Design methods for mobility

The widespread availability of cheap, mass-produced balloons puts a strain on the financial and manufacturing capacities of most aerial interception systems. In the past, high-altitude guided balloons that were between 65,000 ft (19.812 m) and 95,000 ft (27.432 m) in the air have been destroyed successfully by modifying bombers and airplanes to use a high-power laser system. High Altitude Long Endurance (HALE) Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) with laser systems are also on the market. Nevertheless, the cost to produce and maintain these systems is extremely high. A very cost-effective alternative is to create a mini—Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Interceptor (UAVI) that can intercept and bring down a balloon at a height of 65,000 ft (19.812 m) and has a Maximum Take Off Weight (MTOW) under 100 kg. To enable mass production, the UAVI should make use of readily available components and a simplified carbon fibre reinforced polymers (CFRP) structure. The vehicle also has a commercial microjet engine with an appropriate air intake and nozzle. This paper introduces the design of a cost effective UAVI to minimize the cost this analysis starts from existing, off-the-shelf Radio Commanded (RC) models. An ad-hoc design was then compared.

Keywords: anti-missile systems , cost-effective , re-usable , UAV

The work provides an overview of recent advances in the use of additive manufacturing (AM) technologies for aerospace applications of light alloys by describing current problems and perspectives. The needs of the aerospace industry stem from the strong competition to manufacture aircrafts with improved technical features and reduced costs. In this challenge AM has drawn increasing attention. A critical analysis has been carried out by focusing the attention on the strict relation between process parameters, microstructure and properties of light alloys printed by various AM methods. The matter is discussed by taking into account the aspects common to all the light alloys and those specific of each class of materials.

Keywords: Additive Manufacturing , Aerospace , Aluminium alloys , Light alloys , Magnesium alloys , Titanium alloys

Allowing for complex shape and low energy consumption, 3D printing, debinding, and sintering (PDS) is a promising and cost-effective additive manufacturing (AM) technology. Moreover, PDS is particularly suitable for producing bimetallic parts using two metal/polymer composite filaments in the same nozzle, known as co-extrusion, or in different nozzles, in a setup called bi-extrusion. The paper describes a first attempt to produce bimetallic parts using Inconel 718 and AISI 316L stainless steel via PDS. The primary goal is to assess the metallurgical characteristics, part shrinkage, relative density, and the interdiffusion phenomenon occurring at the interface of the two alloys. A first set of experiments was conducted to investigate the effect of deposition patterns on the above-mentioned features while keeping the same binding and sintering heat treatment. Different sintering temperatures (1260 °C, 1300 °C, and 1350 °C) and holding times (4 h and 8 h) were then investigated to improve the density of the printed parts. Co-extruded parts showed a better dimensional stability against the variations induced by the binding and sintering heat treatment, compared to bi-extruded samples. In co-extruded parts, shrinkage depends on scanning strategy; moreover, the higher the temperature and holding time of the sintering heat treatment, the higher the density reached. The work expands the knowledge of PDS for metallic multi-materials, opening new possibilities for designing and utilizing functionally graded materials in optimized components. With the ability to create intricate geometries and lightweight structures, PDS enables energy savings across industries, such as the aerospace and automotive industries, by reducing component weight and enhancing fuel efficiency. Furthermore, PDS offers substantial advantages in terms of resource efficiency, waste reduction, and energy consumption compared to other metal AM technologies, thereby reducing environmental impact.

Keywords: additive manufacturing , AISI 316L SS , bimetal , co-extrusion , debinding , functionally graded materials , Inconel 718 , interdiffusion , microstructure , sintering

Power converters and semiconductor devices are spreading their application fields, due to new renewable energy and automotive frameworks. In the electrified vehicles context, the even more stringent requirements, both in terms of performances and reliability, pose new challenges in the design phase of power switches. This paper analyzes, by means of finite-element simulations, a low-voltage power semiconductor system-in-package devoted to automotive applications, which integrates a MOSFET-based half bridge and a controller. Three simulation physical domains integrated in a unique flow are considered: thermo-mechanical, electromagnetic, and thermal numerical models. The aim is to develop a new comprehensive methodology which starts with a thermo-structural simulation of the package, then computes the on-state resistance and parasitic components to assess the electrical behavior of the package. Finally, a simulation check is made to verify if the power device performances are thermally consistent with applicative conditions.

Automated Shuttle buses (ASB) are considered an essential and sustainable direction for the future application of autonomous driving technology in public transportation. As the driver's role gradually decreases and disappears, the Human–Machine Interface (HMI) for information exchange and communication between users and ASB takes a more prominent role and progressively becomes a hotspot in research. However, the unpredictability and complexity of autonomous driving, an exceptionally fast-growing technology, have hindered its future study. This work first reviewed related literature in three categories: internal, external, and station of the ASB. Secondly, the importance of systemic and speculative design is affirmed by exploring existing HMI designs for ASB. Thirdly, the concepts for ASB resulting from three parallel workshops were analyzed. Finally, online questionnaires and interviews completed the critical reflection and discussion. The results show that the introduction of tools and methods related to systemic and speculative design into the design process of the HMI for ASB may help designers to think critically about the future uncertainty of ASB and to deal with the complexity of the system.

Keywords: automated shuttle buses , human-machine interface , speculative design , systemic design , user experience

This chapter explores Human–Machine Interaction (HMI) challenges to inclusivity in driving automation by focusing on a case study concerning an automated vehicle for public transportation. Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs) are widely considered a tremendous opportunity to provide new mobility options to many who currently cannot drive: the young, the elderly, people suffering from cognitive or physical impairments, and so on. However, the association between driving automation and inclusivity rests too much on the mere automation of driving tasks. More attention should instead be dedicated to the HMI field for CAVs to be suitable for multiple users with different needs. From this perspective, inclusivity is an utterly complicated objective to accomplish—one that requires a new definition of human agents, fine-grained methodological discussions, innovative design solutions, and extensive testing. Based on these considerations, we present a case study and discuss the challenges that need to be faced when designing inclusive CAVs.

Keywords: Automated vehicles , Design ethics , Human–machine interaction , Inclusivity , Interface design

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are well suited to be used with different fuels, including methane and biomethane. Therefore, it may be useful to study their possible application on board hybrid electric vehicles and exploit the fuel cell system, which is characterized by high efficiency, and allow the use of biomethane as a renewable green energy source. Furthermore, there is not yet a consolidated hydrogen distribution network for automotive use, while biomethane would make it possible to take advantage of the existing distribution network and infrastructures of methane. SOFC technology is well suited to be used on vehicles operating in fleets, with a consistent and known mission through the working days, which helps to mitigate SOFCs known limitations such as slow transients and long ignition times. In this work, a model of a fuel cell hybrid vehicle equipped with a SOFC is presented and then used for the sizing of a door-to-door waste collection vehicle. After that, a case study has been carried out considering such a vehicle working on a real-world, door-to-door waste collection mission profile (maximum around 10h/days shift for 7days/week), showing the entire potential of this architecture in terms of environmental impact.

Keywords: alternative propulsion , energy consumption , mathematical modelling , solid oxide fuel cell , vehicle model

This paper presents a regenerative braking logic to be adopted on full electric vehicles with front, rear-drive or all-wheel drive with one motor for each axle, which aims at maximizing energy recovery under braking, avoiding wheel locking thus preventing vehicle instability. The logic implies the adoption of a brake-by-wire system i.e., the hydraulic braking system can be activated independently from the brake pedal. As a matter of fact, with the pedal pressed, the logic gives priority to the braking action of the electric motor(s) which acts as a generator, thus maximizing energy recovery, however taking into account various limitations, including the wheel locking limit, ensuring the stability of the vehicle. When the electric motor cannot satisfy the regenerative torque request, braking is integrated with the help of the hydraulic brakes, whose contribution aims to bring the braking towards a condition of optimal braking distribution. The front and rear hydraulic systems must therefore be independent of each other and controllable separately. This logic was tested via simulation, and it emerged that, on the WLTC driving cycle, the logic saved about 30% in consumption compared to the same vehicle without regenerative recovery, and about 23% compared to a logic commonly adopted on the market. On cycle US06, it saves about 24% and 19%, respectively.

Keywords: electric vehicle , energy optimization , energy recovery , regenerative braking logic , vehicle stability

Point cloud 3D models are becoming more and more popular thanks to the spreading of scanning systems employed in many fields, like autonomous vehicles and robotics. When used for rendering purposes, point clouds are usually displayed with their original color acquired at scan time, without considering the lighting condition of the scene where the model is placed. This leads to a lack of realism in many contexts, especially in the case of animated point clouds employed in eXtended Reality applications where it would be desirable to have the model reacting to incoming light and integrating with the surrounding environment. This paper proposes the application of Physically Based Rendering (PBR), a rendering technique widely used in Real-Time Computer Graphics applications, to animated point cloud models for reproducing specular reflections, and achieving a photo-realistic and physically accurate look under any lighting condition. Firstly, we consider the extension of commonly used animated point cloud formats, to include normal vectors, and PBR parameters (such as roughness and Metalness), as well as the encoding of the animated environment maps required by the technique. Then, an animated point cloud model is rendered with a shader implementing the proposed PBR method. Finally, the proposed PBR pipeline is compared to traditional renderings of the same point cloud obtained with commonly used shaders, under different lighting conditions in different environments. It will be shown how, using the proposed PBR method, the point cloud better integrates visually with its surroundings. Moreover, it will be shown that using this rendering technique it is possible to render different materials, by exploiting the features of PBR and the encoding of the surrounding environment.

Keywords: Cloud computing , Lighting , Rendering (computer graphics) , Signal encoding

Within the road to decarbonization scenario, it becomes increasingly central to analyze the sources of emissions from different perspectives and select the more sustainable design approach for the development of new products. Among many sectors, lightweighting can reduce costs related to energy and fuel consumption. Potentially, it is also possible to reduce emissions, both for air and land transport, especially considering vehicles in the context of electrification and green transition. This paper provides an approach for the quantitative estimation of CO2 emissions along the lightweight design of vehicles components. The approach is based on a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which includes aspects ranging from product design and production to the use phase, and possible upgrading and recycling. Two lightweight design strategies are considered, using either conventional or unconventional technologies, which are respectively based on Design for Machining and Design for Additive Manufacturing. These methods can be scaled in high-end sectors, as both are characterized by high flexibility and customization, which allow the implementation of lightweight designs for small batch sizes. An automotive component is used as a case study, performing the product-process design based on Computer-Aided Technologies (CAX) for both approaches. The CO2 assessment is performed, considering all the drivers relating to the stages of the product life cycle. Additive Manufacturing is confirmed as more energy intensive, but the additional mass saving over the vehicle use phase returns emissions reduction compared to the whole life cycle.

Keywords: Computer Numerical Control , Environmental sustainability , Greenhouse gas emissions , Lightweighting , Powder Bed Fusion , Product-process design

In the recent times the concept of Co-creation, involving stakeholders, customers, and partners in the design, development, and delivery of products and services, has gained importance in various industries, including aviation. This PhD research paper presents the concept of cocreation in the aviation sector, focusing on its key elements and the potential of extended reality (XR) technologies as enablers. The paper highlights collaboration, interaction, and user experience as the essential elements of co-creation and discusses existing co-creation platforms and tools. Traditional co-creation platforms have limitations, prompting the proposal to leverage XR technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and Mixed Reality (MR) as future co-creative platforms. These immersive technologies offer the potential to enhance collaboration, visualization, and engagement in a virtual environment. The study explores how XR tools can aid digital co-creation methods and whether XR systems can induce effective co-creation sessions. In this context, the research develops a multi-user real-time XR environment that fosters collaborative and interactive co-creation aiming to enhance engagement, communication, and idea generation. This paper includes use-case scenarios for adapting such environments in view of investigating the potential of XR tools to improve the quality and novelty of ideas, reduce communication challenges, and decrease time and costs in the aviation industry's co-creation process.

Keywords: Aviation Industry , Co-creation , Digital Methods , Extended Reality

Background: The “drive by wire” mechanism for managing the throttle is not applied to every modern motorcycle, but it is often managed through a steel wire. Here, there is a cam on the throttle control. Its shape allows the throttle opening to be faster or slower and its angle of rotation, required for full opening, to be greater or less. The maximum angle a rider's wrist can withstand depends on numerous musculoskeletal mobility factors, often limited by falls or surgery. Methods: Using a Progrip knob with interchangeable cams allows the customization of a special cam profile, to ensure the best engine response to throttle rotation and ergonomics for the rider. The use of FEA software and lattice structures, allows to realize a lightweight and efficient design, targeted for fabrication with additive manufacturing technologies. Results: The cam was manufactured by exploiting MSLA technology. Finally, a dimensional inspection procedure was performed before assembly. The main result is to have obtained a lighter and cheaper component than the original. Conclusions: This study has allowed the design of a mechanical component consisting of innovative shape, light weight, and ergonomics. Furthermore, it demonstrates the effectiveness in the use of lattice structures to enable weight optimization of a component while minimizing the increase in its compliance.

Keywords: CAD/CAM , Design for additive manufacturing , lattice structure , MSLA , nTopology , Shape optimization , Stereolithography tooling , water washable resin

In Industry 4.0, electric vehicles for logistics are widely used, such as shuttles for transporting people and Autonomous Guided Vehicles for industrial equipment. Environmental impact analyses and eco-design guidelines are essential tools in the design phase, where choices have a decisive effect on the entire product life cycle. This work proposes a method and tool aiming to make industrial electric vehicle designers aware of their choices. The proposed tool allows the preventive analysis of the different life cycle phases to highlight the consumption of materials and energy required to optimize the use and the End of Life strategy. Furthermore, it is intended to support the designers who are not provided with much product lifecycle information to obtain an overall picture of how environmental impacts are spread throughout the lifecycle; this will help provide feedback on their choices a pave the way for a more sustainable use phase in the manufacturing plant. It is based on developing a simplified and modular structure where the main product parameters are included for each life cycle phase. The tool is validated in a case study regarding the customization of an Autonomous Mobile Robot, equipped also a robotic arm; the two are connected by a customized structure. The results, which focus both on environmental and economic perspectives, contribute to filling the existing gap in the environmental evaluation of the analyzed product segment; moreover, they highlight how the material and manufacturing phase may be outstanding over the use or End of Life. This is mainly due to the short distances covered during the useful lifetime, which only cover industrial plant areas.

Keywords: Lifecycle analysis , Sustainability , Sustainable manufacturing , Three pillars , Worker well-being

The automotive production sector plays a significant role in the energy consumption of all the industrial sphere, which currently represents approximately 38% of the total global energy use. Especially in production sites with several manufacturing lines working in parallel, the occurrence of failures and anomalies or sudden changes in the production volume may require a re-scheduling of the entire production process. In this regard, a digital twin of each phase of the process would give several indications about the new re-scheduled manufacture in terms of energy consumption and the control strategy to adopt. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to propose different modeling approaches to a degreasing tank process, which is a preliminary phase at automotive production sites before the application of paint to car bodies. In detail, two different approaches have been developed: the first is a physics-based thermodynamic approach, which relies on the mass and energy balances of the system analyzed, and the second is machine learning-based, with the calibration of several artificial neural networks (ANNs). All the investigated approaches were assessed and compared, and it was determined that, for this application and with the data at our disposal, the thermodynamic approach has better prediction accuracy, with an overall mean absolute error (MAE) of 1.30 °C. Moreover, the model can be used to optimize the heat source policy of the tank, for which it has demonstrated, with historical data, an energy saving potentiality of up to 30%, and to simulate future scenarios in which, due to company constraints, a re-scheduling of the production of more work shifts is required.

Keywords: artificial neural network , automotive production process , digital twin , model predictive control , paint shop , physics-based model

With technological innovation and advancements, especially in autonomy, battery and digitization, the future of air transport and mobility is transiting towards a broader spectrum of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and Urban Air Mobility (UAM). UAM envisions safer, faster, and more sustainable air mobility for smarter cities and urban environments including passenger transport and goods delivery. Nevertheless, this concept is still considered extremely breakthrough and several technological and operational aspects are mostly undefined. In this context, a comprehensive approach to AAM/UAM may be to adapt cutting-edge technologies in developing sustainable framework and Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs) in order to realize the challenges, benefits, and conditions of such transport system in advance for future safer, more reliable and globally approved operations. One of the technologies that can contribute to accelerate advancements through human centred simulating UAM processes and operations is XR (eXtended Reality). This paper presents the early steps of a multidisciplinary study performed under the framework of PNRR (Piano Nazionale di Ripresa e Resilienza) and MOST (Centro Nazionale Mobilità Sostenibile) project in analyzing the perspectives of XR based HMIs for UAM paradigm and potential AAM/UAM use case scenarios that can be simulated with XR in view of attaining efficient and effective future solutions. Furthermore, the work introduces the state-of-the-art overview on XR facilitated UAM applications and considers prospective potential use cases that can be developed through PNRR research study in demonstrating XR as an enabling technology in promising areas of the UAM framework. © 2023, Association of American Publishers.

Keywords: Advanced Air Mobility , Extended Reality , Human Machine Interfaces , Immersive Technologies , U-Space , Unmanned Aerial Systems , Urban Air Mobility

This paper presents the results of the design of noise reduction measures for the Florence “Sirio” Tram. This activity was performed in the framework of the Life “SNEAK” project (“Optimized surfaces against noise and vibrations produced by tramway track and road traffic”), LIFE20 ENV/IT/000181. Specifically, bogie skirts - i.e. noise barriers positioned on board of the vehicle, directly connected with the tram bogie - were designed and optimized to mitigate noise emissions from the wheel area. A test campaign was carried out to acquire sound profiles describing the emissions of interest of the Sirio tram. Repeated measurements were performed to measure: i) rolling noise emitted by the bogie while the tram is moving along a straight line at maximum cruising speed (50 km/h); ii) braking noise in a full stop; iii) squeal noise, which happens when the tram passes through a tight curve in absence of lubricant. A customized solution, which implements a sound-insulating and sound-absorbing panel placed in front of the wheel, was designed to replace the existing set of wheel covering panels. Such a device includes an extended barrier towards the ground to limit the noise emission area to a minimum. The preliminary results obtained with the proposed solution, which was tested in a simplified scenario, are discussed in the paper.

Keywords: noise mitigation , squeal noise , tram

Automated shuttle buses entail adopting new technologies and modifying users' practices, cultural and symbolic meanings, policies, and markets. This results in a paradigmatic transition for a typical sociotechnical system: the transport system. However, the focus of the extant literature often lacks an overall vision, addressing a single technology, supply chain, or societal dimension. Although systemic design can manage multiple-level and long-term transitions, the literature does not discuss how systemic design tools can support implementation. This paper takes the four strategies proposed by Pereno and Barbero in 2020 as the theoretical framework to fill this literature gap, discussing the specific systemic design methods applicable to the design of automated shuttle bus systems. A six-week workshop to facilitate the exploration of future autonomous public transportation is taken as a case study. The systemic design approach was applied to enrich the Human–Machine Interaction (HMI) and functional architecture of automated shuttle buses.

Keywords: automated shuttle buses , sociotechnical system , speculative design , systemic design

The unsteady flow characteristics and responses of the UAS-S45 airfoil with a morphing trailing edge shape at high angles of attack undergoing deflections are investigated at a Reynolds number of 2.4 × 106. The flexible trailing edge was simulated using a computational fluid dynamics approach using a dynamic mesh and user-defined functions. The goal was to achieve a dynamically deflected trailing edge in an unsymmetrical airfoil and assess the influence of unsteady morphing trailing edge deflection on transient forces and flow field unsteadiness. The steady aerodynamic characteristics of the morphing deflection and the conventional deflection was initially studied. Then, the unsteady aerodynamic characteristics of the morphing wing was investigated as the trailing edge deflects at different rates. The dynamic flow responses to downward deflections are studied using the turbulence model. The time histories of the lift and drag coefficient responses exhibit a proportional relationship between the morphing frequency and the slope of response at which these parameters evolve. Coefficients of lift, drag, and moment of the deflected trailing edge airfoils were compared to those of the reference airfoils for various angles of attack. The numerical results show that the transient lift coefficient in the deflection process was higher than that of the static case at different angles of attack. The transient lift coefficient were higher as the deflection frequency increased. It was also revealed that the trailing edge deflection did not favor the flow reattachment. In addition, the dynamic mesh strategy, cell quality, and the proposed method of deforming the morphing trailing-edge was presented

Keywords: computational fluid dynamics (CFD); aerodynamics , Dynamic Mesh , Frequency analysis , Morphing Trailing Edge

Lattice structures and Topology Optimization are two of the main routes to design lightweight high resistance components. These design techniques often lead to complex geometries not obtainable by traditional manufacturing. In this work we show how Additive Manufacturing (AM) of metals can be a successful way to reach that result. At first, we studied Ti6Al4V samples produced by Electron Beam Melting (EBM) to determine the mechanical properties of the base material. Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) was performed on a part of these samples to understand the impact of this process on defects and material properties. The results we obtained showed that the properties of Ti6Al4V produced by EBM are comparable to the one of the conventionally produced one. Given these results we redesigned an automobile's lower control arm to reduce its mass: considering both Topology Optimization (TO) and lattice structures. Ti6Al4V components with different lattice structures were successfully manufactured by EBM.

Keywords: Additive Manufacturing , EBM , Mechanical properties , Microstructure , Ti6Al4V

Autonomous vehicles companies are awakening of cutting-edge technology by offering self-driving cars, however, customers' acceptance and trust of this high-tech product has become a significant open challenge in the world. It can be expected that autonomous vehicles (AVs) ameliorate traffic flow, lessen accidents and injuries, and save the time on travel in addition to people's life. Despite the increment of human replacement by the artificial intelligence in various industries and artifacts, most customers have not convinced with this big revolutionize transportation yet. This paper presents an experiment that evaluated the impact of personality, affinity to technology and demographics on human's trust in autonomous vehicles. 19 engineering students did participate in the experiment by using an autonomous vehicle with level 2, that had automated speed and trajectory maintenance, but without automatic detection for obstacles, objects or events while driving. First, the AV programmer explained its function and information about the track to all participants. Then, they were asked to answer to 9 questions of Affinity for Technology Interaction (ATI) scale, 17 demographic questions, and 10 questions of Big Five Questionnaire (BFQ). Afterwards, all participants rode 10-minute path in a pre-defined rout with the accompaniment of the AV programmer to control probable dangerous situations. Finally, they completed Trust in Automation Scale questionnaire. Gathering data was analysed using IBM SPSS 26. The mean and standard deviation were calculated for descriptive data and the Spearman for analytical data. The results showed a behavioural split (50/50) among people having and not having complete confidence in the autonomous vehicle. Nervous people trust the AV less than others, like people with little or no experience in using an AV. As well, the more transparency we had in the AV's behaviours and presenting information about it, the more trust and security was perceived by participants. People with high level of technology affinity experienced more trust in the AV, as the effect of frequent exposures with an AV. It's worth mentioning that females are more conservative and prefer to trust an AV less than males. The results indicated that various variables could affect people's trust in AVs. Obviously, changing people's demographics and some aspects of personality seem to be impossible most of the times, while as approved by other recent studies, their affinity to technology, as a new type of personality, can change or be changed. As the results showed, it is recommended to AVs companies to design a good system in the vehicle, in order to present all information to passengers clearly. In addition, if some conditions are provided that people can test these vehicles and know more about their functions in detail, their trust will definitely increase significantly.

Keywords: Autonomous vehicle , Personality , Technology affinity , Trust , User experience