

stressed the gradual improvements in

vehicular emissions of steps BS4, BS5,

and BS6. They also talked about the

automotive mission to align Indian reg-

ulations with regulations of other devel-

oped markets and the proposal for the

formulation of a working group for

long-term emissions policy under the

Ministry of Heavy Industries.

The first technical session focused on

fuel efficiency norms with speakers Dr.

Ajay Mathur, Director General, Bureau of

Energy Efficiency; Mr. P. Panda, Vice

President (Engg), Maruti Suzuki India

Limited; Mr. Harjeet Singh, Vice President

and Head of Global Regulatory, Hero

Moto Corp.; and Mr. Sumant Kumar,

Director and HOD (Transport),

Petroleum Conservation Research

Association who shared their valuable

knowledge. The main aspects of the ses-

sion were the declaration of fuel effi-

ciency regulation for passenger cars,

benefits from evolutionary technologies

and emissions, future emissions regula-tions, and automotive mission policies

necessity of synchronization.

This was followed by the next technical

session on the emissions roadmap, which

was headed by Mr. Bernhard Enzi, AVL;

Dr. Lengsfeld Sven, Bosch India; Mr. R.

Velusamy, M&M; Mr. P. K. Banerjee, TML;

and Mr. M. N. Muralikrishna, TVS. They

stressed the need for adequate develop-

ment, validation time, and proper fuel

quality in the market to test technologies

such as diesel particulate filters (DPFs)

and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) to

ensure that only good performing vehi-cles are allowed on road.

The third technical session was on

future emissions and fuel efficiency regula-

tions. The speakers were Mr. Anoop Bhat,

MSIL; Mr. Harald Kurz, Horiba; Mr. Lee

Jeffcoat, Ricardo; Mr. Anil Kharche,

Schaeffler; and Mr. Bernhard Mencher,

Bosch Germany. The session focused on

how worldwide regulations on emis-

sions and fuel consumption will be a

major driver for innovations in power-

train systems and vehicle design, as well

as how regulations will reflect the actual

road conditions.

Finally a panel discussion consisting

of Mr. Vishnu Mathur, Director General,

SIAM; Mr. I. V. Rao, Executive Advisor,

MSIL; Mr. Rakesh Batra, ENY’s

Automotive Sector Leader, India; Dr. M.

O. Garg, Director General, CSIR; Mr. A. K.

Jain, Advisor Energy, NITI, Aayog, GOI;

and Dr. Leena Srivastava, Executive

Director, TERI, focusing on the need of a

collaborative framework between indus-

try and policy makers, and regular dia-

log between stakeholders. They also

discussed the development of infra-

structure and traffic management.

Inauguration of the Symposium on Fuels, Lubricants, Emissions, and AftertreatmentDevices – The Road Ahead.

Panel discussion – collaborative framework between industry and policy makers.

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IndustryNEWS

Jet Aviation Geneva approved to serviceGulfstream, Bombardier aircraft in India

Mercedes-Benz begins GLA productionin India

Eicher Polaris creates personal-utility-vehicle segment

Eicher Polaris Pvt. Ltd. recently launched what it claims is India’sfirst personal utility vehicle (PUV), the Multix, creating a new cate-gory in the automotive segment. Purpose-built, specially designed,and powered by a diesel engine, Multix is available in two variantsand four colors, starting at a price of $3638 US. The 50:50 jointventure between Eicher Motors Ltd and Polaris Industries Inc. has

invested $55 million US in product development and setting up amanufacturing facility at Jaipur, Rajasthan. The plant has an annualcapacity of 60,000 units, which can be scaled up to 120,000 units.It is equipped with robotic weld lines and an in-house paint system.

Multix can accommodate five passengers along with lug-

gage, and can be adapted to create 1918 L (67.7 ft3) of storagespace. It is equipped with X-Port, a power-takeoff point that

can generate up to 3 kW that can be used for lighting homesand powering equipment such as drilling machines and waterpumps. The PUV features a tubular frame structure and roll-over protection system, Flexituff body, and Pro Ride indepen-dent suspension system. It delivers ground clearance of 225mm (8.86 in), and fuel economy of 28.5 km/L (67.0 mpg).

Expected to launch in 30 cities starting in August, Multixhas undergone more than 1.8 million km (1.1 million mi) equiv-alent of rigorous testing in India and the U.S. for off-road reli-ability, safety, and durability.

Compact car production at the Mercedes-Benz plant in Pune.

The Multix personalutility vehicle delivers ground

clearance of 225 mm (8.86 in),and fuel economy of 28.5 km/L (67.0 mpg).

Mercedes-Benz has expanded its local production portfolio atits Pune, India, assembly plant to six model series with therecent addition of the GLA compact SUV. The other modelsinclude S-, E-, and C-Class sedans as well as the GL andM-Class SUVs. Sales of the GLA in India tripled in the firstquarter of 2015, justifying the move. After recently finishing an

extension of the plant, Mercedes-Benz now has an installedcapacity of producing 20,000 units annually there. To preparefor the new model, synchronized conveyor systems, new as-sembly lines, and a new roller tester were installed amongother devices. Total investment at the Pune plant, which was

opened in 2009, amounts to about 150 million euros.

“The start of production of the GLA in India marks the firsttime we are producing compact cars in our global assemblynetwork along with sedans and SUVs. We are thus enteringthe next stage with our market-specific assembly, allowing usto serve local demands in a flexible and efficient manneraccording to highest quality standards,” said Markus Schäfer,

Member of the Divisional Board Mercedes-Benz Cars,Production and Supply Chain Management. Beyond the plantin India, the network comprises locations in Thailand, Vietnam,Malayasia, Indonesia, and will be joined by Brazil in 2016where a new assembly plant is currently under construction.At these sites, the automaker produces cars for local markets

with different production levels—for example, from vehiclekits (completely knocked down and semi knocked down).

Eberhard Kern, Managing Director and CEO Mercedes-Benz India, said: “Rolling out our first ever locally manufac-tured GLA and commencing production from India’s largest

installed luxury-car production facility are two very signifi-cant accomplishments for Mercedes-Benz in India. Theseaccomplishments are a result of our long-term vision for theIndian market.”

Jet Aviation Geneva recently received CAR-145 approvalfrom the Director General Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India toprovide base maintenance services to Indian-registeredGulfstream and Bombardier aircraft. The regulatory approvalfor Indian-registered aircraft extends to Gulfstream IV/V/200 /300/350/400/450/500/550/650 and the BombardierGlobal Express series. Jet Aviation Geneva provides com-plete maintenance, repair, and avionics support to private

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MOBILITY ENGINEERING SEPTEMBER 2015 15

IndustryNEWS

Scania supplies 200 more trucks toIndian mining company

Indian mining company BGR Mining & Infra recently placed an

order for 200 Scania P 410 tipper trucks, adding to the com-pany’s current fleet of 246 Scania vehicles. BGR Mining & Infra

Managing Director B. Umapathi Reddy said: “Since we startedusing these vehicles in our mining fields, we have observed aclear increase in operational performance and efficiency. Aspecial mention goes to the dedicated services of Scania.” Themining company is headquartered in Hyderabad.Hindustan Aeronautics selects L-3’s TACAN+

for Light Utility Helicopter program

L-3 Aviation Products announced that Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has selected its Tactical Airborne Navigation System,TACAN+, for its new Light Utility Helicopter (LUH) program.The TACAN+ transceiver is a small and light tactical airbornenavigation system capable of tracking up to four ground sta-

tions simultane-ously in range andtwo in bearing. Itcan be installed onrotary- and fixed-wing platforms

and used for air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.

“L-3 has along-standingrelationship with

HAL and we arevery excited to be part of the LUH program,” said Kris Ganase,President of L-3 Aviation Products & Security. “This award,coupled with the recent opening of our new Manufacturing,Repair & Overhaul facility in Bengaluru, India, reflects L-3’s

commitment to supporting the evolving and dynamic needs

and corporate operators.“As home to a number of major multinationals, including the

United Nations European headquarters, long-range business

jets are regularly flying into Geneva,” said Cyril Martiniere,Managing Director and Accountable Manager at Jet AviationGeneva. “This is a significant service expansion for Indian-registered Gulfstream and Global Express series aircraft, and welook forward to welcoming these customers to our facility.”

Jet Aviation Geneva will providebase maintenance services to

Indian-registered Gulfstream andBombardier aircraft.

The new order forP 410 tipper trucks adds

to BGR Mining & Infra’scurrent fleet of 246

Scania vehicles.

HAL developed the new LUH to meet thereconnaissance and utility rotorcraftneeds of the Indian Air Force and IndianArmy.

L-3’s TACAN+ transceiver can be used for air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.

Scania has launched a range of on-road haulage truckmodels specially adapted for the Indian market: the R 500

6x4, the G 460 6x4, and the P 410 6x2 as well as the off-roadP 410 8x4 mining tipper. The company, which has been repre-sented in the Indian market since 2007, also has a successfulpartnership with Larsen & Toubro in the mining segment. In2011, the company established Scania Commercial VehiclesIndia Pvt. Ltd. to strengthen its sales to additional segments

of the Indian commercial vehicle market. It is currently estab-lishing a complete service and dealer network in India.

of military and commercial aviation customers and businesspartners in the region.”

HAL developed the new LUH to meet the reconnaissance andutility rotorcraft needs of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and IndianArmy. The first LUH prototype, the PT-1, is scheduled to com-mence test flights later this year, with initial operational clearance

anticipated in 2017. Deliveries to the IAF and Indian Army areexpected by the end of 2017, with production taking place nearBengaluru. HAL expects to produce about 50 helicopters annually.

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TECHNOLOGY

Report

If the words “Ford Mondeo powered by

1.0-L 3-cylinder EcoBoost engine”sound a bit incongruent, now considerthat the company is researching cylin-der deactivation for its little triple.

Ford, working with European partners,

has examined both single and “rolling”deactivation strategies for its smallestspark-ignited passenger car engine. Afterproving itself in the B- and C-segmentFiesta and Focus models, the 92-kW (69-hp), 1.0-L—smaller than many motorcycle

engines—is now also available in theD-segment Mondeo in Europe.

How does this diminutive engine per-form in the roomy sedan when all threecylinders are on the job? A test drive in

the U.K. by this SAE Magazines editor ofthe production version of the Mondeotriple largely dispelled doubts of its gen-eral suitability to propel a 1455-kg (3207-lb) curb weight car. Acceleration fromzero to 100 km/h takes 12 s and claimed

top speed is 200 km/h (124 mph).Official economy figures for the 1.0-LMondeo include a combined figure of 5.1L/100 km (about 46 mpg) with CO

2

emissions of 119 g/km.

My test drive was particularly impres-sive regarding NVH levels both generallyand in the cruise. And it is in the cruisethat two-cylinder operation for theMondeo could be viable, just as it maybe for the smaller Fiesta and Focus.

Two deactivationstrategiesResearch into the feasibility of cylinderdeactivation for a production triple hasbeen carried out by a high-level Fordteam led by Dr. Andreas Schamel,

Director, Global Powertrain, Researchand Advanced Engineering. He said thatwhen installed in a Focus and depen-dent on various factors, a fuel consump-tion reduction of between 4% and 6% is

achievable when operating in 666-cm3 twin-cylinder mode.

The general deactivation systemwould be complemented by furthertechnology that Ford has nowresearched, including a specificallydeveloped pendulum absorber.

Integrated into the driveline, theabsorber enables a broader operating

range during cylinder deactivation atlower engine speed, explained Schamelin a technical paper he presented during

the 2015 Vienna Motor Symposium.The paper notes Ford’s collaboration

with Schaeffler Group (Dr. M. Scheidt),including Schaeffler’s LuK division (Dr.H. Faust). Dipl-Ing C. Weber of Ford

Cologne is also a key member of theresearch team.

As well as incorporating the pendu-lum absorber, a cylinder deactivationFocus prototype was also fitted with a

Dr. Andreas Schamelrevealed details of hiscompany’s cylinder

deactivation research forits 3-cylinder 1.0-Lspark-ignition engine.

The likelihood of Ford adopting cylinderdeactivation technology, a space alreadyoccupied by GM, Honda, FCA and Mercedes,was reported by this magazine in 2014, in aninterview with Ford of Europe COO, BarbSamardzich: “I think it’s a technology thatyou will see from us,” she said.

AUTOMOTIVE POWERTRAIN

Ford tests cylinder deactivation on its 1.0-L EcoBoost triple

Ford’s smallest production enginemay eventually gain the ability tooperate as a 666-cc twin if thecylinder deactivation system isproductionized.

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Schaeffler dual-mass flywheel (DMF)and a tuned clutch disc, to achieve

vibration isolation between transmissionand engine.

Mandatory development targetswere met and results noted no NVHdeterioration compared to the standardproduction 1.0-L EcoBoost.

Two different cylinder-deactivationstrategies were examined: deactivationof a single cylinder, and what is termeda “rolling cylinder” deactivation, whichwould effectively run the EcoBoost tri-

ple in a “half-engine” mode, with free-

dom to vary the number and sequenceof deactivated cylinders.Schamel explained that on a 3-cylin-

der engine, different strategies for cylin-der deactivation are applicable. One “is

to apply an appropriate valve deactiva-tion mechanism to one cylinder,” effec-tively creating a 666-cc twin but withthe disadvantage of an uneven firingsequence. However, Ford has investi-

gated other technologies which providethe freedom to vary the number andthe sequence of deactivated cylinders.

Such a set-up offers the opportunityfor a rolling cylinder deactivation andcould be used to run the engine in

half-engine mode, corresponding to a500-cm3 active displacement but nowwith the advantage of an even firingorder, he noted in the paper.

The research teams found that the

half-engine mode offered a greaterpotential of avoiding throttle losses atvery low loads, but at an overall lowerload limit compared to the two-thirdsmode. Schamel added: “In the operatingarea in which the two deactivation strate-

gies overlap, the rolling cylinder deactiva-tion shows a bigger fuel saving potential

related to the full engine operation com-pared to fixed cylinder activation.”

The fuel economy for the 1.0-L engineduring rolling cylinder deactivationwould be better than that for the fixedcylinder deactivation in low load drive

cycles, but the magnitude of the addi-tional benefit would depend on vehicleapplication and cycle. A small car at lightload would get the biggest potentialbenefit, with smallest achieved by a large

car during mid to high load cycle. So aFiesta with a 1.0-L engine would be ableto gain another 1.2% fuel efficiency bene-

fit in NEDC compared to the improve-ment already achieved with fixedcylinder deactivation. But for a Mondeo

using the engine the gain would be neg-ligible in the WLTP (WorldwideHarmonized Light Vehicles TestProcedure) cycle, considered to be morerepresentative of real-world driving.

Conquering NVH

While fuel consumption reduction is thesalient plus factor regarding the generalapplication of cylinder deactivation, thedownside can be negative NVH effect.

Schamel explained: “On the onehand, NVH requirements constrain themaximum torque at lower enginespeeds and on the other, the humanperception of low frequencies does not

allow the operation at very low enginespeeds. The NVH objective is the mini-mization of low engine order excitationscaused by cylinder deactivation.

“The NVH limits can be moved tohigher torque levels and lower engine

speeds by optimization of the power-train and introduction of new technolo-gies,” he noted.

The use of the dual-mass flywheelwith tuned clutch disc counteracts the0.5th or 0.75th engine-order excitationand the pendulum damper reduces the1.5th engine order by more than 90%,

according to Ford testing.The baseline production DMF fly-

wheel and clutch facilitates comfortablecruising from 1500 rpm upwards on 2ndgear and above 2000 rpm in 6th. The

absorbing system allows the lowerspeed limit to be “significantly” reducedin all gears and maximum acceptabletorque to be increased close to the

mechanical design limit of the DMF,bringing a 1% NEDC fuel economy bene-

fit. The rolling mode deactivation wouldsee an extra 0.5% achieved.

Summing up the pros and cons ofsingle or rolling cylinder deactivation,Schamel and his colleagues reported,

“The fulfillment of the mandatory devel-opment target, no NVH deterioration, isachievable for all cylinder deactivationstrategies. Without a significant com-promise regarding fuel economy, thesingle cylinder deactivation strategy is

preferred regarding complexity, controlsefforts, and cost effectiveness.”

Ford calculations show the ratio oftotal functional benefit and cost to be“advantageous” for the single cylinder

deactivation strategy versus the rollingapproach. A high level contemplationshows a 90% fuel economy benefit for40% of the cost—good “bang for thebuck.” The research team concludedthat “even highly downsized engines

can benefit from a cylinder deactivationstrategy, with fuel consumption reduc-tion gained in various global drivecycles—and under real conditions.”

Stuart Birch

The D-segment Ford Mondeo (Fusion inNorth America) is now available with the1.0-L 3-cylinder EcoBoost in addition toother SI and diesel units.

TECHNOLOGY Report

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OFF-HIGHWAY POWERTRAIN

Kohler extends its hand in off-highway diesels

According to Kohler Engines, its new KDI3404 model completes its platform of KDIdiesel engines, which now range acrossthree models from 30 to 100 kW (40 to

134 hp). The 3404 reaches 100 kW (134hp) at 2200 rpm and 500 N·m (364 lb·ft)at 1400 rpm. It also reaches 412 N·m (304lb·ft) at just 1000 rpm, enabling demand-ing work cycles at low rotation speeds, and

reducing fuel consumption by up to 10%while significantly limiting noise levels.

The turbocharger, engine, and elec-tronic control unit were designed togetherto offer an immediate response to varia-tions in load, enabling 15% higher levels of

machine productivity compared to leadingcompetitors, claims the company. The KDI3404 also offers efficiency in terms of thecost of ownership, with maintenance inter-vals of 500 hours without the need for a

diesel particulate filter (DPF).All of the models meet current emis-

sions standards without the use of a DPF,which was made possible by the 2000-bar (29-ksi) high-pressure common-rail

injection system offering clean combus-tion, helped at least in part by G3S sole-noid-type injectors that offer precisesupply of fuel during the injection pro-cess and the use of an electronically con-

trolled EGR valve for the recirculation ofthe precise amount of exhaust gas. Therange of KDI 3404 engines is completedby mechanical versions that are suitablefor less regulated markets.

The KDI 3404 was developed by

Kohler, with some help from Ricardo, tooperate at performance levels usuallyseen with higher displacement engines,with a power density of 30 kW/L. As aresult, OEMs can replace higher displace-

ment engines with versions that have aconsiderably smaller footprint to reduceconsumption without necessarily rede-signing their application or, in the case ofnew machines, designing smaller enginehousings leading to improved operator

visibility and productivity.The lack of a DPF helps to increase

productivity for the end user, who no

longer has to slow down the work cyclebecause of the regeneration process,and make installation easier as there isno longer any need to adopt expensivesafety measures to counter excessive

heat loss and prevent fire hazards.The two lateral auxiliary PTOs (SAE

A and SAE B) were engineered todeliver maximum engine power andsimplify integration with the hydraulicsystem of the various applications,

reducing the space taken up by themachines. The bedplate architecture(crankcase and sub-crankcase) used

for the engine block and its counter-rotating crankshafts also contribute toreduced levels of vibration and noise.

The design of the KDI 3404 makes itthe slimmest engine in its class, says thecompany, particularly important foragricultural applications where enginesare placed on the front axle and have to

be compact size with less width to givefarming vehicles a better turning radius,thus making maneuvering easier.

In configurations above 56 kW (75hp), the KDI 3404 engine complies withStage IV/Tier 4 Final exhaust gas stan-

dards via the use of selective catalystreduction (SCR) to reduce NOx in theexhaust. The “all-in-one” SCR systemcontains the DOC (diesel oxidation cat-alyst), the mixing pipe, and the SCR in a

single piece of equipment. The compactfootprint of the whole device and thepossibility to fit it at any angle simplifiesits integration with the machine.

The KDI 3404 is also essentiallyStage V ready, with the SCR system

having been designed so it can accom-modate a DPF, currently the only tech-nical solution capable of meeting therequisites for the number of particles ofparticulate in the proposed law in the

process of assessment by the EuropeanCommission and expected for 2019.

In the case of the 3404, it was engi-neered and designed such that the cur-rent all-in-one SCR module will simplyhave to be replaced with a new module

that will be exactly the same size. TheDPF used will be small and its use willbenefit the already clean combustion,consequently having a lower number ofregenerations than any other DPF while

maintaining high levels of productivity.Jean L. Broge

The new KDI 3404 was developed byKohler, with some help from Ricardo,to reach a standard of performancethat is usually seen with higherdisplacement engines, with a powerdensity of 30 kW/L.

Ricardo assisted Kohler Engines in thedevelopment of the new KDI 3404

engine from initial systems specificationthrough design and simulation—

including use of the Ricardo WAVE

performance simulation and VECTIS 3DCFD tools—to final calibration and

validation testing.

TECHNOLOGY Report

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AEROSPACE PROPULSION

Propulsion performance model for efficient supersonic aircraft

For the design process of the class ofaircraft known as an efficient supersonicair vehicle (ESAV), particular attentionmust be paid to the propulsion system

design as a whole including installationeffects integrated into a vehicle perfor-mance model. The propulsion systemassumed for an ESAV considered in arecent study done by Optimal FlightSciences LLC and the Air ForceResearch Laboratory was a three-stream variable cycle engine (VCE).

The importance of engine perfor-mance on overall aircraft performance,even when using traditional performancemethods, is hard to overstate. The ability

to capture airframe-propulsion systeminteractions during air vehicle perfor-mance analysis promises great insightsinto the air vehicle design process.

Prevailing airframe-propulsion design

methods involve high-fidelity, single-dis-cipline propulsion modeling translated toa low-fidelity table format for an airfram-er’s use in traditional performance mod-eling. The airframer may be required toadd installation effects to this reduced

engine model that are not coupled to thepropulsion model that originally gener-ated the table. This approach is not suffi-cient for the integrated nature ofpropulsion systems envisioned for futureaircraft, including an ESAV class.

When information is passed from theairframer to the engine manufacturer inthe early design stages, it is generallylimited to net thrust and thrust specific

fuel consumption (TSFC) requirementsat some few points in a mission enve-lope. If an engine or engine core thatalready exists will be used to power theaircraft program, the data passed to theengine manufacturer are scale factors ofthe above parameters.

It can be argued that a better aircraftsystem could be produced if a high-fi-delity interface between the enginemanufacturer and the airframer existedduring conceptual design stages.

Without this coupling, real physicalinteractions that are key to the eventualdesign that might otherwise possibly becapitalized on through design work willbe missed, and will of necessity be dealtwith later on costing money and usually

aircraft system performance.In this study, a computational model

was built with the Numerical PropulsionSystem Simulation (NPSS) software toanalyze the engine. This engine model

was based on the generic adaptive tur-bine engine model developed at the tur-bine engines division of the AFRL. Alongwith this variable cycle NPSS model, athree-ramp external compression inletmodel meant for conceptual design was

developed. This model was used to cap-ture inlet installation effects, includingthose attributable to angle of attackchanges at supersonic Mach numbers.

Those models were integrated into theService ORiented ComputingEnviRonment (SORCER), which enablesparallel execution of the installed NPSSmodel to rapidly evaluate a full flightenvelope. The SORCER-enabled NPSSmodel was used to produce an engine

deck with an expanded selection of vari-able-state parameters compared to astandard conceptual level engine deck.These parameters were the inlet angle ofattack, inlet flow bleed percentage, and

flow holding percentage. This multipa-rameter engine data was used to evaluatethe performance of an ESAV systemmodel. The results of the evaluationshowed that the additional nontraditionalvariable parameters included in the

engine deck are significant and are worth-while to consider in aircraft design work.

A conceptual design level, threeramp, external compression inlet modelwas constructed and integrated with

the Generic Adaptive Turbine Engine(GATE) NPSS model. The inlet modelwas built using two-dimensional com-pressible flow equations, and it was ver-ified in that it agreed well with flowresults using the higher fidelity Euler

NPSS is a component-based object-oriented engine cycle simulator that is designed to perform many common tasks related to apropulsion system. Shown is a three-stream variable cycle engine.

TECHNOLOGY Report

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AEROSPACE PROPULSION

Flight propulsion

goes electric

Somehow, the sight of an airplane wingperching incongruously atop a big-rigtruck tractor that’s rumbling across a

dry lake bed at dawn might not seemparticularly significant to the future ofaviation. But when the 18 small, pin-wheel-like propellers on the wing’sleading-edge flash into the sun’s first

rays like a swarm of crimson butterfliestrying to lift the wing into the still, des-ert air, the odd spectacle actually pro-vides a good indication of what maybecome a new propulsion paradigm fornext-generation aircraft.

Those morning speed runs acrossEdwards Air Force Base in Californiarepresent some of NASA’s first real-world tests of distributed electric air-craft propulsion technology, a budding

design concept that could revolutionizeeverything from light planes to regionalairliners within a decade or so, saidMark D. Moore, Principal Researcher forNASA’s Convergent Electric PropulsionTechnology Sub-Project at LangleyResearch Center.

In place of one, two, or several largepropulsion engines as in conventionalaircraft, the unusual “blown wing” thatthe Hybrid-Electric Integrated Systems

Test-bed (HEIST) is evaluating featuresan array of small electric-powered pro-pellers that send multiple streams ofhigh-speed air over the upper surface ofthe wing to produce unprecedented liftcapabilities, he said.

“If you distribute higher velocity air

code, CART3D. This inlet model and theparameterization and wrapping of GATE

to be used in a multidisciplinary designand analysis optimization (MDAO) con-text is collectively called the MSTC-GATE installed propulsion model. (MSTCis the Multidisciplinary Science &Technology Center with AFRL.)

The inlet code was integrated with

the GATE model in NPSS for the purposeof being able to calculate the installedpropulsion multiparameter performanceat the conceptual design level. The inletmodel enabled the calculation of spillage

drag using a physics-based approach. Inaddition, further effects and parameters

were exposed to the aircraft designspace including angle of attack effectsand variable engine component settings.

The MSTC-GATE model was incorpo-

rated into the SORCER environment tofacilitate the coupling of physicsbetween different aircraft disciplinesand to make the MSTC-GATE modelcomputationally tractable for MDAO

applications. Therefore, changes in onediscipline can propagate into the wholeaircraft system so that all affected disci-plinary analyses can be properlyupdated. In this way, the complex physi-cal effects that occur between different

aircraft subsystems can also beaccounted for, and possibly exploited,during the conceptual design phase,such as coupling propulsion and aero-dynamics disciplines.

This effort utilized SORCER to exer-cise MSTC-GATE so as to study the effectof aircraft angle of attack and varyingthe engine diffuser bleed percentageand the flow holding value on aircraftsystem performance. To understand the

impact of these parameters, the enginewas coupled to a supersonic-capablelambda wing planform aircraft. Different

performance methods that either utilizeor fix various features of the MSTC-GATE

engine model were evaluated. It was

found that the impact of the featuresexplored in the study such as angle ofattack linking, supersonic spillage drag,flow mismatch spillage drag, and VCEfeatures with objective functions of TSFC

minimization, spillage drag minimization,and SEP maximization all have a mea-sureable effect.

These extra parameters, beyond thetraditional Mach number and altitude

mission envelopes, permit deeperinsights into high-performance aircraftdesign by bringing more realism andphysical effects earlier into the design

process through multiparameter perfor-mance analysis. Conceptual design tradi-

tionally sets the majority of the eventualaircraft cost with the least amount ofknowledge during the design process.This work has improved the situation byincreasing the level of knowledge avail-able at this stage of the design process,

thus ideally reducing the eventual cost ofthe final aircraft and/or increasing thefinal system performance.

This investigation found that deter-mining the optimal use of a VCE is a

multiobjective optimization problem

that is more complicated than the singleobjective problem envisioned.Additionally, the potential to improve

overall airframe-propulsion system levelperformance was demonstrated by

showing that increasing drag improvedthe engine operational efficiency. Thisemphasized the importance of design-ing the propulsion system and airframesimultaneously for best performance.

Finally, researchers showed how aVCE could be used to operate the sameair vehicle for either maximum specificexcess power (SEP) or minimum mis-match spillage drag (only two of themany possible objectives). A standard

aircraft performance analysis producesone SEP plot per air vehicle, whereas themultiparameter performance methodoffers designers an expanded view ofmany different flight envelopes based on

different objectives for a complete pic-ture of aircraft capability. These twoobjectives and their effect on the flightenvelope were quantified as an example.

This article is based on SAE Internationaltechnical paper 2014-01-2133 by Darcy Allison,

Optimal Flight Sciences LLC, and EdwardAlyanak, Air Force Research Laboratory.

For the purposes of this study, an ESAV wasdefined as a lambda wing concept with twoidentical engines. The inlets on this ESAVconcept are not two-dimensional externalcompression inlets, but are representativeonly of the ESAV configuration.

TECHNOLOGY Report

NASA is using itsLEAPtech blownwing to evaluate

distributed electricpropulsion for

planes.

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across the entire wing, you can raisethe dynamic pressure over the wingand thus increase lift substantially atlow flight speeds,” Moore explained.

This novel arrangement allows use of adownsized wing that nonetheless gen-erates greater lift during takeoffs andlandings, which not only provides agreater safety margin for the pilot and

shorter takeoff runs, but better overallride quality as well. The design alsocan deliver less drag and fuel use incruise operations and longer range,even lower noise levels.

The experimental HEIST test article,

a 31-ft-span, carbon-composite wingsection, is mounted on a supportingtruss with load cells attached, all ofwhich floats on a vibration-absorbingairbag, said NASA Armstrong FlightResearch Center project engineer SeanClark. Combined, the 18 propellers gen-erate about 300 hp and the wing pro-vides around 3500 lb of lift. Theground-test rig thus serves as a “mobilewind tunnel” at significantly lower cost

than a large-scale wind tunnel. Testingat speeds up to 70-80 mph is providingvaluable data at an affordable price.

A leap in aviation

The ground tests are part of NASA’s$15-million, three-year Leading EdgeAsynchronous Propeller Technology(LEAPTech) program, which aims toevaluate the premise that the tighter

propulsion-airframe integration that is

enabled by electric power will yield im-proved efficiency and safety, as well as

environmental and economic benefits.To develop and build HEIST, NASA engi-neers at Langley and Armstrong part-nered with specialists and engineers at“two small, nimble, enthusiastic firms,”Empirical Systems Aerospace of San

Luis Obisbo, CA, the prime contractor,

and Santa Cruz-based Joby Aviation,which built the test rig, wing, motors,and propellers.

Within a few years, the NASA teamhopes to develop and test a LEAPTech

flight demonstrator by replacing thewings and engines of a Tecnam P2006Tlight twin airplane with an improvedversion of the distributed-propulsionblown wing. Using an existing airframe

will allow the researchers to comparethe performance of the modified vehiclewith that of the standard configuration.Moore says that the researchers areapplying for “X-Plane” status for there-winged test aircraft.

New transportationsolutionsThe research project got its start in 2011,when Moore and his colleagues began

studying the possibility of “turning thesmall airplane into real mid-range trans-portation solution instead of a mostlyrecreational novelty,” he recalled. “Anautomobile works great up to about 100

miles, while a commercial airliner worksgreat for 500 to 1000 miles, but for af-

fordable, high-speed speed mobilitybetween 100 to 500 miles, there’s no

great transportation solution.“Our studies say that distributed

electric propulsion would be cost-ef-fective for distances less than 600miles,” Moore continued. The new tech-

nology plus improved autonomy (con-trol/safety) systems could provide

dramatically higher-speed, moreaffordable access than cars but withcar-like ease of use, he contended. “Itcould create a whole new market for

general aviation aircraft.“As our analysis went forward, we

realized that distributed propulsion isapplicable to larger aircraft as well, evencommercial transports flying stagelengths of around 600 miles. It could

therefore also be a game-changer forturboprop and regional jets that the air-lines fly today.

“Think of the Tecnam X-Plane as asubscale demonstrator,” he noted. “We

want to incubate the concept at the GAlevel and then scale it up.”

Scale-free propulsors

The key to the entire approach is thatthe electric motor is “a scale-free tech-

nology,” Moore asserted. “Current pro-pulsion engines just don’t scale well. Afull-size turbine engine can be around40% efficient, but if you take it down to100 hp, it’s only 24% efficient—6 hp/lb

vs. 0.5 hp/lb.”In contrast, electric motors can be

TECHNOLOGY Report

NASA plans to replace the wings and engines of Tecnam lightplane with an improved blown wing featuring multiple props.

NASA’s Hybrid-Electric Integrated

Systems Test-bed(HEIST) is nowcruising across

dry lake bedsin the Mojave

Desert.

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AUTOMOTIVE ELECTRONICS

JLR reveals some R&D secrets

Watching the alpha and beta waves ofone’s brain undulating across a screenwhile gripping a steering wheel is one

of the more bizarre experiences of auto-motive R&D. But that is what JLR(Jaguar Land Rover) is putting its mindto as it delves deep into how to elimi-nate the effects of driver fatigue or inat-

tention using highly subtle techniques.“Our project is called Mind Sense andhas the ultimate goal of developing asystem to detect whether a driver isconcentrating, alert and focused, or dis-tracted; we are doing so by monitoring

what is going on in the brain,” said Dr.Laura Millen, Human Factors Researcherand leader of the project. “We can’texpect drivers to put on a headset car-rying sensors so part of our research

project is to look for non-intrusive waysto collect the same data.”

The result is what is probably theworld’s most extraordinary steeringwheel, which forms part of a novel testrig: “We are evaluating a prototype with

four sensors on the back of the upperpart of the wheel’s rim.”

Readings are presented on a largescreen (this is for research only anddefinitely not something that would

appear on a production car’s head-updisplay!) ahead of the rig, indicatingalpha and beta brainwaves.“The brain continuously produces fouror more distinct speeds or frequenciesof brain waves,” explained Millen.

“Although these different brain waves

are produced simultaneously and incombination, a person’s state of con-

sciousness depends on the dominant(strongest) frequency band at eachtime. During sleep, the brain producesdominant slow delta waves. During day-dreaming or in the twilight of sleep, thebrain produces dominant theta waves

that are slow but a bit faster than delta.When the brain is calm and mentallyunfocused—for example, when a personrelaxes with their eyes closed—the stillfaster alpha waves are dominant.”

To test levels of concentration, thealpha and beta waves are “scored” by ananalysis system on a zero to 100% scaleas the rig driver watches a screen show-ing a virtual drive on a winding road.

There are many questions to be

resolved, including how to warn a driver(possibly steering wheel or pedal vibra-tion), and later the project will embraceinputs from neuroscientists.

JLR R&D Director, Dr. Wolfgang

Epple, said: “Even if the driver’s eyes areon the road, a lack of concentration or adaydream will mean he or she isn’t pay-ing attention to the driving task.”

Complementing this research into adriver’s mental state is the monitoring of

his or her physical health. JLR is develop-ing a “wellness seat” that can detectstress, or some serious health issues, viaheart- and respiration-rate monitoring.For research, heartbeats and breathing

rates appear on displays. Again, alertingmethods that don’t conflict with other

very compact, very reliable, and highlyefficient, he said. “They provideextremely good power-to-weight ratio—

two times better than turbine enginesand three times better than any recipro-cating engine.”

And not only is “electric propulsionhappy to scale to any size, you canplace them anywhere you want, for

instance, along the entire leading edgeof a wing to attain synergetic benefitsfrom close-coupled control and lift sur-faces.” This innovation, he stated, offers“exciting opportunities.”

Performance benefits

A traditional light aircraft needs a largewing area to meet the low stall-speed

requirement for FAA certification, but itis inefficient in cruise. The LEAPtechflight demonstrator would feature awing that is one-third the size for re-duced drag and have nearly three timesthe wing loading (more than 50 lb/ft

vs. 20 lb/ft for a typical small aircraft)for improved ride quality and better re-sponse to gusts. Meanwhile, the propel-ler array should double the maximumlift coefficient at low speeds.

Optimized for low speed, the

small-diameter propellers have low tipspeeds for reduced noise. In addition,they all rotate at slightly different veloc-ities to spread out the sound frequen-cies they emit, cutting community

noise, it is hoped, by as much as 15 dB.All the props blow the wing for takeoffand landing operations, but some foldback to reduce drag in cruise, whenwingtip propellers that are optimized

for high velocities provide propulsion,operating inside the wingtip vortices toboost efficiency.

Such changes are expect to deliver a30% reduction in operating costs, not tomention zero in-flight emissions, he said.

Moore concluded by noting that “thesafety statistics for GA aircraft are notall that great, with most accidents hap-pening during takeoffs and landings,when planes are flying low and slow.”

Distributed propulsion providesredundancy against engine failure andmaximizes control authority. “With theblown wing, you have incredible lateralcontrol. If one wing loses lift and stalls atlow speed causing the plane to roll off to

one side, you can just power out of it.”Steven Ashley

Major aspects of JLR’s research spending have just been revealed by the company.

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attention-getters need to be refined.Voice alerts, such as those used in

cockpits/flight decks for aircrew, would

seem to be a possible solution, butJLR’s researchers did not comment on

this option.JLR’s R&D operation spreads very

wide and not surprisingly covers the“autonomous car,” a phrase Epple saidthe company prefers to the emotive“driverless car”: “Our vision is to offer a

choice of an engaged or autonomousdrive. Ultimately, this means that a carcould drive itself if the driver so chose,and have intelligent systems that can beadjusted for a more engaging, involved,

and safer drive.”

The company’s Advanced DriverAssistance Systems (ADAS) will enableautonomous driving and make “real” driv-ing safer and more enjoyable, he explained.

Supporting this, together with active

cruise control, lane keeping, autonomousemergency braking and other systemswill be the facility to make a multi-point180° turnaround without driver input,and an autonomous, driver-out-of-car

facility that could cope with 99% of aLand Rover product’s off-road capability.This would enable a driver tackling verydifficult situations to inch forward a vehi-

cle remotely by use of a mobile phonewith simple controls. Experiencing this at

JLR’s Gaydon R&D center as a RangeRover passenger with no driver aboard,

progressing over an obstacle to a veryhigh angle of attack with a front wheel inthe air, proved interesting.

The system could also be used byany JLR product to remotely extract acar from a hemmed-in parking slot.

Epple believes such technology willprove a major aspect of public accep-tance of autonomous vehicles becauseit will engender trust, much as park dis-tance controls have done. They are all

part of an integrated whole and an evo-lution of technologies that he defines as“autonomous progression.”

He sees “a degree” of autonomyentering the market soon after 2020 foruse on dual-carriageways, followed pro-gressively by lesser roads, and with aJLR fully autonomous vehicle a reality

around 2025.This development will be supported

by radar, LIDAR, and stereo cameras.Epple stated that JLR required levels ofcognitive ability in three components:perception, motion planning, and navi-

gation/localization. This would give aJLR vehicle autonomous capability notonly on roads without surface warningmarkers but also without roadside infra-structure including deserts.

JLR’s R&D Mind Sense project, headedby Dr. Laura Millen, monitors driverconcentration and alertness via brain wavestransmitted from steering wheel sensors.

Driver concentration and “wellness” monitoring systems are being developed by JLR.

Three wheels on the ground and no driver: JLR’s R&D remote control off-road system.

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OFF-HIGHWAY ELECTRONICS

John Deere’s MDT allows users to make

data-driven decisions

Mobile Data Transfer is a USB-to-WiFi device that plugs into the display and transfersdata quickly and conveniently using your smartphone.

John Deere has added a new tool withinMyJohnDeere to make data transfer inthe field easier. Mobile Data Transfer

(MDT) allows customers to wirelesslytransfer agronomic data to and fromnon-John Deere displays and from JohnDeere’s GreenStar 3 2630 display (inolder Deere equipment that is notJDLink compatible).

MDT enables users to consolidate

data from multiple branded displaysinto one centralized location, referred toas the Operations Center, either for theiruse or to be shared with others to allowfor impactful, data-driven decisions. It

also bridges the connectivity gap ascustomers continue to upgrade fromnon-modular telematics gateway(MTG)-enabled machines to MTG-enabled machines.

“Mobile Data Transfer is the simple

solution for customers who run older ormixed-fleet equipment and want imme-diate access of information stored intheir displays. It eliminates the manualtransfer of data,” said Jeff Nolting, John

Deere Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG).“It’s a USB-to-WiFi device that plugsinto the display and transfers data usinga smartphone via the Mobile DataTransfer app.”

The MDT app works with a variety of

mobile devices to facilitate the transferof information and it can be down-loaded from either the Apple iTunes or

Google Play stores.Growers using approved competitivedisplays can send their production datato the Operations Center to be viewed inField Analyzer or be used by third-partyAPI applications. Additionally, prescrip-tion files can be pulled from the display

without leaving the cab of the tractor.During the busy planting and sprayingseasons, this functionality can offer timesavings that translates to higher produc-tivity and thus profitability.

The Operations Center is where userscan access the tools to start the daysplanning with the MyJobs app. Thesetools allow a manager to define a jobthat needs to be done, and it includesall of the specifics of that job. “Add

Jobs” automatically syncs up with the“My Jobs” app on mobile devices ofoperators and other employees. Theyreceive a detailed jobs order in real timevs. spending hours on the telephone or

managing to-do lists.The Operations Center and the

MyJobs app also keep track of the year-to-year changes that can lead to higherefficiency and yields.

Jean L. Broge

Such a solution has been dubbed byJLR the Solo Car, able to take care of itselfand incorporating reduced-cost LIDAR

sensors (JLR has a program to achievethis) working with a range of new and

different sensors. However, where possi-ble JLR is extrapolating the capability ofexisting sensors, known within the com-pany as “sweating the assets.”

“Motion planning describes the vehi-cle’s understanding of where it is at any

given point, where it has to get to, andwhat it needs to achieve that,”explained Epple. “Navigation/localiza-tion describes the vehicle’s ability tonavigate to the destination but also

understand on which part of the journey

it is currently traveling.”In handing over to a driver at comple-

tion of what may be a lengthy autono-mous journey phase, a vehicle couldcheck that the driver is awake and paying

attention, which is where Mind Sense andthe Wellness Seat enter the equation.

Other R&D systems to support oralert the driver include haptic accelera-tor pedals that will vibrate or need

added torque to operate, to get atten-tion for such things as cyclists or pedes-trians entering the car’s vicinity. Thiseditor found the pedal vibration warning

technique effective but added torquedisconcerting; there are situations when

accelerating can be as necessary asbraking, and a throttle pedal requiringan extra shove in a looming potentialemergency was unconvincing.

JLR has also developed a predictive

touch prototype that tracks hand move-ments in front of an infotainment screento predict which button a driver willpress. This is to reduce “eyes out ofcockpit” times by about a fifth. A staticdemonstration was convincing but a

demonstration was required of the sys-tem in a car on a poor surface with thevehicle experiencing unpredictablebody movements, particularly off road.

Other JLR programs include the

self-learning car (claimed as a “worldfirst”) that can “know” what radio stationsare a driver’s favorite when driving to andfrom a workplace and what level of driv-ing seat massage is required and when.

However, though JLR works towards

ever more technologically comprehen-sive products, it has no plans to replacethe driver, quipped Epple: “The occu-pants of our cars will not become cargo!”

Stuart Birch

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Freescale’s integrated tire-pressuremonitoring system helps vehicle owners

pinpoint pressure issues that can costthem money.

OFF-HIGHWAY ELECTRONICS

Relieving the pressure on fleet managers, installers

A tire pressure monitoring chipset can

help fleet managers improve fuel econo-my and tell when vehicles are overloadedwhile also simplifying setup times. TheFreescale Semiconductor device is said tobe the industry’s smallest sensor, yet ithas a broad operating range of 100-1500kPa, exceeding the levels normally re-

quired for heavy commercial trucks.Though tire pressure sensors are

required in passenger cars, those regu-lations do not apply to trucks. Freescalefeels usage in trucking and off-highway

applications will grow quickly sinceproperly inflated tires are more eco-nomical and safer.

“Demand is driven by economics,” saidIan Chen, Engineering Manager forFreescale’s Sensor Solutions division.

“When you’re talking about a major truck-ing company’s fleet, properly inflated tirescan save a couple million dollars per year.Proper inflation also improves safety.”

Freescale’s FXTH8715 integrates adual-axis accelerometer, motion sensor,

RF transmitter, low-frequency receiver,pressure and temperature sensor, and amicrocontroller in a 7- x 7-mm package.High integration simplifies installation inall markets, but the turnkey package

may be especially attractive in the

emerging Chinese marketplace.“Chinese suppliers do not come from

an automotive background,” Chen said.“They want a faster turnaround time, sowe need to provide more turnkey solu-tions. In China, buses and trucks areoften overloaded, so the government is

encouraging companies to employtire-pressure monitoring.”

The package has a maximum pressureof 1500 kPa, above the 1300-kPa levelnormally used in commercial trucking.That is important in off-highway markets

as well as buses and trucks.“In construction and mining, overload-

ing is also very important,” Chen said.“They’re interested in under inflation.”

Using a dual-axis accelerometer sim-

plifies installation while also providingmore information for users. The acceler-ometer provides information that canbe used to pinpoint which tire each sig-nal comes from.

“The device sends a signal at the same

point in the rotation, which helps thevehicle distinguish between the numberof tires on the vehicle,” Chen said. “Also,the dual-axis accelerometer reconstructswhere gravity is, so the installer doesn’t

have to align the sensor with gravity.”

The technology can be used ontrucks that don’t have a dashboard light

to display low-pressure alerts. Data canbe transmitted to remote sites ratherthan lighting an in-vehicle alert thatmay be ignored or forgotten.

“The tire-pressure monitors can betied to telematic systems that send data

to the home office,” Chen said. “If theydecide tires are underinflated, they cansend a note to the driver, telling him toproperly inflate the tires when he pullsin for maintenance.”

The device draws 7 mA, so it lasts 10years on a coin cell battery, beyond thetypical three-year lifetime of a truck tire,Chen noted. Packages will commonlybe mounted in the air-pressure valve,but that may change over time.

“There’s a trend to put the chips inthe tire, where there’s more informationavailable,” Chen said. “If it’s in the tread,it can count the rotations of the tire, pro-viding a better handle on tread wear,

which is especially helpful in fleets wherethe tires may be moved from vehicle tovehicle. Sensors in the tread can alsoprovide information on road conditions.”

Terry Costlow

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AUTOMOTIVE INTERIORS

Fiat demonstrates improved fuel efficiency with low-temperature

liquid cooling loop

The concept of a second water-coolingloop—adding a low-temperature radia-tor (LTR) and water cooling to replace

air-cooling of the A/C condenser, turboair intercooler (charge air cooler) andother front-end heat exchangers—hasbeen demonstrated by Fiat ResearchCenter (CRF) engineers. The goal is toimprove system thermal efficiency,which can translate into cost-effective

improvements in fuel efficiency, withcorresponding reduction in greenhousegas emissions.

Originally indicated for A/C con-denser cooling by modeling at several

automakers, the second cooling loop asdeveloped by the CRF has the LTRmounted ahead of the high-tempera-ture radiator used for engine coolant.All individual heat exchangers on theLTR circuit are water-cooled and

8.september 2015

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