http://www.sae.org/mags/aei/mater Get the latest content from the Materials section of SAE Automotive Engineering International Online Magazine. http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7161 Federal-Mogul has developed an innovative aluminum piston design that can reliably withstand the mechanical and thermal loads produced by heavily boosted engines, thereby enhancing diesel engine performance. Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:52:19 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7161 2009-11-16T13:52:19Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6846 2010 Taurus SHO doors feature spray polyurethane skins that mimic hand-wrapped leather down to the surface, stitching, and draping details. Wed, 04 Nov 2009 21:40:29 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6846 2009-11-04T21:40:29Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7081 Lightweighting is a goal not just for light vehicles, as the folks at Century Inc. will gladly tell you. Its Advanced Materials Division has developed an aluminum metal matrix composite (MMC) manufacturing technology, along with a demonstrator brake drum for heavy trucks that weighs 38.5 lb (17.5 kg) and is interchangeable with standard cast iron drums weighing 70 lb (32 kg). Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:03:39 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7081 2009-10-14T20:03:39Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7035 “While you can’t change the basics of how batteries work, you can change the materials that are used to create them,” asserted Bill Robinson, the CEO of Integral Technologies Inc. And that is precisely what the Bellingham, WA-based company did; it has developed a moldable conductive plastic called ElectriPlast, a polymer blend that can be used to conduct electricity. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:53:34 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7035 2009-10-14T13:53:34Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7034 Solar modules in vehicles are still very much niche products. One reason is glass-based module manufacturing limits the use of photovoltaic cells in size and weight, according to Proof Design and Innovation Management. The German company presented a plastic-based solution, the Composite Solar Module, at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:44:45 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7034 2009-10-14T13:44:45Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7008 Filtration technology specialist Mann+Hummel announced at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show in September that it has developed and patented a new way of manufacturing monolithic particulate filters for diesel and gasoline engine applications. It is called the ceramic coated paper process. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 20:24:53 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7008 2009-10-06T20:24:53Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7009 Higher temperatures and higher pressures in the combustion chamber may finally require steel pistons to be fitted in highly loaded passenger car diesel engines. Kolbenschmidt has presented a new generation of steel pistons for that purpose. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 19:08:56 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/7009 2009-10-06T19:08:56Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6994 While there were countless fuel- and emissions-saving automobiles debuting at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the green theme extended to the suppliers to those vehicles as well. Tire manufacturer Bridgestone used the occasion to unveil an eco-friendly model for the high-volume segment. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:55:39 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6994 2009-10-06T18:55:39Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6992 The chief engineer of the Chevrolet Corvette is tight-lipped about when the next-generation vehicle will debut but not completely mum about the sports car's material makeup. Tue, 06 Oct 2009 18:42:57 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6992 2009-10-06T18:42:57Z http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6976 ZF is looking into new material options for chassis designs. At the Frankfurt Motor Show, the company revealed studies that use fiber composite materials to bring down the weight of the rear axles and dampers. Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:27:29 GMT http://www.sae.org/mags/AEI/6976 2009-09-30T17:27:29Z