VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY ENGINEER
Auto Aftermarket Expo & National Manufacturing Week
Australia’s Auto Aftermarket Building Two Engineering Innovation Centres AIC: Don’t discount the automotive aftermarket for engineering prowess National Manufacturing Week: More than just a machinery expo APAC 2021: Coming to Australia with SAE-A SAE-A AGM: New board elected
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 1
June 2019 Issue 20 Representing mobility engineers since 1927 www.saea.com.au
25/6/19 1:54 pm
A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES
Whether you want to design the transportation technology of tomorrow, build excellent products, distribute parts or be involved in the provision of financial or leasing services, at PACCAR Australia we provide a world of opportunities to our workforce: • Kenworth is Australia’s market leader and most revered brand in heavy-duty trucks. All its vehicles are designed, engineered and manufactured in Australia to meet some of the world’s toughest applications. • DAF Trucks Australia assembles locally and imports DAF trucks from our European counterpart, DAF NV, which is PACCAR’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer in Europe. DAF sells and provides aftermarket support to our medium and heavy-duty commercial vehicles in the Australian market. • PACCAR Parts provides global parts distribution and aftersales support to Kenworth and DAF dealerships across Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea. • PACCAR Financial is dedicated to financing trucks and trailers for our Kenworth and DAF customers. • PacLease provides customised full-service lease, rental and contract maintenance programs in the Australian market designed for each customer’s unique business needs. Our commitment to our workforce has not gone unnoticed in 2018: • Australian Large Employer of the Year Award. • Victorian Training Awards Employer of the Year Award. • Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Leadership in Workforce Skills Development Award. We are a vibrant and exciting business, PACCAR Australia offers great opportunities for long and successful careers: • A comprehensive induction program. • A four year graduate rotation program. • Opportunities for advancement in all areas of the business, the range of paths our employees can take is extensive. The benefits of working at PACCAR Australia include an on-site cafe, on-site physiotherapy, free parking, landscaped gardens and walking tracks.
For further information visit us at www.paccar.com.au/careers/
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 2
25/6/19 1:54 pm
VTE | Contents
Contents JUNE 2019
Special Features 20
AAAE 2019 - the Auto aftermarket has a bright future in Australia
APAC 20 Conference
22 AIC - Australian Innovation Centres for Victoria & South Australia 24
National Manufacturing Week - A busy schedule of multiple events
26
APAC Technical Paper - Development of Hybrid Power Steering
5
Society News 4
Notes from the Chair - Welcome from Adrian Feeney
5
SAE Events - APAC 20 conference
6
SAE News - SAE-A’s AGM, board and presentations
SAE-A Annual General Meeting
6
Auto aftermarket is a booming business
20
VTE News 10
General News
12
Automotive News
14
Truck News
15
Defence News
16
Aero & Rail News
17
Overseas News
Products 26
New Products - for engineering National Manufacturing Week
On the Cover A new Automotive engineeering centre was announced at the AAA Expo
24
About the SAE-A SAE-A was founded in 1927 to address the need for further education for all facets surrounding Automotive Engineering, and now encompasses all mobility engineering industries in the Australasian region. The SAE-A is a non-profit organisation that works to serve the needs of its members and to promote the relevance of mobility related technologies to governments, industry and the community in general.
The editor, publisher, printer, the Society of Automotive Engineers – Australasia (SAE-A) and their employees, directors, servants, agents and associated or related entities (Publishing Entities) are not responsible for the accuracy or correctness of the text, pictures or other material comprising the contributions and advertisements contained in this publication or for the consequences of any use made of the products, services and other information referred to in this publication. The Publishing Entities expressly disclaim all liability of whatsoever nature for any consequences arising from the use or reliance on material contained in this publication whether caused to a reader of this publication or otherwise. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publishing Entities. The responsibility for the accuracy or correctness of information and other material is that of the individual contributors and the Publishing Entities do not accept responsibility for the accuracy or correctness of information or other material supplied by others. To the extent permissible by law, the Publishing Entities exclude all liability pursuant to the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth) or other applicable laws arising from statute or common law. Readers should make their own inquiries prior to the use of, or reliance on, any information or other material contained in this publication, and where necessary seek professional advice. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without the written permission of SAE-A is strictly prohibited.
www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 3
VTE | 3
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Introduction | Secretary, CEO and Chairman Society of Automotive Engineers
VTE Published By: Society of Automotive Engineers - Australasia
Adrian Feeney
ABN: 95 004 248 604
Secretary, CEO and Chairman Society of Automotive Engineers – Australasia
Address: PO Box 103, Werribee Vic 3030 Phone: 0403 267 166 Email: info@sae-a.com.au Web: www.saea.com.au
Board of Directors: Chairman CEO & Secretary Adrian Feeney Committee:
Kai Morganti Mounir Kiwan Membership & Subscriptions Name: Rose De Amicis Email: rose@sae-a.com.au
Magazine Production: Editor Mandy Parry-Jones Trading Terms Media Email: mandypj@optusnet.com.au Mobile: 0409 806 986 Design Brigid Fraser Email: fraseram@optusnet.com.au Mobile: 0413 009 122 Advertising Jill Johnson Jill Johnson Media Email: jj@jilljohnsonmedia.com.au Mobile: 0409 217 624
VTE Industry Partner: Excellerate Australia
Dear member, On Thursday 16 May, SAE-A held its Annual General Meeting, but this one had greater significance than any other AGM in the Society’s 92-year history, it was the first since we exited voluntary administration. There was a range of emotions that evening; satisfaction, relief, but more significantly optimism. So, now we start a new chapter in the long and proud history of this great organisation but before we look forward, let’s look back and acknowledge the tireless and generous commitment by the previous board and our key supporters. Mounir Kirwan, Kai Morganti and Angela Krepcik worked to put SAE back into the black and enable us to continue the significant role we play in industry. I also acknowledge the assistance of our longest serving staff member, Rose De Amicis and Professor Harry Watson who both played critical roles albeit in the background. Credit too must go to our loyal members who have stuck by us throughout and showed their confidence by renewing their membership and staying involved in all the activities we generated. I also wish to acknowledge the editorial and advertising staff of our quarterly magazine,
Vehicle Technology Engineer, namely Mandy Parry-Jones, Brigid Fraser and Jill Johnson, together with our bookkeeper Ray Samos, all of whom have provided their services above and beyond what is considered standard commercial standards and practices. Without such people contributing to our organisation, our survival and then our success would simply not have been possible So, now we look forward and welcome our new board; myself, and new candidates; Kin Cheong, Michael Waghorne and Greg Shoemark. This group has formed the nucleus of the new SAE and we look forward to what we can achieve going forward. This gives us a board of four, compared with a maximum allowable of 11 however, I consider this a highly desirable situation as we can now go out and head-hunt certain others to join our management team, people with the required skills and passion. As I have said many times over the past two years, we are not out of the woods yet, but we are certainly getting closer. As the new board, we look forward to continuing to engage with our members and provide you with what you expect and need from us.
Holden offers proving ground access to FSAE teams for testing Holden kindly offered FSAE students the use of part of their proving ground at Lang Lang for vehicle testing and four teams have taken up the offer and have been scheduled to use the skid pan area of the grounds in October. Melbourne University, Monash University, RMIT and Swinburne University have all confirmed with Holden that they will be making the most of this special offer.
but requires a great deal of work to make it happen, both before and on the day.
It is not often that car companies offer their facilities to outside companies or teams and the SAE-A would like to thank the company sincerely for its efforts as we know it is not only unusual
We hope the teams make very good use of their time there as it is an opportunity not to be missed.
And a special thanks to Jeremy Tassone of Holden for this initiative.
4 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 4
25/6/19 1:54 pm
APAC | SAE
APAC 20 Conference – Next revolution in automotive Industry On behalf of SAE-A, I had the pleasure of attending the 20th APAC conference held in Bangkok, Thailand from 1-4 April with the dual purpose of observing how the Thailand chapter of SAE run such an event and the more ceremonial process of formally receiving the APAC banner and gable as the successful bidder for APAC 21, which we will be hosting in 2021. There was a total of 65 abstracts submitted which resulted in 33 papers delivered from five countries including the Czech Republic, India, Japan, Thailand but with the overwhelming majority sourced from Korea.
I also observed where I thought the conference could be improved, minor issues of which we need to be mindful when organising our event, this report has been provided to our organisers for their consideration. These lessons learnt will be applied to APAC 21 for instance, the venue selection is critical as is accommodation availability and any extra curricula activities, for example the Thai conference shared the location with the Thailand Motor Show (a very impressive event indeed).
Adrian Feeney SAE-A.
Registrations totalled 145 with almost 90 percent from Thailand and Korea combined. The topics presented were varied and well considered, some of which will be published in future editions of this magazine, so I hope you find them of interest.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of the conference was the support the organisers received from the Thai authorities; the Thai Government, industry leaders, academia and SAE Thailand itself. The official conference program credits more than 50 people for organising such an event, including 14 on the technical committee.
Thibodee Harnprasert president of SAE Thailand.
www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 5
Support on such a scale resulted in a wellrun and well supported event and in the end, a conference that was professional and impressive in all aspects.
The cultural entertainment was of interest as it showcased Thailand’s traditional music and dance, as well as an Australian favourite, Thai cuisine. Naturally, while I was there, I contacted many of the key stakeholders from the South-East Asia SAE chapters, all of whom are looking forward to coming to Australia and to our event in 2021. Adrian Feeney
VTE | 5
25/6/19 1:54 pm
SAE | AGM
SAE-A Annual General Meeting It was a damp night on 16 May 2019 when the SAE-A held its Annual General Meeting and networking dinner at Batman’s Hill Hotel in Melbourne however, the turnout was very good.
Adrian Feeney chairman and CEO of the association opened the AGM at 6.30pm with a rundown of what would be presented on the night.
Waghorne and Greg Shoemark to the board with Adrian Feeney re-elected as chair and CEO. We sincerely thank these members for stepping up to add this work to their already busy schedules.
While part of any AGM is the formalities the remainder of the meeting was over to two exciting presentations; one by Simon DeBell of ABB and the other by Troy D’Souza of Toyota.
In 2018, a number of activities were initiated including FSAE at Winton Raceway, resurgence of the VTE magazine, training courses for Toyota, a crash investigation course run by Shane Richardson, FISITA travel scholarships.
For the formalities; the 2018 year was reviewed and the highlights presented such as the success of moving the FSAE to Winton Raceway. Mounir Kiwan then detailed the financial situation of the SAE-A outlining the very solid position in which the association now finds itself. Income was up, while expenses were down which translated to a profit for the year, with liabilities also significantly down on previous years the association is looking forward to a healthy balance sheet and retained earnings this year. As has been mentioned before, the SAE-A is totally out of voluntary administration and has been for some time. During 2018, the association was able to pay out fees owing to William Buck Pty Ltd, outstanding salaries, legal fees and taxes. This was helped enormously by members who paid their dues promptly. Below left to right: Kin Cheong, Adrian Feeney, Michael Waghorne and Greg Shoemark
SAE-A’s team for 2018 was also thanked, especially the outgoing board of Adrian Feeney, Mounir Kiwan and Kai Morganti, as well as bookkeeper Ray Samos. Members of the 2019 board were nominated and voted upon bringing in new board members Kin Cheong, Michael
The association is working diligently to provide a wide range of activities to further the knowledge of members and to promote the SAE-A. So far in 2019 the association has held site tours with GoProto, Volvo Group Trucks, HSV and PACCAR. Other tours are planned as well as the APAC 2021 conference in Melbourne and a member survey. APAC, the Asia Pacific Automotive Conference 2021 will be held in Melbourne and it will focus heavily on Autonomous Vehicle Technology “Harmonising the future on and off road “. Not only is this a very prestigious event which will raise the profile of the SAE-A internationally, but it is also further proof of the renewed standing with which the association is held in this region. The APAC conference will address innovation in vehicle manufacturing and its challenges with connectivity and it is a wonderful opportunity for the Asia Pacific region to get together and maintain its leading position in technology uptake. More detailed information about this conference will be included in future issues of VTE, in this issue however, we have featured one of a number of technical papers presented at the 2019 conference. Other papers will be in future editions of the magazine. Formula SAE-A is on track to run from 5-8 December this year at Winton Raceway and it will be bigger and better again with a career and networking expo, VIP tours, a Formula One in Schools tour group and the driver swap day. This year is the 20th FSAE-A event in Australia and there will be event to celebrate that occasion with invitees to include past and present students, committee and board members, sponsor corporate partner and other special guests.
6 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 6
25/6/19 1:54 pm
AGM | SAE
Following the formal business of the AGM, Troy D’Souza Senior Engagement & Education Specialist Advanced Planning for Toyota Motor Corporation spoke on the company’s fuel cell project.
Hydrogen fuel cells are very versatile as they can be employed on fork lifts, cars, buses and trucks as well as used to power buildings. The challenge though is in transporting hydrogen.
Mr D’Souza is part of an advanced planning group at Toyota Australia (TMCA), which is just three years old and it has as a key focus understanding the use of fuel cells as Toyota Motor Corporation Japan (TMC) said they wanted TMCA to focus on two of the six challenges they identified for fuel cell use. One of these is focusing on reducing CO2 emissions by 2050 by 90 percent.
TMCA currently has 10 hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in Australia, these are on loan with Hobson’s Bay City Council, Hydrogen Mobility Australia (a collaboration between TMC and Hyundai), Mondo/AusNet Services and used on TMCA’s own fleet.
“We’re also looking at challenge three - we don’t have any plants anymore,” Mr D’Souza said. In 1992 TMC began the development of the fuel cell vehicle, which was launched in 2014 as the Mirai, which in Japanese means future. One of the interesting things about the fuel cell is that its refuelling time is shorter than even refuelling a petrol or diesel car; three minutes and that gives the vehicle a range of roughly 550km which is a good distance for Australian conditions. TMCA is also looking to make hydrogen costs competitive or cheaper than current fossil fuels, and exploring how it can be offered as conveniently like our current petrol stations. Want to go faster, transport more or just go further then to add power add fuel cells, if you want more range then add more tanks.
www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 7
Toyota does not expect hydrogen to be the only method in the future as it can see that it should form part of a bigger picture that includes electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, plug in hybrid and other fuel options but does see it as a major player in the heavy vehicle sector for trucks and buses because of the long distances involved, especially in Australia. Mr D’Souza finished by showing a slide of the new Toyota Hydrogen Centre of Excellence which has been built on the old Altona manufacturing site to make hydrogen, this fuel will run vehicles and power Toyota’s buildings.. Simon DeBell from ABB then gave his presentation – The Future of Mobility, which focused on electric vehicles. Mr DeBell introduced his talk with information regarding the changes in environmental greenhouse effects in Australia from 1990
to 2016 with road transport accounting for almost 90 percent of the gasses. From there he turned to electric vehicles, speaking about their current status in Australia saying there were 2284 electric vehicles sold in 2017 which was a 67% increase from the previous year. Now there are 780 charging stations with one charging station for every six registered vehicles with the highest uptake of electric vehicles in Queensland and WA, and per capita in SA and the ACT. He also pointed out that there are still barriers to the uptake of electric vehicles, namely a general lack of understanding of them and their uses, range anxiety (how far can you go and then where do you fill up) which goes hand-in-hand with a lack of public charging infrastructure and the costs of these vehicles. ABB is working on new charging technology which includes its DC Wallbox 20-24kW recharging stations and an eBus and heavy vehicle recharging platform that offers an extended voltage range of between 150 and 920V to charge the next generation EVs with high voltage battery systems. Mr DeBell finished off by reviewing the UK experience of electric vehicle operations, though in the UK distances are far less challenging than in Australia. We thank both presenters for the excellent talks.
VTE | 7
25/6/19 1:54 pm
SAE | News
VALE John G Lyons FSAE-A – 30.12.1945 – 04.04.2019 John Lyons was born in Melbourne and completed a Diploma of Mechanical Engineering in 1967 at Monash University. In 1968-69 he studied for a Fellowship Diploma in Automotive Engineering at RMIT. In 1979, he was accepted as a Member of Engineers Australia (MIEAust) and accredited Chartered Engineer and became a listed member of the Engineers Australia National Engineering Register (NER). Mr Lyons joined SAE-Australasia in January 1980, and became an accredited signatory of the Society in Victoria, NSW and the ACT when he set up his own business. He was awarded Fellowship of SAE-A in 2007 and elected to the Board of SAE-A and was treasurer in 2013-14. Mr Lyons maintained his studies and in 1997 was awarded a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Deakin University followed in 1998 by a Master of Engineering (MEng) also from Deakin University. In 2001 he obtained a Diploma of Accounting and studied for a Graduate Certificate of Commerce at Deakin University in 2013-14, receiving their Golden Key International Honour Society award.
Mr Lyons joined GM-Holden in November 1969 and held various test engineer positions before becoming responsible from 1977 through 1980 for the suspension development of the Holden Commodore VB, VC and VH models, the JB Camira, the TF Gemini, as well as the WB Statesman De Ville and Caprice. He resigned from GM-Holden in 1980 and changed career direction by joining Trans Australian Airlines (TAA) as an engineer in their technical services department. In 1982, he joined Nissan Motor Corporation as the supervising engineer of their road test section at the Anglesea international proving ground in Victoria. In 1985, he re-joined GM-Holden as a specialist engineer in chassis design and development working on the VL Commodore, JE Camira and LC Astra models. He left in 1987 at completion of his assignment and joined the Goodyear Tyre and Rubber Company as manager - automotive engineering, where he was employed for 10 years. In 1997, he was drawn back to GM-Holden where he was employed until 2002 as a supervising/specialist engineer in the Asia
Pacific current product engineering and chassis sections. After leaving Mr Lyons decided to start up his own business – North East Automotive Consulting in north-east Victoria. Mr Lyons was a modest and unassuming man, with a wonderful wicked sense of humour. He was dedicated to his family and his career. He leaves behind wife Margaret (Maggie) whom he married in 1998, and step-children Phillippa and Daniel, and his two sons Ben and Richard with his former wife Elizabeth (Libby). He will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.
SAE-A Events – GoProto and HSV One of the recent events run by the SAE-A was a visit to GoProto in Mount Waverley, Victoria. The small group enabled the event to provide a more in-depth experience for participants. These photos show the EVOK3D 3D printer from HP which is used by Red Bull Holden and Triple Eight Race Engineering among many other companies looking for a high quality small parts printing solution. Another recently run event was a very successful tour of HSV’s facility in Clayton, Victoria where the company has a fascinating operation. HSV is right to describe it as remanufacturing and not just a conversion of LHD to RHD. Photography is not allowed in the factory
however, we can say that it was very impressive to see entire dash assemblies and other complex components designed, manufactured and installed into a strippedout Camaro, Silverado and RAM to create a genuinely factory-fresh RHD vehicle. HSV mentioned impressive figures about the number of new components designed and made for a Camaro versus the much smaller number of components for a traditional HSV Commodore. But the number that was most striking was that they employ around 50
engineers. Clearly, this engineering side of local car manufacturing is very much alive, and its scale, although less than it once was, is still significant. Another significant number is that they produce around 2000 vehicles annually. Currently, this makes them Australia’s largest car manufacturer. Also of significance is the number of caravans built each year by their recently acquired New Age Caravans subsidiary. New Age is a leader in the Australian caravan market and it is significant to SAE-A members that HSV engineers are already working on aspects of the caravans. It’s not a big part of their work, but it’s another area where professional automotive engineers are being employed.
8 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 8
25/6/19 1:54 pm
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS 2019 FORMULA SAE-A COMPETITION 5 - 8 DECEMBER 2019 WINTON MOTOR RACEWAY, VIC
BE PART OF FORMULA SAE-A AS A VOLUNTEER OFFICIAL Volunteers required for Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Formula SAE-Australasia is the region’s premier student design competition. The event requires teams to design and build small open-wheel racing cars. Teams are judged not only on speed, but also on energy efficiency, cost and a business presentation. Formula SAE graduates are highly sought after because they possess industry-relevant skills and can create immediate value for employers. To run such a large event, we rely on the generous support of our volunteers. Volunteering offers you the opportunity to see new ideas at work, and share the experience with 750+ university students.
To learn more, please visit www.saea.com.au/formulasae
Volunteers receive daily meals, and a commemorative Formula SAE-A polo shirt.
Complete the volunteer form at www.saea.com.au/volunteer
FORMULA SAE-A IS PROUDLY ORGANISED BY SAE-AUSTRALASIA
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 9
25/6/19 1:54 pm
News | General
Karen Andrews reappointed Minister for Industry
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the reappointment of Karen Andrews as Minister for Industry, Science and Technology. She was first appointed to the role in 2018. “I am incredibly honoured to have been reappointed as Australia’s Minister for Industry, Science and Technology under Prime Minister Scott Morrison,” she said.
F1 in Schools National Final Winners
The 2019 F1 in Schools national final was held at the Bosch Australia headquarters in Melbourne from 12 – 15 March with 36 teams from every state of Australia represented as well as the ACT. Following the competition, industry representatives commented on the incredible talent in Australia; ensuring that as a nation, we are well positioned globally with the next generation of budding engineers, designers and manufacturers. Founder and chief executive of the Re-Engineering Australia Foundation, Dr Michael Myers OAM was impressed with the exceptional talent that Australia is able to produce in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics) realm. This year’s F1 in Schools participants were a group of high achievers setting the benchmark for excellence.
“As a mechanical engineer before my time in Parliament, I am delighted to continue in this portfolio, and build on the Liberal National Government’s achievements since 2013, including the National Innovation and Science Agenda, which I worked on during my time as Assistant Minister for Science. “I will continue to work to strengthen Australian industries so they can drive our nation’s economic growth and create more jobs, and I will ensure this country’s science and technology sectors continue to thrive and position Australia at the forefront of new developments in these fields.” Minister Andrews said that Australia’s technology sector will open new industries and assist traditional industries to move forward and she looks forward to collaborating with businesses and start-ups. “I am pleased to continue to propel Australia’s space sector into the future after we established the Australian Space Agency in 2017,” she said. “The Liberal National Government recognises the value of science to Australia’s future jobs and prosperity and we have demonstrated this through our investment into our science agencies – like CSIRO, AIMS, and ANSTO – and the innovative work they do. “I am particularly delighted to continue to assist girls and women to chase their dreams in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to level gender inequity and ensure there is greater female representation in STEM studies and careers.”
This competition was established in 2003, with students forming their own Formula One team in schools, where they follow a pathway of engineering and manufacturing disciplines by designing, analysing, testing, making and eventually racing a miniature F1 car. More than 44 countries around the world take part in this STEM challenge, with the best from all countries fighting it out at a world final each year. This year’s event was held during the week of the first Formula One race of the season at Albert Park. On the Friday before the awards ceremony, students had a money-can’t-buy
paddock experience where they were able to walk through this restricted area and see the teams and also bump into some drivers – moments they will always cherish. Thrust Vector was crowned Development Class Champions for 2019. The team from Blue Mountains Grammar in NSW scored a total of 762 points, taking out the categories of best engineered, best manufactured, most innovative and best team verbal presentation. In the Professional Class, Evolve from Trinity Grammar School in Kew, Victoria took the honours in a tight tussle from Pentessellate from Mount View High School in NSW. Evolve won the categories of Grand Prix race, fastest lap and best manufactured. Australia has a rich history in this event, having won six World Championships, including the past two. At the 2018 world finals in Singapore, Horizon was crowned world champions, and also won the categories of the Best Engineered Car and the Fastest Car, with their car clocking an incredible 0.977 seconds on the F1 in Schools track – the only team to post a sub-one second time. This year’s F1 in Schools world final will be held in Abu Dhabi in late November, linking in with the final F1 race of the season. One school at FSAE will be hosted by SAE-A.
$53m to battery research for WA
The Australian Government is providing a $25 million grant to an industry-led battery research centre in Perth, Western Australia. The $53 million Future Battery Industries CRC is designed to diversify the type of battery minerals extracted and processed in Western Australia. Western Australia is the leading producer of hard rock lithium in Australia. The CRC will help deliver an estimated $2.5 billion benefit to the Australian economy over the next 15 years. It will receive a funding of $5.5 million from the Western Australian State Government through the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia and $500,000
from the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation. State governments and research partners will provide backing of $28 million cash and $82 million in kind in addition to the CRC funding. The CRC will be led by Curtin University and supported by Tianqi Lithium, BHP Nickel West, Independence Group, Lynas, Australian Vanadium, CSIRO and 52 other industry, academic and government partners.
10 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 10
25/6/19 1:54 pm
General | News
Hall of Fame 2019 The 2019 Hall of Fame Award winners and finalists were announced at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards dinner held at the Peninsula in Docklands on 14 May 2019, during National Manufacturing Week.
Martin Pakula, Victorian Minister for Jobs, Innovation and Trade was there on the night. He said that this event highlights the excellence of Victorian companies and individuals across the state’s manufacturing industry, recognising those who are innovative, visionary and entrepreneurial. The theme for the 2019 Manufacturing Hall of Fame was Industrial Evolution – highlighting the continued strength and resilience of manufacturing in Victoria and the people and companies driving the industry into the future. Victoria’s manufacturing industry contributes more than $30 billion to the Victorian economy annually and employs more than 270,000 people, which is more than any other state. The Victorian Government has provided more than $170 million to support the state’s manufacturing industry since December 2014, creating more than 7000 jobs and generating $1.8 billion in private investment. The Manufacturing Hall of Fame has been running since 2001 and recognises Victorian manufacturers who have made a sustained contribution to the manufacturing industry, including through innovation, investment in cutting edge technologies, trade and a commitment to investing in their staff. These are this year’s winners; finalists were also announced and congratulated at the dinner.
HONOUR ROLL – GEOFFREY BELL
After attending university at the Caulfield Institute of Technology, Mr Bell joined AW Bell in 1969, which was then led by his father Alan Bell, as the patternmaking production planner. He then became managing director in 1983. AW Bell is an advanced manufacturer of precision metal components, supplying castings and production machined products and services to a range of global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and supply chain programs.
WOMAN MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – ROCHELLE AVINU
In Rochelle’s 19-year tenure at Leica Biosystems, a medical device company, she has held various roles in multiple teams, including scientific project lead, global support and quality assurance. Now manufacturing manager, she manages more than 50 people across five product lines. Ms Avinu started www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 11
her career as a medical laboratory scientist and holds a Bachelor of Science (BSC) in Immunology and an Associate Diploma in Medical Technology.
YOUNG MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR – NICHOLAS ORCHOWSKI Having completed a Bachelor of Engineering (Aerospace Engineering) at RMIT University, Mr Orchowski began his manufacturing career in 2014 as a Materials and Process Engineer at Rosebank Engineering, now RUAG Australia. He has been a team leader on a number of proof of concept projects developed for local and global companies.
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR SMALL BUSINESS – COLUMBIA AUSTRALIA Columbia Australia was established in 1956 and has grown to be a leading manufacturer of precision plastic injection moulded parts and metal components. Columbia Australia manufactures products for a range of markets including automotive, renewable energy, electrical and consumer goods packaging. Located in Cheltenham, Columbia Australia has invested heavily in automation and new digital technologies.
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR MEDIUM BUSINESS – SAFETECH Safetech revolutionised the materials handling industry through the development of worldclass lifting equipment that puts safety and productivity first. Since 1988 Safetech has been exporting its products to international markets, including the United Kingdom, SouthEast Asia, the Middle East and New Zealand.
MANUFACTURER OF THE YEAR LARGE BUSINESS – DULUX AUSTRALIA Dulux is a leading manufacturer of decorative, powder, texture, protective and wood coatings products, with origins back to 1918.
INDUSTRIAL EVOLUTION LEADER IN GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN PARTNERSHIPS – HOLDEN SPECIAL VEHICLES Premoso, trading as Holden Special Vehicles (HSV), is an automotive design and engineering organisation that works closely with passenger vehicle Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to help them realise additional markets by enhancing their products. From its beginnings in 1988, HSV has based its success on international partnerships,
originating with a partnership between General Motors Holden and the British Tom Walkinshaw Racing Group. Today, HSV focuses on developing high-performance niche offerings to enhance the product ranges of international brands including General Motors and Dodge Ram, almost doubling its export revenue over the last three years.
COMPANY INDUCTION– RUAG AUSTRALIA RUAG Australia is a global leader in the development and manufacture of advanced precision hydraulics, additive material technologies and fine precision machining, with specialised capabilities in air, land and maritime defence and aerospace systems and industrial engineering platforms.
LEADER IN INDUSTRY 4.0 – ROBERT BOSCH AUSTRALIA
Bosch has had a presence in Australia since 1907, opening its first wholly owned subsidiary, Robert Bosch Australia Pty Ltd in 1954. Bosch Australia is both a provider and user of Industry 4.0 technologies, customising its application through collaboration, engagement and understanding.
LEADER IN WORKFORCE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT– BARKER TRAILERS
Established in 1974, and headquartered in Woodend, Barker Trailers is a family business specialising in the manufacture of worldclass customised semi-trailers for the road transport industry. Barker Trailers operates two production sites in regional Victoria and has a strong focus on investing in training, upskilling, knowledge sharing and other employee development activities.
LEADER IN INNOVATIVE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALISATION – AIR RADIATORS Air Radiators specialises in the development and manufacture of customised heat transfer solutions, and is a leader in diesel engine and hydraulic system cooling and HVAC solutions. The company has adapted to changing market conditions through investment in research and development and by developing patented new products. Air Radiators’ in-house R&D laboratory enables their engineers and technicians to test and validate new and existing products to ensure performance and durability. VTE | 11
25/6/19 1:54 pm
News | Auto
Michael Bartsch VW joins FCAI
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) announced that Michael Bartsch has been appointed as a director to the board of management of the automotive sector’s peak industry body.
ACE news for South Australia
ACE will start to assemble electric vans, utes and later cars in Adelaide after signing an agreement with Aldom Motor Body Builders to build up to 15,000 vehicles a year by 2025. ACE EV stands for Australian Clean Energy Electric Vehicle Group and while the first ACE EV electric car was built in Brisbane, it will be Adelaide who will gain from the initial build of light commercial electric cars.
Mr Bartsch, currently managing director of Volkswagen Group Australia, has a long history in the automotive sector including overseas postings with Porsche and Infiniti.
ACE EVs will be constructed using modern materials such as carbon fibre composites and plastic and the company will employ around 18 people in the first year.
Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI, welcomed Mr Bartsch to the board.
South Australia will be supplying half the parts for the vehicle with the rest coming from China, and this is without any government funding at all. It is to a small extent surprising that South Australia has been chosen as usually this choice is promoted by government but perhaps in this case it was promoted by Aldom since the company is located at Wingfield in SA, north of Adelaide. Aldom is essentially a vehicle body builder for trucks and other vehicles.
“The automotive industry in Australia is in a state of constant change as it brings innovative technologies rich in safety and environmental benefits to our customers,” he said. “And to effectively deliver these new technologies, we need a strong leadership team. For this reason, the FCAI is pleased to welcome Michael to our board of management.” Mr Bartsch said he was honoured to be elected to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries board. “Never has the work of the FCAI been more important,” Mr Bartsch said. “Ours is an industry that will be at the forefront of the profound changes taking place in the area of personal mobility.” Mr Bartsch joins the new FCAI board line-up which includes: • President Horst Von Sanden (Mercedes Benz Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd) • Vice-President Matt Callachor (Toyota Motor Company Australia) • Treasurer Vinesh Bhindi (Mazda Australia) • Director Kay Hart (Ford Australia) • Director Dave Buttner (GM-Holden) • Director Nick Senior (Inchcape) • Director Stephen Lester (Nissan Australia) • Director Paul Vandenberg (Suzuki Motorcycles) • Director Stephen Collins (Honda Australia).
Fortunately, Adelaide not only has a history of building cars with Chrysler, Mitsubishi and Holden but now has a lot of spare engineers, technicians and suppliers ready to take on a new challenge. It was reported that while 15,000 vehicles will be built a year about 80 percent of those will be for export and used generally in the airport market, the company has partnerships with
Germany and Taiwan. However, it would be possible to use these vehicles on the road with some restrictions on their use. As an example, the ACE Yewt is a vehicle aimed at mainly couriers, whether these are general or specific such as pathology transport. It comes with a 40Kwh battery and a few little luxuries. According to its brochure it will ‘lower your running costs by up to 85 percent’ and your fleet’s greenhouse emissions by ‘over 70 percent’. The drive range on one charge is quoted as 150km to 200km at partial load with a home charging period of a maximum of eight hours. As for performance, it offers 0-50km/h in less than seven seconds and a top speed of 100km/h. The payload is 500kg. It is hoped that in the future a new plant to build these vehicles will be commissioned but for now they will be built at the Aldom Wingfield plant. It will take around 3000 square metres of the current 12,000 square metre facility.
Ford manufacturing plants sold Pelligra Group has purchased Ford Motor Company Australia’s former vehicle and powertrain assembly plants in Geelong and Broadmeadows and will rename the Geelong engine plant FORTEK Geelong with Broadmeadows now ASSEMBLY Broadmeadows. Ford Product Development will continue out of Broadmeadows, Geelong and the You Yangs Proving Ground in Victoria. The sites purchased by Pelligra will be subdivided, similarly perhaps to the subdivision of the ex Nissan manufacturing plant in Clayton, in fact Pelligra has already leased space to tenants at the old Holden Elizabeth manufacturing plant in South Australia now called Lionsgate. The developer will commit $500 million for the first stage of the project that repurposes the sites as technology and business hubs. Pelligra has indicated that it may generate
2000 new jobs across the two locations and that it is anticipated that the first tenants may move in within 12 months. The total area of the plants is around 100 hectares with 265,000m2 factory floor. No dollar figure has been released about the sale price for the plants.
12 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 12
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Auto | News
QUT students’ opportunity to work with BMW A memorandum of understanding was signed by Professor Mandy Thomas, QUT’s Creative Industries’ Executive Dean, and Dr Jimmy Nassif, Head of IT Planning Systems at BMW Logistics. The initiative will be spearheaded in Brisbane by Dr Rafael Gomezfrom QUT’s Creative Industries Faculty and Dr Nassif. It will give design students the technical skills to undertake paid internships at BMW’s Munich headquarters. Professor Thomas said it would also open doors for a postgraduate research program that aligns with BMW and QUT’s areas of interest and expertise, and create opportunities for collaborative research and development programs between QUT academics and BMW staff. “The establishment of a design partnership in Brisbane will provide extraordinary opportunities for QUT design students,” said Professor Thomas. “They will follow in the footsteps of 16 students who have gone through the BMW internship program over the past three years, including 12 paid positions based in Munich. “The students have been able to work across various BMW Innovation departments working with cutting-edge emerging technologies such as VR, AR, robotics, autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and big data. “Our first ever industrial design intern placed with BMW was Dylan Sheppard, the Design Institute of Australia Queensland Graduate of the Year in 2017. He now has a lifetime
contract with BMW – that’s the kind of real world experience that is life-changing.” Professor Thomas said the BMW+QUT Design partnership would involve workshops for BMW-led projects and a bespoke program to give undergraduates technical knowledge and other experience required to undertake an internship and further their career options. Pre-internship opportunities will be assessed as Work Integrated Learning Activities and will also provide a space for learning and applied research for QUT students and researchers. Dr Gomez, Study Area Coordinator for Industrial Design, said there has been collaboration between QUT’s Industrial Design program and BMW, Munich, since early 2018. “This year will see this collaboration grow with students working at two new labs in Munich (Autonomous Systems and Robotics),” Dr Gomez said. “BMW-initiated student project collaborations have also been established with the Industrial Design honours program, and students can work on these as part of their final year project. Three students who have done this
have continued on to be part of the internship program in Munich. “BMW has found QUT industrial design students to be extremely adaptable, innovative and excellent at applying their knowledge to any given problem. “We teach students to have a broad skillset, be digital savvy, have creative thinking skills, and be comfortable with managing complex problems. QUT believes that such talent should be rewarded with opportunity, which they are getting at BMW.” The signing came two days after QUT Vice-Chancellor Margaret Sheil visited the BMW headquarters in Munich to sign a memorandum of understanding between QUT and BMW and under which the design partnership will fall. It fosters the development of joint projects between BMW and QUT, an internship program for QUT students across different faculties to undertake research projects in BMW facilities in Germany and elsewhere, higher degree research, staff exchanges, research collaborations and more.
Hyundai NEXO a game changer says Autocar The Hyundai NEXO Fuel Cell vehicle has been named a ‘game changer’ at the annual Autocar awards in recognition of its zero-emissions hydrogen fuel cell technology “Hyundai has become a world leader in advancing alternative fuel technologies, and developing them to production maturity before its rivals,” Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar, said. “Hot on the heels of its Kona Electric – arguably a game changer itself – Hyundai has quickly launched NEXO, a new, hydrogenpowered SUV you can buy right now. “... it’s the latest of several generations of hydrogen fuel cell Hyundai vehicles, launched while most car makers are still years behind.” NEXO’s fuel cell electric powertrain offers the latest in that technology, with increased performance over the ix35 predecessor. An on board electric motor produces135kW, drawing power from an under-bonnet fuel cell stack, which combines oxygen from the surrounding air with hydrogen from NEXO’s www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 13
high-pressure storage tanks. The result is electricity to power the motor and charge the battery, and water vapour, which harmlessly exits through the exhaust. With full tanks of hydrogen on board, NEXO is capable of travelling 666km (WLTP), before being able to refuel in just a few minutes. Outside of its environmentally friendly powertrain, NEXO also has an advanced air purification system which filters 99.9% of very fine dust (PM2.5). NEXO has been independently awarded the UL Bio Environmental Seal for the use of bio fibres from sugar cane waste and vegetable plasticisers in the headliner and carpet areas, bio plastics from sugar cane and corn waste in door, seat, pillar and console trims and bio paint extracted from rapeseed and soybean
oils for the dashboard and console. “Hyundai has been pioneering Fuel Cell technology for years, including the launch of the world’s first commercially available example, the ix35 Fuel Cell,” Ashley Andrew, managing director Hyundai Motor UK said. “What we’ve done with NEXO is develop that offering even further into a beautifully designed, enormously advanced and sustainable SUV that has already seen major interest from commercial customers throughout the UK.” The Autocar ‘Game Changer’ awards are handed to cars that bring new, higher standards to a hard-fought class, or for defying conventions to bring unexpected benefit for buyers. The NEXO is already on sale in Europe, with an Australian launch slated for late 2019.. VTE | 13
25/6/19 1:54 pm
News | Truck
Brisbane Truck Show 2019 & jobs hub
The 2019 Brisbane Truck Show wound up with an almost 10 percent increase in patronage through the doors of the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. HVIA Chief Executive Todd Hacking was full of praise for the support of the show from the heavy vehicle industry and its customers “Attendance was well up on the last show with 36,921 recorded coming through the doors across the four days,” he said. The 2019 truck show featured a number of new initiatives, including the addition of the new umbrella event – Australian Heavy Vehicle Industry Week. Also at the Brisbane Truck Show was the launch of a state-of-the-art jobs hub, which will help prospective workers find employment across a wide range occupations in the heavy vehicle industry. Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the launch of the new jobs hub at the Brisbane Truck Show was a strong show of support for the heavy vehicle industry.
Scania launches Otto principle gas engines Scania’s European launch of the OC13 and OC09 gas engines marks the start of a Scania product offensive centred on alternative fuels for the new truck generation.
The OC13 is based on Scania’s well-known 13litre engines, but it is a newly-developed engine that runs on gas using the Otto principle, with spark plugs and complete combustion. At the same time, an updated OC09 is being introduced into the new truck generation. Scania’s gas engines are based on stoichiometric combustion – complete combustion of both fuel and oxygen. Combustion is initiated using spark plugs, as is the case with petrol engines, and premixing of the fuel takes place on the way into the cylinders. “An important goal for us in the development work has been to ensure the best possible driveability, so that the performance and characteristics will correspond to what one expects from a modern diesel engine,” Folke Fritzson, senior engineer at Scania R&D said. The new 13-litre gas engine always runs in combination with Scania Opticruise, Scania’s automated gearbox. The type of tank solutions that are offered is always an important aspect of gas engines. Both LNG tanks (for liquefied natural gas) and CNG tanks (for compressed natural gas) can be ordered directly from Scania. “Once in the engine, it does not matter how the gas has been stored, but there are significant differences in the scale of the range obtained with each solution,” Mr Fritzson said. “With LNG, it’s in the region of 1000 kilometres for a typical trailer tractor on a flat road. But a
CNG solution, which usually provides a range of 400 to 500 kilometres, is also more than sufficient for many customers.” A particular safety aspect is that Scania’s engineers have turned the tank valves backwards, away from the direction of travel. This is an apparently simple but well-thoughtout detail that reduces the risk of the valves becoming damaged by being hit by external impact. Gas engines that operate on the Otto principle (with pre-mixing of fuel and with spark plugs) have shorter service intervals than diesel engines. However, Scania’s engineers have implemented a series of measures that help bring about a significantly longer service intervals. “We have set the interval at 45,000 kilometres for both spark plug replacement and oil changes under normal use,” Mr Fritzson said. “This is a clear improvement over previous generations of gas engines, which had a normal service interval of 30,000 kilometres. This reduces maintenance costs and increases uptime.” Scania is starting to focus on alternative fuels for the new truck generation.
IVECO moves F1 faster The new online portal is free to use and currently has jobs on offer from all over Queensland and beyond for people with various levels of experience, qualifications or those wanting to enter the heavy vehicle industry for the first time. The jobs hub is at https://www.brisbanetruckshow.com.au/ jobs-hub/#section1 The Brisbane Truck Show will return to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from 13-16 May 2021. A more detailed look at the Brisbane Truck Show and its exhibitors will be explored in the September issue of VTE magazine.
IVECO has been appointed official truck partner of Alfa Romeo Racing, delivering a fleet of 13 vehicles to the team’s logistics division. The event which saw 12 Stralis models and a Daily van join the team was attended by Axel Kruse, COO of Sauber Motorsport AG and Thomas Rücker, business director of IVECO Schweiz. The vehicles will transport the team’s equipment to all Formula One European Grand Prix venues throughout the season. “We are proud to be entering into this partnership with Alfa Romeo Racing and
provide transportation for the team’s equipment,” Mr Rucker said. “IVECO has a long tradition of partnerships and participation in the world of sports, and in particular racing, where our trucks can be seen competing in the Dakar Rally and the FIA European Truck Racing Championship. We look forward to the new racing season and wish Alfa Romeo Racing success.”
14 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 14
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Defence | News
Healing the wounded composite A team of academics has developed a material that could see ships, armoured vehicles or aircraft able to self-repair damage in under 10 minutes.
Western Sydney University $5.4 million
Lead researcher Professor Adrian Mouritz, Executive Dean of the School of Engineering at RMIT University, said the aim was to change the way Defence sustains and maintains its fighting platforms.
To explore the application of advanced neuromorphic sensing technology to deliver detailed imaging capabilities to ground and satellite based sensing systems. This technology has the potential to enhance Australian and allied space situational awareness capabilities.
“At the moment, if you damage a composite, whether it’s an aircraft, a ship, a wind turbine blade or anything, you need to take it out of service to be fixed,” he said. “When the damage forms it can heal itself in the same way our body does.” “You’ve got to cut out, or grind out the damaged area and put new material in, which is a pretty slow and expensive process. “Our method allows repairs to be done immediately, at lower cost and in a faster time; when the damage forms it can heal itself in the same way our body does if you accidentally cut yourself.” Professor Mouritz said the relatively inexpensive process should save Defence money by allowing its ships and platforms to remain in service if damaged.
University of Adelaide - $3.0 million Lead researcher Professor Adrian Mouritz worked on the development of a material composite system that could see ships, armoured vehicles or aircraft able to self-repair damage.
composite’s properties, and once damaged, the polymer is activated and will melt, flowing into the damaged area,” he said. “The healing process is activated by moderate heating of the damaged region, which can be done relatively easily using hand-held devices. “Using a device similar in size to a handheld power drill, we have healed damaged composite material within 30 seconds.”
“We’ve developed a material composite system that, when applied near the damaged area, will heal itself as opposed to needing manual repair,” he said.
Professor Mouritz performs research into fibre reinforced polymer composites and other engineering materials and has done extensive work with the ADF during his career.
The new polymer is developed as a fine powder and also comes in hair-like fibres, which are sprinkled into the composite during manufacturing.
“A lot of the work we do at RMIT is focused on solving industry problems, and that extends to the ADF,” he said.
“There are no adverse effects on the
Contracts announced under the Defence Innovation Hub:
“Extensive testing has been conducted on the new technology, with really positive results.”
Development of an active exhaust silencer for diesel engines.
DefendTex Pty Ltd - $3.0 million To develop and test the application of sustained supercavitation technology. Projectiles equipped with this technology can enhance subsurface defensive capabilities through countering minefields and inbound torpedos.
Agent Oriented Software Pty Ltd $1.5 million To demonstrate real-time coordination of intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance assets, including unmanned drones and autonomous vehicles.
Marathon Targets Pty Ltd $1.1 million To develop an autonomous vehicle target to enhance close combat training by replicating realistic actions of adversaries.
Safran Electronics & Defense Australasia Pty Ltd - $308,000
Defence industry grants program recipients
To enhance the performance of infra-red search and track systems, improving the detection of targets in coastal environments.
The first seven recipients of the Australian Government’s largest individual defence industry grants program were announced. The recipients will benefit from a $2.6 million investment from the $17 million Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grants program.
To demonstrate that unmanned surface vehicles can enhance underwater and anti-submarine warfare capability.
The program will assist Australian smallto-medium enterprises to invest in projects that build industrial capabilities aligned with the Sovereign Industrial Capability Priorities announced in the 2018 Defence Industrial Capability Plan. Of the seven recipients, three are from Victoria, two from New South Wales, one from the Australian Capital Territory and one from Queensland. The Sovereign Industrial Capability Priority Grants are designed to encourage www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 15
participation by Australia’s small-to-medium enterprises in the largest modernisation of the Australian Defence Force since the Second World War. The Government is investing more than $200 billion in defence capability over the next decade with the intention of growing defence industry and the economy, and helping create new jobs. Applications for this grant program can be made at any time.
BlueZone Group Pty Ltd - $275,000
Defence Materials Technology Centre Ltd (DMTC) - $272,000 In partnership with Thales Australia Ltd, DMTC will undertake a research and development program with the aim of providing technical advancements to the soldier lethality system, specifically smallarms capability.
Inovor Technologies Pty Ltd - $272,000 To develop sovereign satellite capabilities through enhanced image and object detection.
VTE | 15
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Brought to you by
The March Transport of Tomorrow Symposium was well attended and covered a lot of ground. We are still working through some of the outcomes from the workshops, and at the same time we don’t want to lose sight of the quality and value of the presentations we heard. Below we present an excerpt from Tony Canavan’s presentation at Transport of Tomorrow. It’s a wide-ranging look at the relationship and roles of government and new mobility. This is just a taster. You can visit our website to read the whole article, as well as access other presentations from the symposium. Transport of Tomorrow will be back in March 2020! Join our monthly newsletter list to keep informed at www.imovecrc.com/subscribe.
GOVERNMENT AND THE NEW MOBILITY ECOSYSTEM By Tony Canavan, Global Government Transport Leader, Ernst & Young
In recent times, thanks to technology and a plethora of start-ups, technology companies, entrepreneurs and other disruptors, a range of new mobility service models have emerged that meet latent demand in ways that are flexible and responsive that our public transport system – with its in-built rigidity – can only look at with envy. Now, instead of us adapting around the services, there are services adapting around us. It’s becoming a demand-led transport market. Of course, this sudden outburst of people power isn’t universally welcome. Despite the oft repeated mission statements about customer centricity, this emergence of a vibrant, dynamic and customer-created mobility ecosystem is subversive to the notions of centralised order and control. When you think about the increasing role played by new mobility service providers, the definitions of what we regard as public and private transport are blurring at the edges. The question government must ask itself is, does it embrace new mobility service delivery models, or does it seek to contain those types of services so as not to risk undermining the critical role that public transport plays in our cities and regions? Government’s role in transport is not straightforward. While the earliest forms of
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 16
public transport were privately initiated – think of the stagecoaches and early private railways and cable car companies – as cities grew and consolidation of services were required, public transport became government funded and government run. With only a small number of exceptions, public transport is subsidised, and that subsidy is justified by a greater good.
The public good The concept of “public good” is obviously subjective. But it’s exactly the sort of thing we look to government to lead on. In the world of mobility, the “public good” means universal accessibility, fairness, good air quality, low or zero emissions and managing demand to minimise congestion. The big question looms therefore, at what point does the emergence of the new mobility ecosystem harm the public good? There are a number of ways that might happen. In New York, the enormous take up of ride sharing and car sharing has come at the expense of mass transit. In addition, there are a large number of additional vehicles on Manhattan’s already crowded streets, adding to the congestion. Bus journey times have increased and the average speed for everyone on the road has decreased by seven miles per hour.
With funding models, the widespread use of fare concessions is an accepted way to make public transport fairer and more accessible to all. But if new mobility service providers start cherry picking full fare payers, then the funding model is weakened and the cost of running mass transit systems increases.
Setting up an environment for competition and innovation How does the government strike the right balance between adopting its own customercentric mantra by enabling greater choice for individuals against its other responsibilities to promote the public good and manage congestion? Before I attempt to answer that question, let me say something else about the new mobility ecosystem. I have met and talked with many new players in mobility: Uber, Lime, GoGet, Lyft, Liftango, Bridj, the automotive companies, the auto clubs, universities etc.
25/6/19 1:54 pm
I have observed a strong desire for certainty. A standardised, uniform, nationally consistent set of rules that legitimise this new industry and sets the rules by which competition and innovation can occur.
The thing I have noticed is not a desire that government deregulate or vacate the field. Quite the opposite. I have observed a strong desire for certainty. A standardised, uniform, nationally consistent set of rules that legitimise this new industry and sets the rules by which competition and innovation can occur. And not open slather competition. Competition within regulatory constraints that reduce the tendency for any initiative to be ultra-high risk and more likely to fail than succeed. It doesn’t suit many new or aspiring players in the mobility ecosystem to be in constant survival mode in a sector where data is controlled by a select few and power is wielded to remove rather than encourage competition.
Much of the new mobility ecosystem want government involvement and engagement in the new ecosystem, as opposed to the presumption one quite often hears that they want government to get out of the way.
A government’s role in transport So, how does government strike a balance between embracing, facilitating and enabling the explosion of new choices and delivery models to the benefit of us as individuals, against the responsibilities government has to ensure and protect the public good? When you look at what government actually does in transport, it is a lot more than directly providing train, tram and bus services. It
includes: strategy, policy and planning; regulation and compliance; network provision; network management; and service delivery (including fare collection, passenger information and customer service). Over the years, different institutional arrangements have been tried in different places in order to perform these functions. Often, all of these functions exist within the one entity, and often these functions are modally-based – think of different rail and road entities. But in a world where a burgeoning and dynamic mobility ecosystem is available, is this the right approach?
... much of the new mobility ecosystem want government involvement and engagement in the new ecosystem.
For the full discussion on this topic please visit the full article on the iMOVE website: http://bit.ly/mobilityecosystem
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 17
25/6/19 1:54 pm
News | Aero/Rail
Avalon Airshow 2021 announced
The 2019 Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Expo (AVALON 2019), broke exhibitor and trade day attendance records with 698 participating companies, 161 official industry and government delegations and 38,952 attendances across the Tuesday to Thursday industry days.
Boeing and Australian Space Agency collaboration The Australian Space Agency has signed a Statement of Strategic Intent with The Boeing Company, as part of the mission to grow Australia’s space industry.
The statement begins an important partnership with Boeing, and emphasises the value of its ongoing research and development in collaboration with universities and research institutions across Australia. Boeing is a major player in both Australia’s space and wider aerospace industry. Across Australia, Boeing employs over 3000 people and in 2018 invested $62 million in research and development. Head of the Australian Space Agency Dr Megan Clark AC said the signing of the statement was an example of how collaboration and engagement across countries is an important aspect of the growing space economy, both in Australia and internationally.
Attendances across the entire event, held at Avalon Airport near Melbourne, Australia, totalled 171,830. Avalon 2021 dates have been released and the show will run from 23 – 26 February at Avalon Airport in Geelong, Victoria.
“This Statement of Strategic Intent highlights Boeing’s existing collaboration with the CSIRO, universities and industry in broad areas such as space debris monitoring, advanced manufacturing and fuel production in space, on-orbit imaging, virtual reality and remote space craft operation,” Dr Clark said. “This partnership opens the doors for
Australian innovators to participate in the global supply chain of the space sector.” Boeing Senior Vice President of Space and Launch Jim Chilton said: “Expanding our relationship with the Australian Space Agency is a significant step for Boeing and a reaffirmation of our long-time teaming with Australia in space. “We see great opportunity ahead for all of us as Australia continues to grow its space industry and national capabilities.” This is the sixth Statement of Strategic Intent and Cooperation signed by the Australian Space Agency since it was established by the Coalition Government in July 2018. The Coalition is aiming to triple the size of the Australian space sector to $12 billion and increase employment to 30,000 jobs by 2030, as part of our plan to create more jobs and growth in emerging sectors of the economy.
Making trains with origami
Swinburne researchers are turning origami shaped two dimensional (2D) materials into useful three dimensional (3D) ‘metamaterials’ that could replace aluminium foam use in train manufacture. Metamaterials are materials that combine composition and shape to produce properties different to the material alone. A prime example are foams, which become lighter than the base material, but have a relatively robust honeycomb structure. Aluminium foam is commonly found at the core of the panels on trains, which are known as sandwich panels because they are essentially two thin tough sheets of material bordering a foam core. These are essential to the lightweight strength needed to make trains cost effective to run. But if a train were to hit something, the material properties of these panels make them quite brittle. Professor Guoxing Lu from Swinburne’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and Product Design Engineering is working on a project with the Rail Manufacturing
Cooperative Research Centre to find a better metamaterial to strengthen the core of sandwich panels. Mr Lu’s unique inspiration are the Miuraorigami shapes used in very light and strong space ‘deployables’, such as satellite solar panels that must fold up during transport and unfold in space. The folds are named after inventor, Japanese astrophysicist Koryo Miura, who worked on designs for folding a single flat surface, such as a sheet of paper, into a smaller robust shape. Mr Lu is working with aluminium, one of the materials of choice in the transport industry for its low cost and light weight. His latest analytical and numerical simulations of Miuraorigami aluminium 2D folded structures, welded into a 3D shaped materials, has shown
better energy absorption than conventional honeycomb structures at low to moderate load intensities. This work is being done in collaboration with Professor Zhong You from Oxford University, Professor Dora Karagiozova from the Bulgaria Academy of Science, and Professor Yan Chen from Tianjin University, China. Such origami metamaterials, said Mr Lu, could be fabricated by stamping, lasering or 3D printing thin metal sheets or carbon-based composite materials, which could then be weld together to form 3D materials.
18 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 18
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Overseas | News
SAE International 2019 president Paul Mascarenas seems an ideal fit as SAE International’s 2019 president as it’s been more than 30 years since he joined the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in Britain as a student. Mr Mascarenas has distinguished himself in many industry-leadership roles, including chief technical officer at Ford Motor Company from 2011 to 2014. “I’m tremendously excited to serve as the SAE president,” Mr Mascarenas said. “It’s an excitement in the sense of having the opportunity to really contribute to the profession that has served me so well over the course of my career,” which in recent years has included the emerging mobilitytechnology environment. Mr Mascarenas is a staunch advocate of professional development, which he continued throughout his SAE membership after relocating from the UK to the US. Now he aims to contribute to the professional development of the next generation of engineers.
Before rising to the CTO position at Ford, Mr Mascarenas served in various engineering, planning, manufacturing and even marketing roles. His experience began in Europe on the Mondeo program and spanned many more, including development and launch of the Super Duty F-Series pickup when he was VP of North American vehicle programs. He was also 2014-2016 president of FISITA. Among his many career honours, Mr Mascarenas was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II for services to the auto industry—the first SAE president to be so honoured.
AB Dynamics delivers 1000 robots to the US
UK-based manufacturer, AB Dynamics has delivered its 1000th robot system to the American Center for Mobility (ACM) based in Michigan, US – a national facility for connected and automated vehicle (CAV) research, testing, product development, validation and certification. AB Dynamics has been supplying robots for more than 20 years, with some of the first steering robots supplied still in use today. Since then, the product range has broadened to include a variety of models designed for more complex testing within vehicle dynamics, durability testing and ADAS development along with some that exceed the requirements for tests such as the NHTSA Fishhook, FMVSS 126 / Reg13H sine-dwell and many other industry standards.
Rosenberger take over of Holocher & Bauer Rosenberger has taken-over harness maker Holocher & Bauer and integrated the company into the Rosenberger group under the new name Rosenberger Automotive Cabling GmbH (RAC). Managed by Robert Holocher, RAC will provide customer support and services to existing customers in close cooperation with the Rosenberger. Through the acquisition of Holocher & Bauer, Rosenberger extends its competence profile and increases its harness making capacities
in its Hungarian plant, especially for the automotive cable assemblies of HFM and H-MTD connectors. Furthermore, expansion of assembly capacities and investments in production automation systems are planned for the future.
Google to disrupt the auto industry
Intel, Google and Nvidia are among the leading chip companies in the autonomous vehicles theme well positioned to disrupt the automotive industry, according to GlobalData’s Thematic scorecard for the semiconductor sector. “Viewing the world’s data by ‘themes’ makes it easier to make important decisions. “The global automotive industry – worth $3.5 trillion in annual revenues – faces four concurrent disruptive threats: the connected car, the electric vehicle, autonomous driving technology and the concept of transport-as-a-service,” GlobalData Head of Thematic Research Cyrus Mewawalla said. www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 19
“Each threat is potentially existential to legacy carmakers who operate in a low growth, low margin sector that rattles with over capacity, and which is seeing its supply lines reset by cumulative advances in enabling technologies typically deployed by Tier-1 automobile subsystem suppliers.” According to GlobalData’s latest Semiconductor Sector Scorecard,
ACM has purchased a suite of test equipment from AB Dynamics including the Guided Soo Target platform and a driving robot system comprising the SR60 Torus steering robot and CBAR600 pedal robot. According to Jeff Rupp, Chief Technical Officer at ACM, the equipment will allow the company to deliver testing and research both for internal use and on behalf of its customers. ACM is building a wide range of test environments including a 2.5-mile highspeed loop, 1.5 mile urban arterial road, a 700’ tunnel and an urban canyon. The equipment purchased will be available to ACM customers for rental with track booking. autonomous vehicles is one of the top 10 themes that will impact the semiconductor sector over the next two years. Other semiconductor companies given the highest thematic score for autonomous vehicles are STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments, Baidu, Analog Devices, Rohm, Aixtron, Renesas, NXP, Infineon, Tesla, Melexis, On Semiconductor, Skyworks, and Silicon Labs. VTE | 19
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Feature | AAAE 2019
Auto aftermarket is a booming business Often engineers look at the Australian auto aftermarket as a poor cousin of Australian motor car engineering, it’s always been the car companies that have taken the accolades and the funding leaving the aftermarket to fend for itself. And it has done well, may be better than the car companies who have had to close their manufacturing doors. Every two years the Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) opens its doors with the AAA Expo. This year it was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from 4-6 April with 428 companies exhibiting, of those 146 exhibitors were overseas companies. Exhibitors at the show are parts manufacturers, importers, some tool and equipment manufacturers, some are trade service suppliers however, altogether they fill 21,000 square metres of space. That has to be impressive. Over the three days of the trade-only event almost 10,000 people visited the show, and six percent of those were from overseas companies. The AAA Expo provides a good indication of the size and strength of the Australian automotive aftermarket industry. This is an $11 billion industry that employs more than 40,000 people and exports more than $1 billion of locally manufactured automotive components each year. The event is free to any members of the automotive industry and so it should be on your list, as a visit will not only bring you up-to-date with parts, accessories, tools and equipment but it is an automotive growth industry where engineering talent is sought after. 20 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 20
25/6/19 1:54 pm
AAAE 2019 | Feature
www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 21
VTE | 21
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Feature | AAAE 2019
Australian Aftermarket takes over from auto manufacturers Two Automotive Innovation Centres announced At the recent Australian Automotive Aftermarket Association (AAAA) Expo held in April, the association unveiled one of the most exciting projects it has had for many years, the establishment of two Automotive Innovation Centres, one in Victoria and one in South Australia. The centres are co-funded by Federal and Victorian Government industry development grants. These centres are expected to be state-of-the-art facilities to provide Australian automotive product designers and manufacturers with the tools, advanced technology, vehicles, expertise and the collaborative environment required to innovate, design and test products for local and export markets. Equally importantly these Automotive Innovation Centres will significantly reduce the time and cost in developing innovative new products for domestic and export markets. The Victorian Innovation Centre, which is scheduled to open during the second half of 2019, will support the development of new automotive aftermarket products by Australian advanced manufacturing businesses.
This will be achieved by providing them with access to services including base OEM vehicle data and measurements, 3D scanning and printing, measuring sessions, technology transfer and rapid prototyping. Testing facilities will form a core element of the facility’s offering to the entire industry, along with the delivery of highly specialised training. The centres will be buying equipment where possible from Australia or if its not made by Australian companies then if it is sold by Australian companies that will be the second choice, only if nothing like it is available will the centre look overseas. The plan for Victoria is for two engineers – a data specialist for measured data, testing simulations and the like, and a CAD and scanning specialist who will focus on the scanning process as well as the CAD and 3D printing aspects, and there will be a workshop technician who will be doing the vehicle scanning and pulling apart. The vision for the South Australian facility, which will open in 2020, is to establish a national centre of excellence for dynamic vehicle testing including brake and electronic
stability control along with Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) testing, suspension development and load capacity validation. “We are confident that these Automotive Innovation Centres will play a key role in ensuring that AAAA member companies are leveraging world leading technology and best practice when it comes to the development, testing, integration and validation of their products to verify the ongoing safety and compliance of modified vehicles,” AAAA CEO Stuart Charity said. Auto Innovation Centre Manager, Luke Truskinger outlined the concepts behind the establishment of these centres. Mr Truskinger is a mechanical engineer and has worked in the aftermarket and with the OEMs for a number of years. Mr Truskinger said that the centres were there to provide the tools and equipment and data to enable the Australian automotive aftermarket companies to produce better products, and to produce them quicker and using more innovative methods as well as ensuring a better integration with vehicles. “A lot of the information we are going to provide such as the measurements and market intelligence, it will be very useful but not everyone will want to use the same amount of scan data or 3D printing or the same amount of vibration testing,” Mr Truskinger said. He said that centres were also there to help companies understand where technology is going with vehicles as it was a requirement to continually keep up with what was happening in the automotive sphere and it was vital that any components designed did not compromise the systems already in place in a vehicle.
Auto Innovation Centre Manager, Luke Truskinger
“I met with 32 companies who were earmarked as significant or potential customers of the centre and I spent a number
22 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 22
25/6/19 1:54 pm
AAAE 2019 | Feature
“Earlier this year we commissioned ACA Research to undertake a survey of our (aftermarket) manufacturers to measure the health of the industry and the preliminary findings are very telling of the exciting future potential of Australian automotive aftermarket manufacturing with 78 percent of all Australian aftermarket manufacturers engaged in export with our largest markets being the USA, Europe and the UK in that order. “An incredible 82 percent of those surveyed expected export sales to be either a little higher or significantly higher over the next three years with only three percent projecting lower export sales.”
of hours with each company, as well as ongoing contact since, discussing what could be the most useful for each business,” Mr Truskinger said. “From that we developed a list of capabilities, of vehicles, areas to measure and testing required and test equipment to have. “We also focused on what is a key issue... At the moment in our industry ESC compliance is an issue, it’s something that is commercially restrictive for smaller volumes and it is a very expensive test so we’re looking at ways to support that - ESC validation.” Mr Truskinger said he strongly believed that the key to the success of the manufacturing sector is innovation and it is therefore vital that companies continue to invest in R&D, new products and capital equipment to keep ahead of the curve. “In addition, the rapid changes in vehicle technology mean that parts producers need to continually raise the bar in their testing and validation to ensure that their products fully integrate with todays’ highly computerised
vehicles to ensure ongoing compliance with local and international design specifications,” he said. Mr Truskinger said he was in the process of scoping, implementing and commissioning the facilities. The closure of Australia’s car manufacturing sector in 2017 was a devastating blow to the tens of thousands of workers from the vehicle manufacturers and the supply chain companies directly impacted by these decisions, it did not lead to the demise of the entire Australian automotive manufacturing industry as many incorrectly predicted. “The Australian automotive aftermarket manufacturing sector continues to punch well above its weight on the global stage,” Mr Charity said. “Australian automotive aftermarket manufacturers currently turn over $5 billion per annum, employ 21,000 people directly and export $1 billion per year of locally manufactured product and these exports are growing strongly.
According to Mr Truskinger the idea is to help innovation centre members export products and the plan is that to have data available for American vehicles as well as others, and also for market specific vehicles. Providing that data will help companies to export or just the assist with market intelligence. The Australian automotive aftermarket industry has now moved up the value chain from service parts to high-value specialty products with a technological advantage such as 4WD, high performance and motorsport components. All of these products are purchased on innovation, performance and features rather than on price. The massive increase in domestic and global sales of 4WDs and SUVs has also created significant demand for highly specialised automotive aftermarket components. Of course, vehicles will be determined by the market but based on the initial research it is the 4WD, camping and SUV space that is very big. According to Mr Truskinger, it probably accounts for two-thirds of the industry but the performance sector is also very important. This has opened the door to new opportunities for the Australian automotive aftermarket industry in the design and development of functional accessories as well as performance and safety enhancement products. “We’ll be measuring, weighing, inspecting scan data, linear dimensions, material composition – when people want to develop a product for a car they know that they will have that baseline data. We can supply the data. “We will also have specialised testing, usually it will be focused around Australian specific requirements as a priority,” he said. “Any challenges we face specifically in the Australian automotive aftermarket we would provide a test solution for that.” While the initial view for the centres was for motor cars it appears that other areas of the industry have also taken notice with trucks, defence and agriculture also showing interest. Their needs can be met as the equipment does take into account those areas and the centre is not restricted to motor cars or to AAAA members, it is open to everyone.
www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 23
VTE | 23
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Feature | National Manufacturing Week
National Manufacturing Week – a busy schedule of multiple events National Manufacturing Week (NMW) 2019, which was held in Melbourne from 14-17 May showcased Australia’s role in the industrial evolution through industry-led sessions and suppliers displaying the latest products. The 20th edition of NMW, which is colocated with Austech, saw more than 11,000 attendees and 200 companies in attendance. In a statement NMW indicated that the recent development in Australia’s $383.2 billion manufacturing industry is projected to achieve a 1.2 percent growth rate over the next five years to $405.8 billon in 2023 to 2024. Robby Clark, NMW exhibition director, said the strong industry response from manufacturers creates a platform for future manufacturing events in 2020 and beyond. “NMW in 2019 focussed on supporting manufactures in their adoption of high-tech solutions, advanced manufacturing processes and integration of Industry 4.0 into their operations,” he said. “With visitors, exhibitors, and conference speakers’ eagerness to celebrate recent successes and generate further momentum characterising this year’s event. We’d like to thank all of our sponsors, partners, conference speakers, exhibitors for their incredible and long-standing support of NMW.” The Advanced Manufacturing Growth Centre launched its Manufacturing Academy during
NMW. The online resource hub comprises of more than 500 pages of in-depth research, interviews with more than 20 Australian manufacturers, and 50 hours of video content. NMW also saw WorldSkills Australia host the Victorian Regional Mechatronics and Welding competitions across all four days of the exhibition. This year, the theme was Industrial Evolution. During the event the Endeavour Awards for 2019 were announced with the winners: • Manufacturer of the Year Australian Munitions Thales Australia • Technology Application Award to RMIT University Advanced Manufacturing Precinct Additive Manufacturing of Cutting Tools • Environmental Solution of the Year to Australian Munitions Thales Australia • Outstanding Start-up Award to Persistent Aerospace • Global Supply Chain Integration of the Year to iOrthotics • Best Industrial IoT Application to Vivid Technology MATRIXX Intelligent IoT Lighting Platform
• Safety Solution of the Year to HMS Group • Excellence in Manufacturing Skills Development to Ai Group and Swinburne University Industry 4.0 Higher Apprentice Program • Australia Industrial Product of the Year to REDARC Electronics for RedVision • Most Innovative Manufacturing Company Award to Andrew Donald Design Engineering. Also, launched at the event was a research report titled Transforming Australian Manufacturing: Preparing businesses and workplaces for Industry 4.0 which was compiled by Swinburne University, Price Water House Coopers, Seimens and the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU).
24 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 24
25/6/19 1:54 pm
National Manufacturing Week | Feature
This report focuses on what businesses and workforces need to do to adapt to access global value chains and their associated benefits. It includes case studies and analyses emerging skills for the industry. NMW had a strong focus on advanced manufacturing processes during the exhibition, particularly in the Automation and Robotics, Industrial Internet of Things, and Engineering Zones that will carry over into 2020. During the event the list of Australia’s top 100 manufacturing companies was released with Caltex Australia topping the list this year in overall first position though the list is also split into categories.
www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 25
The data is sourced from IBISWorld – the list can be downloaded at www.nationalmanufacturingweek.com. au/content/dam/sitebuilder/rxau/nationalmanufacturing-week/NMW19-IBISWorldTop100-final.pdf The event also features an extensive list of more than 90 speakers who discuss various and varied aspects of manufacturing from every angle from shipbuilding to additive manufacturing and design, digitalisation, government grants, marketing and sales, and many, many more. These speakers present a discussion lasting around 45 minutes each. The event is free to attend, including the speakers program and while the machinery
on display may not be a drawcard for all engineers, the program of speakers certainly should be. Next year will see Sydney host the Advanced Manufacturing Expo to showcase state-ofthe-art manufacturing technologies, high-tech manufacturing solutions, and advanced processions from 13 to 15 May 2020 at the Sydney Showgrounds. “We’re proud to be able to support the manufacturing industry in Australia, a key sector of our nation’s economy, and look forward to continuing this support in 2020 with the inaugural Advanced Manufacturing Expo in Sydney,” Mr Clark said.
VTE | 25
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Feature | APAC Paper
Lee, B., “Development of Hybrid Power Steering System for Commercial Vehicle,” SAE Technical Paper
Development of Hybrid Power Steering System for Commercial Vehicle 1. Introduction Future technologies of commercial vehicle steering components are in the field of eco-friendly technology for environmental laws such as reducing emissions and improving fuel economy, implementing easy-to-drive tech-nologies using electric steering electronic control systems, and increasingly protecting drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. Unlike passenger cars, the steering system of commercial vehicles requires high power, making it difficult to apply the EPS (Electric Power Steering) system to the main steering. Some models implement conventional hydraulic power steering systems as an electrically hydraulically powered power steering system (ElectroHydraulic Power Steering, EHPS). Recent trends in technology include the need for the development of EHPS for fuel economy improvement and EPS for commercial vehicles for convenience and safety of drivers. Furthermore, commercial vehicles with many long-distance trips will have a greater ripple effect. In this paper, the process of building a steering system for commercial vehicles was described by component and the performance evaluation of the product was conducted.
2. System Configuration Current development trends can be divided into the main steering hydraulic system and the auxiliary motor control system for implementing new technologies. This paper
covers the product design process for the EHPS and auxiliary steering motor control systems (cooperative control steering systems) of the main steering hydraulic systems. 2.1 Steering System (EHPS, Cooperative Control) 2.1.1 EHPS 1. Hydraulic system In the case of EHPS systems in commercial vehicles, unlike hydraulic steering in passenger cars, EHPS products must be capable of transmitting large quantities of flow and high pressure in order to generate significant steering forces due to heavy duty vehicle loads. Unlike HPS, the operation of the gear pump uses the motor, so the output of the motor itself also requires high rpm and torque. The gearbox is a ball and nut structure, not in the form of a rack bar normally used in a passenger car, which transfers the final thrust along the pitman arm to a drag link to the ball stud, which then steers the front wheels. 2. Motor Pump Unit The MPU of the EHPS system is designed by considering the output performance of the existing HPS for commercial vehicles. The performance of a typical commercial vehicle oil pump currently uses a power output of 19 Lpm and 120 bar or more, and an output diagram is set according to engine running torque and rpm. The motor-driven EHPS is directly connected to the performance of the oil pump by the motor, which is proportional to the sum of the flow rate and pressure.
FIGURE 2 Gearbox mounting type
The flow rate is at the rpm of the motor, the pressure is proportional to the torque of the motor, the motor rotates the gear or vanes of the pump and generates pressure to transfer the power steering fluid to the steering pipe. In the case of EHPS, the vehicle fastening package is also a very favorable condition if there is no interference with other components. However, longer pipe lengths can cause fluid pulsating noise and loss of oil transfer, which can be solved by tuning the spiral tube. Also, if the power supply is important for stable motor performance and the wiring is prolonged, voltage drop due to linear resistance can occur, so the position of the vehicle in close proximity to the front gearbox and the battery will benefit performance. The system output of the EHPS was designed to be 1.8 kW, and the structure was selected with the Dual MPU considering emergency steering, and the flow rate per EHPS was produced from 8 - 9 LPM or higher, 120 bar. The flow rate is added when the MPU is connected in parallel and the min 17LPM (Liter per Minute) level, which is the maximum flow rate for a typical heavy duty commercial vehicle, is met. 2.1.2 Cooperative Control Actuator In order to implement the driver-friendly technologies in accordance with recent technology trends, the product was designed to be equipped with a passenger’s EPS (Electric Power Steering) system in commercial vehicles.
FIGURE 1 Power Steering System of Commercial Vehicle
Hydraulic steering system is not easy to control, steering system through motor control is essential as it cannot directly handle steering wheel helm signals, and worm-driven
26 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 26
25/6/19 1:54 pm
APAC Paper | Feature
Output (watt) = Torque (Nm) * rotation (rpm) *2 /60 * efficiency Depending on the vehicle package of co-operation control actuators and the required power level, mounting positions can be divided into two types. Heavy duty commercial vehicles have an advantage in the direct assembly of the ball and nut gearbox at a power level of 30 Nm (Fig 2), and for small commercial vehicles, a structure similar to that of passenger C-EPS, a hinge mounting column type structure is advantageous (Fig 3).
3. Detail Design Further describe the detailed componentspecific design required for the system configuration of EHPS and coopera-tive control actuators. 3.1. Design of EHPS (MPU) The main components of the EHPS system can be divided into motors that are power sources and pumps that produce flow and pressure. FIGURE 3 Column type actuator
motor driven C-EPS structures are employed to match steering demand level. The driver auxiliary steering system consists of a motor, a moderator, a torque sensor and a steering angle sensor, to implement the driver’s manual torque as a cooperative control actuator. Since the main direction of commercial vehicles uses hydraulic pressure, it is expected to use a normal driver manual torque level of 20 Nm or less as a function to assist hydraulic pressure. The actuator is calculated as the power down equation, and is based on the deceleration rate of the worm decelerator and the driver’s steering wheel rotation speed of 1rps.
The required power of the motor is designed with the same performance criteria as the discharge pressure and flow rate required for the steering force, and the main factor is directly connected to the number of revolutions (RPMs) and maximum torque of the motor directly. The motor is designed as a maximum current and an output inflection point because it controls RPM and torque current according to vehicle speed and steering angle. The pump is divided into gear pump and vane pump according to the fluid transfer method which changes mechan-ical rotation to hydraulic pressure, and the flow rate is proportional to the number of motor turns. The gear pump is driven by an enclosed space
ABSTRACT Future technology trends of commercial vehicle steering components can be divided into three types. Environment-friendly technologies for environment-related regulations such as reducing emissions and improving fuel efficiency, and technology for driving convenience using electric steering control systems, and safety technology to protect drivers, passengers, nearby vehicles and pedestrians. Heavy duty commercial vehicles require a high-power steering system that used engine-driven hydraulic pump systems (generally used min 120bar, 17Liter/min) compared to passenger cars. In recent technical trend, In order to improve fuel efficiency and realize autonomous driving technology, we designed EHPS and Motor driven electric control actuator with the same structure as C-EPS. Unlike the HPS system, the power used in the EHPS system is the motor, which rotates the gear pump to generate flow and pressure, and the steering oil is delivered to the ball nut gearbox to operate the power steering system through the pitman arm. The advantage of EHPS is that it does not use the engine drive torque, so it improves fuel efficiency by about 1%, and when the pump is connected in parallel, it can secure the flow rate to the main steering. In this process, it is difficult to realize the active autonomous driving technology of the vehicle itself through the steering angle control separately from the driver’s steering intention. Therefore, the motor control device directly connected to the steering wheel is essential, and we can design the actuator system by selecting the package and the required output according to the use conditions. The required steering torque as a general auxiliary steering was about 20 Nm, and the C-EPS type actuator using a worm reducer was manufactured and the performance evaluation was carried out. In this paper, we describe the construction process of the power steering system for commercial vehicles and the design process of the components.
Keywords EHPS (electro-hydraulic power steering) HPS (hydraulic power steering), EPS (electronic power steering) FIGURE 4 EHPS (Dual MPU) www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 27
MPU (motor pump unit)
VTE | 27
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Feature | APAC Paper
3.2. Design of Cooperative Control Actuator The cooperative control actuator is an essential system for applying autonomous driving technology of commercial vehicles. It is similar to the EPS system for passenger cars. Currently developed gearbox mounting type products include C-EPS type with worm gear, hollow motor type and belt driven type. There is a column type actuator applicable to small commercial vehicles (connected to a ball and nut gearbox with a U-joint). Depending on the method of use, the actuator may be used as a auxiliary steering device if hydraulic pressure is used as a casting direction. If hydraulic pressure is removed, the actuator can also be used as a main thrust device by increasing the output of the actuator.
FIGURE 5 Cooperative control actuator
between the two engaged gear teeth and the housing, and it is possible to separate the output from the suction side by rotating the gear bite. In this study, gears were designed with heat treated steel (SCM) and a maximum pressure of 1,500 N/mm2. Use of helical gears can reduce noise, and simple construc-tion has the advantage of design tuning according to demand performance. However, high-frequency noise may occur due to pulsations in gear transmission pressure and tooth friction. In the case of a vane pump, a vane is installed in a groove located radially on the rotor and rotated inside the cam-ring inside the housing to transport the fluid using a space between adjacent vanes.
The motor and gear pump can be designed by selecting the type for demand power. In this thesis, the product is designed with the type 1.75cc/rev gear pump on the BLAC motor. For larger commercial vehicles the main force devices shall be designed with a maximum power of 1.8 kW to 2.2 kW, a maximum flow rate of 18 LPM and a maximum hydraulic pressure of 120 bar, and a separate design is required for steering according to the axis of the actual vehicle. Therefore, a gear pump was installed on a 4.2Nm motor to produce 9LPM and 120bar products, which were connected in parallel to satisfy the maximum flow rate. By configuring the MPU in parallel, the other MPU will operate in the event of one failed MPU, maintaining a 50% steering envelope.
This paper describes the cooperation control actuators using EHPS as the main direction. The actuator output torque required for normal self-driving is within 20 Nm, when hydraulic pressure is applied, the actuator is activated by the driver’s helm and the output shaft torque bar of the bolt gearbox is twisted by the output shaft rotation. The valve slide then rotates and the hydraulic pressure delivered by the steering pump rotates the pitman arm. At 1 rps steering wheel speed (motor revs 1260 rpm), maximum power was obtained by torque and revs of motors, and the system output torque was up to 60Nm using a 3.2Nm production motor in this study. As a result of performance evaluation, it was able to secure performance at a level similar to C-EPS in mass-production. If a new motor is developed, it is deemed sufficient to use a smaller motor with less than 2 Nm power optimized for cooperating control steering. Its priority is to secure durability of
FIGURE 6 EPS Logic Block Diagram
28 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 28
25/6/19 1:54 pm
APAC Paper | Feature
FIGURE 7 Steering Performance Logic Configuration
components for long driving times that large commercial vehicles can drive more than 500,000 km every three years. Since the steering angle range in commercial vehicles is 2~3 times larger than the passenger car, durability of the worm and wheel decelerator is also important. 3.3.Detailed Design of Operation Logic 3.3.1. EPS Logic of Commercial Vehicle The control logic of the EPS receives the driver’s torque of the torque sensor by using the twist of the torsion bar generated at the time of steering. The magnitude of the EPS motor current is controlled using the input torque and vehicle speed. The EPS control logic can be divided into steering perfor-mance logic, motor control logic, protection logic, fault diag-nosis logic, and cooperative control logic.
Steering performance logic determines steering torque with torque input and vehicle speed. And steering perfor-mance logic consists of torque loop, damping logic, and active return logic. The protection logic limits the motor control input current for the purpose of protecting the motor and ECU from overheating and overvoltage. The fault diagnosis logic diagnoses the fault condition of the motor and the ECU and converts the EPS into output restriction state or manual operation state within a predefined time when a fault occurs. The cooperative control logic is the logic for providing driver convenience and safety functions, for example high-speed straightahead stability improvement, lane departure warning function, and active steering such as autonomous driving.
3.3.2. EHPS (DUAL MPU) Logic The MPU (Motor Pump Unit) is a device that assists the steering force by gener-ating hydraulic pressure through a pump driven by the motor and determines the motor speed based on the driver’s steering wheel speed. The MPU steering logic operates in Stop mode, Sleep mode, Operating mode and Endlock mode. In the operating mode, the motor speed of the MPU is determined using the motor speed map according to the steering wheel angular speed and the vehicle speed.
4. Conclusion In this paper, we describe the structure, design method and prototyping of new steering system for commercial vehicle, and proceeded to basic performance evaluation after assem-bling the system. Using parts in production, the EHPS and cooperative control actuators were configured to achieve the goal of mass production level. In case of applying EHPS to HPS in actual vehicle, it is expected to improve fuel efficiency by about 1% and it can be an alternative for application to electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Also, for autonomous driving of commercial vehicles, it will be necessary to develop column type co-operation control and main direction actuators to meet the needs of the market by increasing the performance and durability of the compo-nents based on the results obtained from this study. Reference 1. Yoo, C. and Choi, G., “Development of HILS System for Performance Evaluation of a Heavy Commercial Vehicle Hybrid Electric Power Steering System,” Transactions of KSAE 25(1):103-110, 2017.
FIGURE 8 MPU Motor Speed Map www.saea.com.au
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 29
VTE | 29
25/6/19 1:54 pm
Products | New Products
New Materials for SKF gets its bearings for EVs Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) Series Additive will increase dramatically. Manufacturing EOS has introduced four new metal materials EOS StainlessSteel CX, EOS Aluminium AlF357, EOS Titanium Ti64 Grade 5, and EOS Titanium Ti64 Grade 23 tailored to suit a broad array of applications, ranging from automotive to medical applications. EOS offers comprehensive data on the material properties of all four metals as well as detailed scanning electron microscope (SEM) images that provide an insight into the material quality. EOS StainlessSteel CX is a new tooling grade steel developed for production with the EOS M 290 that combines excellent corrosion resistance with high strength and hardness. Components made from this material are easy to machine and enable an excellent polished finish.
According to a recent report from IHS Market, these vehicles will account for more than 30% of new cars sold in key markets by 2040, up from just one percent in 2016.
“In order for these vehicles to work efficiently, the motors that drive them must run at very high speeds – up to 30,000rpm, or three times the speed of typical industrial motor – which places enormous strain on the bearings they employ,” Anthony Simonin, EV and HEV Competence Centre Manager at SKF, said. SKF now offers new designs for bearings and their associated polymer cages that ensure they can withstand the higher speeds, acceleration and temperatures generated by these motors, and lubricants that are able to maintain their effectiveness under these conditions. Furthermore, SKF has insulating solutions that are immune to the current leakage caused by the high-frequency voltage switching of the inverter, that occurs when electric motors run at high speeds. This current leakage can
cause pitting on the surfaces of conventional electrically conductive steel bearings, which can lead to catastrophic failure. As SKF’s hybrid bearings negate this issue due to their naturally insulating ceramics. These bearings are 40 percent less dense than steel equivalents (enabling them to run at cooler temperatures), have 10 times the service life and require less lubrication. “SKF is also working on another solution to the problem of current leakage that promises to be more cost-effective than the use of hybrid bearings, further details of which we will share together with new developments around conductivity at EVS 32,” Mr Simonin said.
XK10 alignment laser system Renishaw’s XK10 alignment laser system has been developed to measure geometric and rotational errors of machines tools.
EOS Aluminum AlF357 is an ideal material for applications that require a light metal with excellent mechanical/ thermal strength. Components made from this material are characterized by their lightweight, corrosion resistance and high dynamic loading. EOS Aluminum AlF357 has been specially developed for production with the EOS M 400, but it is planned to also make the material available for the EOS M 290. EOS Titanium Ti64 Grade 5 has been specially developed for its high fatigue strength without hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Suitable for production with the EOS M 290, the material also offers excellent corrosion resistance, making it ideal for aerospace and automotive applications. EOS Titanium Ti64 Grade 23 has also been specially developed for its high fatigue strength without hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and for production with the EOS M 290. Compared with Ti64, Ti64 Grade 23 offers improved elongation and fracture toughness with slightly lower strength.
Used with the XK10 machine tool fixturing kit, it enables faster and easier measurements over traditional methods, such as dial gauges, autocollimators and metrology artefacts. It can be used on linear rails to ensure that they are straight, square, flat and level, as well as to assess spindle direction and coaxiality of rotary machines. Measuring geometric and rotational errors during machine build, maintenance and service, enables accurate alignment and adjustment of machine axes to achieve optimum performance. This reduces time during machine assembly processes and onsite service, including regular maintenance or following a collision. The XK10 can be used to measure and record a range of geometric error types using a single system. Live error readings allow adjustments to be made to the machine during the alignment process.
System overview • The launch is the primary method of laser transmission for the majority of measurement types. It is used with the M unit for geometric measurements up to 30 m. • The S unit and M unit contain both transmitters and receivers and can be set up in different configurations depending on the error type under test. • The display unit is used to take and record measurements, as well as display live readings allowing for easy adjustment. Powered by a rechargeable battery, it allows portable operation up to 30 hours. • The XK10 system includes a machine tool fixturing kit that has been designed specifically to improve repeatability and accuracy in measurements.
30 | June 2019
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 30
25/6/19 1:54 pm
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 31
25/6/19 1:54 pm
VTE JUNE 2019 FINAL.indd 32
25/6/19 1:54 pm