Browse Topic: Cable and wire harness
The integration of hydrogen (H2) as a fuel source in internal combustion engines (ICE) necessitates stringent design measures to mitigate leakage risks and ensure operational safety. This study focuses on the design optimization of vanity cover for hydrogen engines. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis is carried out to assess and control hydrogen leakage through fuel rail connections, injector interfaces and associated high pressure fuel system components. Detailed modelling of hydrogen flow behavior, diffusion characteristics of leaked hydrogen are simulated for worst case scenarios. Design iterations targeted improvement in ventilation pathways, strategic placement of vent holes, and internal flow management to minimize localized hydrogen buildup. The final design achieved hydrogen concentration, which was less than 4%. This paper validates the critical role of CFD driven design methodology in proactively identifying leakage risks and optimizing component geometries for enhanced safety and regulatory compliance without compromising structural integrity or manufacturability.
The integration of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) into modern vehicles necessitates innovative solutions for interior packaging that balance out safety, performance, and ergonomic considerations. This paper introduces an inverted U-shaped steel tube cross car beam (CCB) as a superior alternative to traditional straight tube designs, tailored for premium vehicle instrument panels. The U-shaped geometry overcomes the limitations of straight tube beams by creating additional packaging space for components such as AR-HUDs, steering columns, HVAC systems, and electronic control units (ECUs). This geometry supports efficient crunch packaging while accommodating ergonomic requirements like H-point, eyeball trajectory, and cockpit depth for optimal ADAS component placement. The vertical alignment of the steering column within the U-shaped design further enhances space utilization and structural integrity. This study demonstrates that the inverted U-shaped CCB is a transformative solution for ADAS packaging, providing superior durability, crash performance, and knee injury mitigation compared to traditional straight tube designs. By addressing challenges such as crunch packaging, structural stiffness, and manufacturing efficiency, the U-shaped beam sets a new standard for global automotive platforms. The findings underscore its potential to revolutionize vehicle interiors, enabling advanced technology integration while maintaining safety and efficiency.
The fuses identification in power distribution boxes, which demands gathering and synthesizing information from diverse sources, represents a significant time consumption for engineers. Furthermore, the inherently repetitive nature of this manual task renders it susceptible to inaccuracies. To address this limitation, this paper examines the application of Large Language Models (LLMs) in the form of chat-bots for analyzing and optimizing vehicular Electrical Distribution Systems (EDS). The research investigates the capabilities of such a system to process complex EDS data, using Vehicle Manual Owner as a study case, with the goal of identifying optimization opportunities and improving project efficiency. The results of the application of Retriever Augmented Generation (RAG) enhanced the model’s ability to handle domain-specific data and function as a specialist assistant for Power Distribution Boxes. Experiments suggest this automated approach can generate valuable insights, such as identifying fuse component locations, specific fuse identifiers, amperage ratings, and the connectors associated with particular modules.
Modern vehicle integration has become exponentially more difficult due to the complicated structure of designing wiring harnesses for multiple variants that have diverse design iterations and requirements. This paper proposes an AI-driven solution for addressing variant complexity. By using Convolutional Networks and Deep Neural Networks (CNN & DNN) to generate harness routing using defined specifications and constraints, the proposed solution uses minimal human intervention, substantially less time, and enables less complexity in designing. AI trained modelled systems can generally even predict failures in production methods which also reduces downtime and increases productivity. The new AI system automatically converts design specifications to manufacturable design specifications to avoid confusion with design parameters, by optimizing concepts with connector placements, grommet fittings, clip alignments, and other tasks. The solution coping with the inherent dynamic complexity of variant design, is developed to learn the unique design constraints and updates in real-time detailed in a new framework. As opposed to another static master/slave co-ordinate system, this dynamic AI system takes input parameters like but not limited to; the routing through the shortest spline path of an area with geometry and takes that information to automatically develop a harness network based on practical, and most simply possible design. The learning algorithms allows for intelligently scalable designs through truck variant capability optimization. Continual integration occurs at order booking which allows specific order requirements to automatically integrate into the designs. The system continues to manage the process to ensure the design performs optimally. By removing manual intervention and allowing to automatically adapt to variant configurations, this AI system transforms the wiring harness design process and enhances the scalability of production processes. This research proposes a novel solution for reductions in variant complexity, in a scalable developed from the time being reasonable and accurate harness design approach to the wiring harness for modern trucks.
For years the NVH community has known that openings in the dash sheet metal, such as holes to pass wire harnesses through, creates an acoustical weak point that limits the potential noise reduction of the dash insulation system. These pass-throughs can also be a source of water leaks into the vehicle’s interior. With internal combustion engines and now electric inverter power plants generating significant high frequency sound, the need to seal this area is vital. By molding a lightweight barrier that draws through the fiber/absorber interior decoupler and dash sheet metal which mates to a secondary seal molded into an outer engine dash decoupler, the two opposing molded barriers meet in the engine compartment and compress together forming a seal around the wire harness. This male/female molded seal replaces the conventional snap in grommet and eliminates noise/water leaks. The system Sound Transmission Loss (STL) is equivalent to similarly insulated sheet metal with no holes, increasing sound intelligibility/articulation index in the automotive interior, leading to new levels of occupant comfort and ease of communication. This technology can also be used anywhere in the vehicle where a hole is created in sheet metal and a wire is passed through it (e.g. electric side view mirrors).
The automotive PowerNet is in the middle of a major transformation. The main drivers are steadily increasing power demand, availability requirements, and complexity and cost. These factors result in a wide variety of possible future PowerNet topologies. The increasing power demand is, among other factors, caused by the progressive electrification of formerly mechanical components and a constantly increasing number of comfort and safety loads. This leads to a steady increase in installed electrical power. X-by-wire systems1 and autonomous driving functions result in higher availability requirements. As a result, the power supply of all safety-critical loads must always be kept sufficiently stable. To reduce costs and increase reliability, the car manufacturers aim to reduce the complexity of the PowerNet system, including the wiring harness and the controller network. The wiring harness e.g., is currently one of the most expensive parts of modern cars. These challenges are met with a wide variety of concepts. To fulfill the increasing power requirements, higher voltage levels can be introduced. Availability requirements can be met with redundant subnets. The complexity of the wiring harness can be reduced by employing a zonal architecture. The changes coming with the chosen topology will have a major impact on the components used in the low-voltage PowerNet and their requirements. In some cases, entirely new components will be necessary. For carmakers and suppliers, it is crucial to understand the different topologies and their implications to develop appropriate and safe components in the future. System simulations are an important tool to support these efforts. Due to the high variance of the discussed topologies and the considerable effort for building the models, we propose the implementation of a simulation toolbox featuring an automized model built-up. Here, the description and modeling of the PowerNet is based on a modular approach, which enables a rapid and efficient model built-up and simulation. This toolbox allows for a fast evaluation and quantitative comparison of different topologies.
This paper deals with the influence of engine failure during hover on the wiring harness mass of electrical Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft. It starts by presenting possible strategies which can be used to distribute the additional thrust needed during an engine failure among the remaining engines. The most efficient strategy is selected and the impact of different single engine failures on the overall thrust share, while using this strategy, is discussed. The paper proceeds by applying the selected thrust compensation strategy to the mission simulation of three common reference models, which are representative of current eVTOL aircraft configurations. This simulation is used to determine the worst flight phase for the One Engine Inoperative (OEI) condition to occur. The main purpose of the simulation is to optimize the wire sizes of the wiring harness of each configuration while satisfying different design objectives. The results of these optimizations are used to discuss the criticality of each engine failure and its influence on the wiring harness design, especially its mass. It concludes with design recommendations for the wiring harness of eVTOL aircraft.
The modern automotive industry field is in the middle of a major transformation of the Electric/Electronics (E/E) system design, to meet the future mobility trends driven by Autonomy, Electrification and expanded Connectivity. For these reasons, the ongoing industry trend is to move to more centralized E/E architectures by combining and integrating sub-systems and controllers, from either a functional domain standpoint (horizontal integration, or “cross-domain controllers”) or a geographical zone standpoint (vertical integration, or “central brain with zones”), with the objective to optimize cost, weight, power distribution, provide enhanced security and versatility. This is because electrification, autonomy and connectivity features are significantly increasing the demand for data processing bandwidth, network throughput, intelligent power distribution and wiring harness capabilities for additional sensors/actuators. The evolution to a Centralized Architecture is made possible with advancements in computing technologies (more performance, memory). One step forward in this technological journey is the design of a Front Zone Control Unit (FZCU) that centralizes control supervisory functions from the Propulsion and Chassis domains, to implement a holistic cross-domain control concept that: Optimizes and consolidates control functional integration Optimizes vehicle performance, by reducing latency Provides seamless integration for EV Charging features, including “Plug&Charge” option, with a single-ECU HW/SW solution Maximizes re-use across different vehicle and propulsion platforms while considering: Technical HW/SW design constraints (including OBD and Safety) Calibration flexibility Global features portfolio A System Engineering approach to Architecture design, useful to managing multi-layered complexity, will be investigated in this paper. The main architecture views explored are: Operational View (“Why design the system?”) Functional View (“What functions are delivered?”) Constructional View (“How to concretely implement the functions?”) This paper will describe the organization of the system elements and the sequence of process steps needed for a top-down system/control architecture design, up to the technical recommendations for FZCU HW and SW design.
The subsystem of front of dash (FOD) and instrument panel (IP) is a critical path to isolate the powertrain noise and road noise for vehicles. This subsystem mainly consists of sheet metal, dash mats, IP, and the components inside IP such as HVAC and wiring harness. To achieve certain level of cabin quietness, the sound transmission loss performance of this subsystem is usually used as a quantifier. In this paper, the sound transmission loss through the FOD and IP is investigated up to 10kHz, through both acoustic testing and numerical simulation. In the acoustic testing, the subsystem is cut from a vehicle and installed on the wall of two-rooms STL testing suite, with source room being reverberant and receiver room being anechoic. In the testing, various scenarios are measured to understand the contributions from different components. The numerical simulation is based on statistical energy analysis (SEA) because deterministic methods have difficulty to predict the STL up to 10k Hz due to problem size. Good correlations are obtained for all the scenarios. From the investigation, the contribution from different components to the overall STL performance is evaluated and ranked. Taking advantage of the correlated numerical models, design changes which are not feasible or easy to be measured are studied. As an example, in the “virtual” design changes related to the IP components, the influence from IP skin and leakages are checked.
Plastic design is one of the upcoming fields of interest when it comes to weight optimization, sustainability, strength, and overall aesthetics of an automobile. What is often ignored is the amount of flexibility a plastic designer has, of integrating and packaging various components of an automobile into a single part and still make it an integral part of its complex aesthetics. This paper highlights upon one such part that is being developed: An integrated bracket which packages ADAS camera, Rain Light Sensor, and an Auto-dimming IRVM. Apart from packaging the mentioned components, this bracket also has mounting provisions for an aesthetic cover (also referred to as beauty cover). The objective of this paper is to highlight the importance of integration of several parts into a single part for packaging multiple components that need to be placed in a close proximity with each other. This paper includes the demonstration of old design which consisted of multiple parts along with how we designed the integrated bracket and how it is better from the old design. This integrated bracket will be pasted with tapes and glue on the windshield of the automobile. The CAD tool used for designing is CATIA V5. While designing integrated bracket multiple criteria have to be considered from vehicle architecture point of view. The field of vision or FOV of the IRVM needs to qualify OEM standards which will vary for different OEMs. ADAS camera FOV also needs to be considered along with RLS sensor mounting requirements. All the above packaging constraints along with wiring harness routing makes integrated bracket an extremely complex plastic part.
This paper presents the development of a tool for automatic analysis and evaluation of vehicle electrical and electronic systems projects based on data science, in order to detect and suggest optimization opportunities related to cost, weight and efficiency of the electrical distribution circuits of developed or under development projects. On the cost side of vehicular electrical distribution cabling, the project has the potential to bring a great financial return, as it is not uncommon for the responsible company, be it the supplier or Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), to err on the side of caution and oversize the project. This approach is often taken as a preventive measure to mitigate any potential design problems that may arise from a leaner design. Considering all challenges inherent to harness development process as electrical harnesses manufacturing complexity and the material amount that is often oversized in design, respecting all the development phases, it is recommended to develop an optimized electrical distribution tool.
RF cable assemblies might appear to be a minor component in system design, but they can make all the difference between success and failure, especially in mission-critical industries such as defense and space. The RF interconnect is the vital bridge between many critical systems, including payload, communications, signal transport, and processing. This article will primarily focus on hypersonic missile systems and satellites to illustrate these concepts, as they jointly highlight the importance of RF cable assembly design in extreme environments.
An automotive wiring harness is the backbone of the electrical architecture, and it runs throughout the vehicle to transmit electric power. In a virtual simulation, the mechanical properties of individual strands cannot be considered for the harness bundle (or) cable. Predicting the mechanical properties of electrical cables is a challenging task, and it has major setbacks in virtual simulation. This paper proposes an approach to find out the mechanical properties of an electrical cable and explains how the values are used in virtual simulation. Cable modelling is represented as a lumped mass (or) modelled with a 1D element in the conventional FE modelling approach. In the first part of the study, finite element modelling and material modelling procedures of high and low-voltage electrical cables routed through brackets and troughs are discussed. Mechanical properties are developed using an inverse stiffness characterization method from bench level physical testing in static and dynamic conditions. The physical setup is replicated in a virtual simulation. The material properties used in simulation are iterated until the results match the physical testing results. Material properties derived from the inverse stiffness approach are tested with various applications, and it gives promising agreement in correlation and prediction with physical test results. A Test Vs CAE correlation exercise has been performed for various problems like random vibration analysis, mechanical shock test, and engine roll simulation. The main objective of the paper is to present a suitable material calculation method for electric cables that encounter structural problems in static and dynamic conditions. The test-based inverse stiffness characterization method is observed as an efficient method for the finite element material modelling of cables. Adopting the proposed method, high manual effort and computation time involved in micro-level modelling of cables can be avoided.
With the spread of new trends such as autonomous driving and vehicle subscription service, drivers may pay less attention to the maintenance of the vehicle. Brake pads being safety critical components, the wear condition of all service brakes is required by regulation to be indicated by either acoustic of optical devices or a means of visually checking the degree of brake lining wear [1]. Current application of the wear indicator in the market uses either sound generating metal strip or wire harness based pad wear sensor. The former is not effective in generating clear alarm to the driver, and the latter is not cost effective, and there is a need for more effective and low cost solution. In this paper, a pad wear monitoring system using MOC(Motor On Caliper) EPB(Electric Parking Brake) ECU is proposed. An MOC EPB is equipped with a motor, geartrain and an ECU. The motor current when applying the parking brake is influenced by the mechanical load at the brake pad side of the system. So, by analyzing the time history of the current it is possible to measure the clearance between brake pad and disc induced by the pad wear. From the measurement of the low load interval along with the mechanical specifications of the geartrain (e.g. lead of the screw), pad wear can be calculated. A sequential procedure for pad wear measurement mode is also proposed. A HILS test bench using production MOC actuator was setup and the measurement accuracy was evaluated across various conditions such as amount of wear, supply voltage, and temperature. The result is shown and a further discussion about practical aspects of the technology is added.
With the significant amount of automation and electrification paving the way for the future of automobiles, the complexity and design of the electrical harnesses have evolved to a point where a minuscule discontinuity can cease the operation of a mechanically pristine vehicle. A vehicle equipped with the best-in-class systems does not always guarantee everlasting operations every time. The wiring harness of any vehicle by its design aspect is one of the most crucial and vulnerable components. Prone to succumbing to factors such as electrical overloading, physical impact, unprofessional handling, and even sabotage, presently there lies no backup system to compensate for the loss of functions of the main electrical network in the event of a failure. In the interest of rapid re-instating of primary functions in a vehicle to make it operational in the event of an electrical failure, the concept of an emergency piggyback electrical network is delineated. Comprising of the essential routings and passive components from the main vehicle harness, cabin harness, and the front chassis harness, it provides essential connectivity between the crucial components, to make the vehicle functionally operational. A simplistic universal layout, with cross-platform compatibility, allows efficient installation over the existing malfunctioning harness, enabling lower downtime and minimizing the need for additional specialized assistance. Dealers equipped with such harnesses, may not have to maintain, and carry a large inventory in remote assistance services and have the flexibility to diagnose and repair the primary underlying problem or order the required harness without interfering with the operation of the vehicle. Preserving the primary interests of reducing vehicle downtime and minimizing repair complexities this harness has the potential to establish itself as a pivoting element in rapid repair, driving the ever-growing commercial vehicle sector.
This paper deals with designing and development methodology of Automatic Electric Start (AES) system for power tiller, which has horizontal diesel engine as prime mover. Designing of AES system constitutes of designing of Starter Motor, Starter Motor Bracket, Flywheel Ring Gear, Battery, Wire Harness Circuit, Fan Alternator and then development these components as integrated system prototype. Unlike tractor market, AES system are not so common in Indian power tiller market therefore, unprecedented design approach towards design of AES system on power tiller engine has been presented in this paper. An engine without AES system requires of huge amount farmers physical effort for starting whereby farmers fatigue levels are always on higher side due to repeated starting task. AES system on power tiller has made 0 N force requirement to start engine which was approximately 92 N earlier. Design of AES system depends on analysis engine cranking torque, which is a complex process and involves calculation of torques, such as gas torque, friction torque, and inertia torque of engine. With the help of theoretical relations and using GT POWER tool engine cranking torque value has been calculated. Presented engine in this paper requires 70 Nm of cranking torque. Firstly, based on cranking torque required starter-motor power is calculated. Secondly, based on predicted failure modes and causes, RPN (Risk Priority Number) values were generated and a prudential approach is overhauled in this paper towards the design of ring gear parameters like Profile Coeff, Tip Dia, Width, Depth of tooth etc. Further designing process of starter motor bracket and battery is shown in detail. Finally, ANSYS explored to evaluate stress concentrations on designed components through simulation of the actual loadings conditions. For the validation of AES system, a testing approach is also discussed in this paper.
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