Ford Motor Company

About: Ford Motor Company is a company organization based out in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Internal combustion engine & Signal. The organization has 36123 authors who have published 51450 publications receiving 855200 citations. The organization is also known as: Ford Motor & Ford Motor Corporation.

On the applicability of product variety design concepts to automotive platform commonality

Abstract: The issue of moving from a mass production operating mode to mass customization, or even limited customization, has many companies struggling to reorganize their product architectures. Enabling the production of several related products for different market segments, from a common base, is the focus of the product variety design research area. In this paper, the applicability of product variety design concepts to the design of automotive platforms is explored. Many automotive companies are reducing the number of platforms they utilize across their entire range of cars and trucks in an attempt to reduce development times and costs. To what extent can research on product variety design apply to the problem of platform commonization? This question is explored by comparing product variety design concepts (standardization, modularity, mutability, etc.) to platform structures and requirements. After assessing the applicability of these concepts, a platform representation and methods for measuring platform commonality are proposed that incorporate key characteristics of these concepts. An application to two platforms is included. Although preliminary, this work has led to insight as to why automotive platform commonization is difficult and how product design variety research can potentially aid commonization. The findings are potentially applicable to product platforms in general.

Reliability of a new scale for essential tremor

Abstract: Objective To determine the reliability of a new scale for the clinical assessment of essential tremor.

Method and apparatus for engine control

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a combustion engine. Means are provided for controlling the energy conversion function of the engine. Adjustments of these control means are obtained by sensing at least one engine operating condition, developing an electrical signal indicative of such condition, and, with a digital computer, calculating repetitively values corresponding to settings of the means used to control the energy conversion function of the engine. The digital computer is programmed to calculate these values or settings arithmetically from an algebraic function or functions describing a desired relationship between settings of the energy conversion control means and the sensed condition.

Lattice self-potentials and madelung constants for some compounds

Abstract: The computerised potential and electrostatic energy calculations described in Part 1 can be used as the first step in more sophisticated calculations, four types of which are described. (i) The results obtained by calculating the actual crystal field in a sodium vacancy in NaCl are compared to the results of the familiar approximation for that situation. (ii) CaF2 and β-alumina are used as examples of compounds in which there is remarkable similarity between some of the interstitial and some of the lattice sites. A complete calculation of all the self-potentials and the Madelung constant of β-alumina is included. (iii) In a discussion of p- and n-type semiconduction in simple binary compounds, self-potentials are used to show that many structures have a built-in preference for a deviation from stoichiometry, although other factors (not considered in this paper) can obscure this preference. (iv) The concept of a solid-state energy storage using compounds with two different cations in non-interacting sublattices is explored, using the mineral quenselite (PbMnO2(OH)), as an example. The computer program is used to evaluate this mineral with respect to its energy density.

Prediction and analysis of human thoracic impact responses and injuries in cadaver impacts using a full human body finite element model

Abstract: Human thoracic dynamic responses and injuries associated with frontal impact, side impact, and belt loading were investigated and predicted using a complete human body finite element model for an average adult male. The human body model was developed to study the impact biomechanics of a vehicular occupant. Its geometry was based on the Visible Human Project (National Library of Medicine) and the topographies from human body anatomical texts. The data was then scaled to an average adult male according to available biomechanical data from the literature. The model includes details of the head, neck, ribcage, abdomen, thoracic and lumbar spine, internal organs of the chest and abdomen, pelvis, and the upper and lower extremities. The present study is focused on the dynamic response and injuries of the thorax. The model was validated at various impact speeds by comparing predicted responses with available experimental cadaver data in frontal and side pendulum impacts, as well as belt loading. Model responses were compared with similar individual cadaver tests instead of using cadaver corridors because the large differences between the upper and lower bounds of the corridors may confound the model validation. The validated model was then used to study thorax dynamic responses and injuries in various simulated impact conditions. Parameters that could induce injuries such as force, deflection, and stress were computed from model simulations and were compared with previously proposed thoracic injury criteria to assess injury potential for the thorax. It has been shown that the model exhibited speed sensitive impact characteristics, and the compressibility of the internal organs significantly influenced the overall impact response in the simulated impact conditions. This study demonstrates that the development of a validated FE human body model could be useful for injury assessment in various cadaveric impacts reported in the literature. Internal organ injuries, which are difficult to detect in experimental studies with human cadavers, can be more easily identified with a validated finite element model through stress-strain analysis, especially in conjunction with experimental studies.