Metric-based Evaluation of Powertrain Software Architecture

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Developing the most advanced wing panel assembly line for very high production rates required an innovative and integrated solution, relying on the latest technologies in the industry.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Looking back at over five decades of commercial aircraft assembly, a clear and singular vision of a fully integrated solution was defined for the new panel production line. The execution was to be focused on co-developing the automation, tooling, material handling and facilities while limiting the number of parties involved. Using the latest technologies in all these areas also required a development plan, which included pre-qualification at all stages of the system development.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">Planning this large scale project included goals not only for the final solution but for the development and implementation stages as well.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The results: <ul class="list disc"><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Design/build philosophy reduced project time and the number of teams involved. This allowed for easier communication and extended development time well into the project.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">All design teams (machine, tooling, automation, controls) collocated and worked together on integration during all stages of development and implementation for the highest level of integration.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Innovative integration of the tooling and the automated equipment evolved throughout project with the teams working as one group.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Latest fastening technology using all electric, ball-screw squeeze riveting was developed for high-speed and robust automated fastening.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Latest mobilization technology was used to make the automated fastening machines interchangeable to reduce MTTR and to enable more PPM activities offline without affecting production.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">More automation was also introduced for tool changing and to the material handling systems for more consistent processing and to reduce operator intervention.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">All systems were developed together for full integration and to enable more safety interlocks and HMI for simplified operation.</div></li><li class="list-item"><div class="htmlview paragraph">A 30 month schedule for the complete large scale assembly line was maintained to support the new aircraft launch schedule.</div></li></ul></div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The final solution was a coherent, streamlined and efficient assembly line capable of very high aircraft production rates (<span class="xref">Figure 1</span>).</div><div class="htmlview paragraph"><figure id="F1" class="figure"><div class="graphic-wrapper"><img class="article-figure figure" src="2015-01-2492_fig0001.jpg" alt="PAL, automation cell, Line 4, Position 1 (L4P1)"/></div><span class="label">Figure 1</span><figcaption class="caption"><span class="title">PAL, automation cell, Line 4, Position 1 (L4P1)</span></figcaption></figure></div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">The use of thermoplastic for body panels in automotive industry can only be successful if the characteristics of these new materials are well known and taken into account at an early stage in development. It is the purpose of the work lead by Plastic Omnium on the Omnium System Car (OSCAR) research project to imagine the best way of using thermoplastics for the body of the front of the car. The perimeter studied includes fenders, bumpers, hood and front grille. The result is an easy to assemble modular body, weighing less and with amazing possibilities for stylists in terms of shapes and decorations.</div></div>

<div class="htmlview paragraph">Besides system architecture and design the processes of system-integration, -verification and -release are main issues on system-level within vehicle development. This article focuses on the description and the benefits of the processes, as well as the methodology and tools used to implement them. This also includes aspects of verification in the early stages of development and supporting tools like test- and problem management. Since electronics is only one technology beside others used to implement a customer valuable functionality, integration and synchronization are key success factors within a functionally oriented organization and a distributed development. System integration should not be seen as a one-time procedure, but as a permanent process accompanying the different development stages.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">This process is also distinguished for project monitoring and management information and very effectively promotes the distributed development of electric and electronic components within the domains that use this technology within their own development environment and time frame to implement customer valuable functionality.</div>

Changes in nucleolar size and nucleolar vacuolation at early stages of fiber development and final fiber dimensions were determined for cotton of different species: Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. B49, Gossypium barbadense L. cv. Menoufi and Gossypium arboreum L. cv. Virnar. Size of the nucleolus in combination with its vacuolation at an early stage of development was found to be clearly associated with the final result of fiber development.

Background After selection of a recombinant cell line for the production of a therapeutic protein, attempts are often made to increase volumetric productivity. Various techniques have been employed during the production process when trying to increase product concentration. Some aim to increase the time integral of viable cell concentration (IVC; the number of hours viable cells are available to produce the product) by increasing the maximum viable cell concentration and maintaining high viabilities. Techniques include (i) optimization of media and feeds, (ii) optimization of feeding strategies and (iii) genetic manipulation. Others aim to increase specific production rate (QP) by the deliberate inhibition of cell growth (controlled proliferation). Three methods commonly used to control proliferation are use of (i) chemical agents, (ii) hypothermic conditions and (iii) genetic manipulation. In this study, we focused on increasing volumetric productivity by manipulating QP; in particular, by the use of chemical agents. As a cell line has typically already been selected as a manufacturing cell line prior to assessing such methods to increase QP, the likelihood of success is not predictable: resulting in the frequently heard comment that results are ‘cell line specific’. But what if we were to look at these methods with many cell lines, at a much earlier stage of development (before the final cell line has been selected)? It could be that the cell line with the highest product concentration is typically a non-responder. The work described looks to answer the questions: (1) To what extent does the response to such methods vary in a large panel of cell lines producing the same antibody? and (2) Would their use in an earlier stage of cell line development enable the selection of a ‘better’ manufacturing cell line?

Software metrics are measures of software. Their primary use is to help us plan and predict software development. We can better control software quality and development effort if we can quantify the software. This is especially true in the early stages of development. Research has been done in the area of predicting software maintenance effort from software metrics. In general, software metrics can be classified into two categories: software product metrics and software process metrics. Software product metrics are measures of software products such as source code and design documents. Software process metrics are measures of software development process. For example, the size of the software is a measure of the software product itself, thus a product metrics. The effort required to design a software system may be influenced by how the software is designed, thus a process metrics. In this article, only software product metrics are addressed.

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">In contrast to the currently primarily used liquid fuels (diesel and gasoline), methane (CH<sub>4</sub>) as a fuel offers a high potential for a significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). This advantage can only be used if tailpipe CH<sub>4</sub> emissions are reduced to a minimum, since the GHG impact of CH<sub>4</sub> in the atmosphere is higher than that of carbon dioxide (CO<sub>2</sub>). Three-way catalysts (TWC - stoichiometric combustion) and methane oxidation catalysts (MOC - lean combustion) can be used for post-engine CH<sub>4</sub> oxidation. Both technologies allow for a nearly complete CH<sub>4</sub> conversion to CO<sub>2</sub> and water at sufficiently high exhaust temperatures (above the light-off temperature of the catalysts). However, CH<sub>4</sub> combustion is facing a huge challenge with the planned introduction of Euro VII emissions standard, where stricter CH<sub>4</sub> emission limits and a decrease of the cold start starting temperatures are discussed.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">The aim of the present study is to develop a reliable kinetic catalyst model for MOC conversion prediction in order to optimize the catalyst design in function of engine operation conditions, by combining the outputs from the predicted transient engine simulations as inputs to the catalyst model. Model development and training has been performed using experimental engine test bench data at stoichiometric conditions as well as engine simulation data and is able to reliably predict the major emissions under a broad range of operating conditions. Cold start (-7°C and +20°C) experiments were performed for a simplified worldwide light vehicle test procedure (WLTP) driving cycle using a prototype gas engine together with a MOC. For the catalyst simulations, a 1-D catalytic converter model was used. The model includes detailed gas and surface chemistry that are computed together with catalyst heat up. In a further step, a virtual transient engine cold start cycle is combined with the MOC model to predict tail-pipe emissions at transient operating conditions. This method allows to perform detailed emission investigations in an early stage of engine prototype development.</div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Accelerated adoption of electric propulsion system in mobility industry has stressed the time and iterations of product development cycle which was traditionally known to go over multiple iterations and phases. Current market demands a timely introduction of compelling products that brings high value to end user. Further, a growing emphasis over reducing mineral content using sustainable options and process, adds further complexity to multi-objective-optimization of electric drive systems. At BorgWarner our engineers use Digital-Twins, physics-based models which closely represent BorgWarner products in greater dept (physics) thus allowing an improved assessment of product design (components and systems) to target application at very early stage in product development. The spring success with Digital-Twin, BorgWarner furthered enhanced the model through introducing Artificial Intelligent (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) technologies in both modelling and virtual sensing.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">This paper will provide reader an in-depth view of technology aspects with Digital-Twin and introduce AI and ML algorithms within Digital-Twin, beginning with a brief introduction on AI and ML technologies, the paper will also go in depth on in-use applications of these technologies at BorgWarner, such as, Deep learning virtual sensors usage. The paper will include a clear description of specialty tools and methods adopted by BorgWarner for data cleaning, model training and validation. The paper will provide reader an insight into how such trained AI-ML models were developed and trained using data provided by validated 1D and high-fidelity models from Amesim and COMSOL respectively, where each of those reference datasets were verified using real hardware tested in a vehicle environment. Although scope within BorgWarner product development was surrounding integrated drive module, for the purpose of showcasing an example the paper will provide technical insight to “Deep Learning Virtual Sensor for Power Module”. Towards conclusion, our goal is to showcase the method of integrating AI-ML models in Digital Twin and how those learnings can be translated into a product feature which could minimize controls complexity while enhancing accuracy and safety of the electrified propulsion system.</div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Great efforts have been made to develop the ability to accurately and quickly predict the durability and reliability of vehicles in the early development stage, especially for welded joints, which are usually the weakest locations in a vehicle system. A reliable and validated life assessment method is needed to accurately predict how and where a welded part fails, while iterative testing is expensive and time consuming. Recently, structural stress methods based on nodal force/moment are becoming widely accepted in fatigue life assessment of welded structures. There are several variants of structural stress approaches available and two of the most popular methods being used in automotive industry are the Volvo method and the Verity method. Both methods are available in commercial software and some concepts and procedures related the nodal force/moment have already been included in several engineering codes. Works have been conducted to compare the similarity and difference in predicted results from these two methods in terms of data correlation. However, the similarity/difference of the underlying theories of these two methods are not available to most practitioners. In fact, it has not been systematically studied. To better utilize the methods in engineering design and to build confidence in these nodal force/moment based methods, a basic understanding of the underlying principles, the concepts, the theories, and the stress and life evaluation procedures are strongly desired.</div><div class="htmlview paragraph">In this paper, the development histories of these methods are reviewed first. Subsequently, the underlying fundamental theories are described and compared in details. The similarity and difference between these two methods in the basic theories are highlighted. Finally, several simple case studies with easy hand calculations are provided, and examples for fatigue life assessment of several complex welded structures are also demonstrated.</div></div>

Predicted effects of anthropogenic climate change on estuarine and coastal organisms are complex, and early life history stages of calcified ectotherms are amongst the most sensitive groups. Despite the importance of understanding their vulnerability, we lack information on the effects of multiple stressors on the embryonic development of estuarine and burrowing organisms, mainly mangrove-associated species. Here, we determined the combined effects of elevated temperature and decreased pH on the embryonic development of the estuarine fiddler crab Leptuca thayeri. Initially, the microhabitat (burrow) of ovigerous (egg-bearing) females was measured for temperature, pH, and salinity, which provided control values in our laboratory experiment. Embryos at the early stage of development were subjected to cross-factored treatments of predicted temperature and pH and evaluated for development rate, survivorship, and volume until their later embryonic stage. Embryo development was faster at early and later stages of development, and survivorship was lower under elevated temperature. Embryos under reduced pH showed advanced embryonic stages at their late development stage. Higher egg volume was observed in a warmer and acidified environment, and lower volume in warmer and non-acidified conditions, indicating that embryo development is synergistically affected by warming and acidification. More than 70% of embryos developed until late stages under the multiple-stressors treatment, giving insights on the effects of a warm and acidified environment on burrowing estuarine organisms and their early stages of development.

Introduced in the early stages of software development, the Charmy framework assists the software architect in making and evaluating architectural choices. Rarely, the software architecture of a system can be established once and forever. Most likely poorly defined and understood architectural constraints and requirements force the software architect to accept ambiguities and move forward to the construction of a suboptimal software architecture. Charmy aims to provide an easy and practical tool for supporting the iterative modeling and evaluation of software architectures. From an UML-based architectural design, an executable prototype is automatically created. Charmy simulation and model checking features help in understanding the functioning of the system and discovering potential inconsistencies of the design. When a satisfactory and stable software architecture is reached, Java code conforming to structural software architecture constraints is automatically generated through suitable transformations. The overall approach is tool supported.

<div class="htmlview paragraph"><b>N</b>O danger exists of the imminent exhaustion of the petroleum reserves of the United States, as is shown by a committee report published early in 1926 by the American Petroleum Institute, from which figures are given in the following paper. It is reasonable to assume that a sufficient supply of oil will be available for all purposes beyond the time when the demand therefor will be reduced by more efficient use of petroleum products or by the production of substitutes for them.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">The possibility of a future shortage of petroleum fuel suitable for automotive engines, however, and of the production of substitutes to avoid such a contingency, is receiving considerable attention in America and Europe. The author presents a general review of the situation and the status of research in the manufacture of gasoline substitutes from coal, of which enormous quantities remain unmined in this Country. Four known methods of extracting such substitutes from coal are</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph"> <ol class="list nostyle"> <li class="list-item"> <span class="li-label">(1)</span> <div class="htmlview paragraph">High-temperature carbonization of coal in by-product coke-ovens or in gas-retorts</div> </li> <li class="list-item"> <span class="li-label">(2)</span> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Low-temperature carbonization</div> </li> <li class="list-item"> <span class="li-label">(3)</span> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Hydrogenation of coal</div> </li> <li class="list-item"> <span class="li-label">(4)</span> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Synthesis of hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases derived from coal, resulting in the production of alcohols</div> </li> </ol> </div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Each method is described briefly and the physical and economic possibilities of each to augment the supply of motor fuel are discussed. Only the first method is an existing industrial process; the others are in the stages of development. The second and third methods seem to offer important possibilities in the relatively near future, while the synthetic process of producing alcohols from coal-gases is interesting from a theoretical point, as it indicates that hydrocarbons usable in present or slightly modified automotive engines can be produced at moderate cost from inferior coals.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Other products than motor fuels are produced by these processes, such as coke, heavy oils, and gases suitable for illumination and heating. The carbonization methods are dependent economically upon the sale of these in addition to the sale of the gasoline substitutes, but the hydrogenating and synthesizing processes may be self-supporting on the liquid products.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Coke produced by low-temperature carbonization is suitable for household use and may be pulverized and burned in industrial plants as powdered fuel; it is also suitable for use in gas-producers. Some motor vehicles are now operated in Europe on producer gas and it is likely that such a solid fuel will be used as a gasoline substitute in this Country in motor-trucks, motorcoaches and tractors that operate continuously during working hours.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Crude tar produced by low-temperature carbonization must be cracked to give any considerable yield of light hydrocarbon from coal, and the crude oil derived by the hydrogenating process is fractionated and distilled to give motor fuel, Diesel-engine oil, fuel oil, and gas.</div>

Expression of lipoxygenase isoenzymes in developing barley grains

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">Currently, the use of numerical and analytical tools during a vehicle development is extensive in the automotive industry. This assures that the required performance levels can be achieved from the early stages of development. However, there are some aspects of the vibro-acoustic performance of a vehicle that are rarely assessed through numerical or analytical analysis. An example is the modeling of sound transmission through vehicle sealing systems. In this case, most of the investigations have been done experimentally, and the analytical models available are not sufficiently accurate. In this paper, the modeling of the sound transmission through a vehicle door seal is presented. The study is an extension of a previous work in which the applicability of the Hybrid FE-SEA method was demonstrated for predicting the TL of sealing elements. A numerical validation of simplified Hybrid FE-SEA model is performed, which is followed by the application of the method to the TL of a car door seal. A full non-linear deformation/contact analysis is used to estimate the deformed geometry of the door seal in real conditions. The geometry is then used in a vibro-acoustic analysis to predict the in-situ transmission loss of the seal using a local Hybrid FE-SEA model. The channel between the door and the car structure where the seal is located is also included in the analysis. Results for the transmission loss are compared with experimental data, showing a good correlation.</div></div>

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">As a consequence of reduced fuel consumption, direct injection gasoline engines have already prevailed against port fuel injection. However, in-cylinder fuel homogenization strongly depends on charge motion and injection strategies and can be challenging due to the reduced available time for mixture formation. An insufficient homogenization has generally a negative impact on the combustion and therefore also on efficiency and emissions. In order to reach the targets of the intensified CO2 emission reduction, further increase in efficiency of SI engines is essential. In this connection, 0D/1D simulation is a fundamental tool due to its application area in an early stage of development and its relatively low computational costs. Certainly, inhomogeneities are still not considered in quasi dimensional combustion models because the prediction of mixture formation is not included in the state of the art 0D/1D simulation. Therefore, a phenomenological homogenization model has been developed in this work based on 3D CFD simulations. The model is based on a finite volume approximation of the 2D convection diffusion equation representing the in-cylinder flow field. The velocity field is modelled as a Taylor-Green vortex according to an existing charge motion and turbulence model. Turbulence effect and the influence of piston motion on homogenization are also considered. As a result, the model is able to predict the progress of fuel homogenization as well as residual gas distribution, accounting for different cam profiles, injection strategies, engine loads and speeds. Furthermore, standard deviations representing the level of inhomogeneities are linked to the laminar flame speed of a quasi-dimensional combustion model to predict the impact of inhomogeneities on the burn rate. The influence of local air deficiency in inhomogeneous rich areas is also considered. The predictive capability was validated with measurement data and CFD simulations of two different engines.</div></div>