A Modern Motor Car - Essay Example

Topic: Design of a Modern Motor Car Name: Institution Name: Student ID: Tutor’s Name: Date of Submission: TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Introduction 3 2. Suitability of materials for various components based on mechanical properties 4 2.1. The Bumper 4 2.2. The Crumple Zone 5 2.3. The Frame 6 2.4. The Interior fabric 7 3. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases generated during transportation 8 4. Life Cycle Costs 9 5. Energy efficiency of operation of the car 10 6. Environmental impact of operation of the car 11 7. Conclusion 12 8. References 13 1. Introduction While there are a number of advantages associated with the manufacture of automobiles, when they crash, there is the possibility of serious injuries that have resulted into deaths in various parts of the world. In addition, the amount of carbon dioxide produced by motor has become a major concern among car manufacturers and modern design for cars requires ensuring the production of these gases is reduced significantly. Furthermore, those who purchase cars want to know whether the life cycle costs are lower than the benefits derived from purchase of the car. This paper presents methods of designing a car that ensures the life cycle costs are reduced in comparison to the benefits derived from its use. There are a number of materials used to build cars such as iron, aluminum, plastic steels petroleum products and glass among others. The use of these materials has evolved over the years, with increased modifications to achieve the highest operational needs of the car and high safety. As a result, car manufacturing technology has changed with emergence of new discoveries in combinations of materials for their construction. This paper provides a discussion of materials that need to be used in the construction of a modern motor car with the focus on mechanical properties of the materials. It also provides an analysis of the impact that the car will have on environment in terms of amount of carbon dioxide production and other greenhouse gases and suggests methods by which the production of these gases can be reduced. Furthermore, the energy efficiency of most motor cars requires that cars are designed in a manner that ensures minimum amount of fuel is used during its operation. This paper presents a design of a modern motor car with this consideration during design. 2. Suitability of materials for various components based on mechanical properties Some of the components of the motor car that will need to be designed properly to accomplish the operation needs of a modern motor car include the bumper, the crumble zone, the frame and the interior fabric. 2.1. The Bumper The bumper will be designed from reinforced thermoplastic materials such as olefins. This is aimed at getting an easy to form product that is able to give way to impact and cushions the car to dissipation of energy. The thermoplastic materials will cover the plastic that is mounted on the metal frame, which is subsequently mounted on the vehicle (Bell, 2003). During impact, the thermoplastic materials are crushed and absorb a great deal of energy thus protecting the rest of the car and its occupants. In addition, the thermoplastic olefin material for the bumper can be heated to a high temperature but retain its plasticity due to its properties of elasticity. Due to their energy absorbing qualities, they can be used in the manufacture of the bumper for the purpose of absorbing shock in vehicles. Figure 1. Schematic configuration of the desired bumper 2.2. The Crumple Zone A crumple zone refers to an area in a vehicle that is designed to crush during concussion. This enables absorption and redistribution of the force and preventing it to reach passenger areas or other parts of the car. This is aimed at increasing the amount of time that the vehicle has to travel before it stops in case of concussion. Specific materials are required during construction of the crumple zone. The most suitable materials for making the crumple zones in cars include steel or titanium, polymeric foam, reinforcing fibers and mechanical ribs that are included in the notch areas to for predetermined crumpling (Brooke, 2008). There will be high density polymeric foam containing tightly formed molecules which makes the foam strong. This will be placed in front of the cabin. In addition, reinforced fibers will be placed between high density polymeric materials and low density foam to create loosely formed molecules that result into greater ability of absorption and consequently a hard breaking zone. The foam will be caged in mechanical ribs constructed from either steel or titanium. The metal pieces are then reinforced by use of notched metal inserts that result into an upward crushing, downward crushing of the metals or sideways crushing based on the collision thus ensuring safety of the engine and ensuring its operation after the concussion. Figure 2. The crumple zone of a car during concussion designed to protect the engine and passengers. 2.3. The Frame This is the most important part of the car because when the frames are weak, there is the possibility of the vehicle moving in the direction not intended by the driver. Strong frames ensure ensures noise is reduced as a result of flex. The suitable materials for construction of the car frame are steel frames but it is possible to include aluminum, carbon fibers and other elements that are made from titanium. The use of steel in construction of the frame will ensure high strength of the car and rigidity (Flanders, 2010). It will also result into increased resistance to buckling of the body of the car in case of shock. High strength and rigidity of steel will also ensure other components that are attached to the frame are tightly held in position and the shape of the car is maintained. Another feature of steel that makes it suitable for use as a material for the frame is its ability to resist torsional forces. The design of the frames can also be constructed with “K” or “X” cross members to reduce the possibility of one rail moving backwards or forwards in relation to another rail. The use of aluminum frames will result into rust free frames and ability of the car to absorb shock. Aluminum frames are also strong and light. This will result into a lighter car. In order to meet the looks, ride quality and handling needs of users, new shapes have been incorporated during the design of frames. These include arches and kick-ups. Rather than run straight over both axles, arched frames are located roughly on the same level with their axles and curve up and down on either side of the bumper location. 2.4. The Interior fabric In order to make changes to the interior design of the car, it will be necessary to select the right upholstery materials based on the features desired. However, it is necessary to ensure the car has the ability to resist any kind of damage. There are a number of different interior fabric materials that can be used during the construction of the car. For example, silk can be used when aesthetically pleasing choices are required (Happian-Smith, 2001). However, its disadvantage is that it is vulnerable to ripping, wear and damage when exposed to light. Another useful upholstery material is wool. This material is slightly better in comparison with silk when used in construction of interior fittings of a car. It has the ability to resist damage and wear and also able to resist damage from chemicals and stains. It also has a resistance to sunlight despite its vulnerability other problems. It is also more durable in comparison with other synthetic upholstery materials. Another alternative that can be used for construction of interior fabric is leather. It has the ability to resist damage reasonably well but when damaged, it can be damaged badly and tends to crack easily. However, it is resistant to stains due to the possibility to clean the stains when it is stained. This is not possible when other materials are used, due to the need to use specialized materials and tools to clean the stains that fall in them. Another option that is suitable for construction of interior fabric is polyester materials. This is more important when there is the need to protect the car from damage that the car can be subjected to. It has a uniform wear and is not affected by sunlight. It is also less vulnerable to stains and easy to clean (Wei, 2012). The use of polyester can be facilitated by blending it with other fabrics, to result into a pleasing appearance. In addition, when there is the need to absorb less heat, the design of the fabric should apply the use of light fabric, while when there is the need to absorb lighter, black materials will be used for upholstery purposes. 3. Carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases generated during transportation During operation of the car, production of greenhouse gases and carbon dioxide will be reduced by use of fuels that emit less carbon dioxide such as hydrogen, natural gas, propane, alcohol and electricity. These fuels have an advantage over fossil fuels because they have the ability to provide clean burning and can be produced locally in comparison with petroleum that has to be imported in some countries. The main renewable fuels include liquid and gaseous fuels in addition to electricity obtained from biomass energy sources that have significant life-cycle greenhouse emissions in comparison to fossil fuels (Bell, 2003). When renewable sources of fuels are used in powering the vehicle, it will be possible to reduce the amounts of greenhouse emissions that result into changes in climate. It is possible to use these fuels in a dedicated system that burns a single fuel or a mixture of fuels that includes gasoline or diesel such as hybrid cars. The engine of the car can also be designed for alternative fuels. It can also be converted to run other forms of fuel through modification of engine controls and the fueling system from initial configuration. In addition, the car will be designed with the fuel consumption limit of 2015 target of approximately 5.6 liters for every 100 km. 4. Life Cycle Costs Costs of design of the car will involve addition of design for recycle recommendations. For instance, during material selection process, engineers will strive to reduce the range of materials used. Each components of the car will be manufactures from pure-sorted materials. For composite materials, studies will be done for materials that are compatible in a joint recycling process (Brooke, 2008). During making of plastic components, they will be marked to enable sorting during recycling process. In addition, components will be designed to facilitate dismantling process by improving components that contain harmful materials such as batteries and airbags. Recycling and other general design rules will be applied during design of components such as reducing the number of fastening points, fasteners will be standardized. The graph below shows the end of life targets that have to be achieved if the design of the car has to attain a modern car status. Figure 3. End of Life targets for the new motor car design According to the above graph, targets will be put on improving recycling efforts so that most parts of the car can be used to make other products or cars. In addition, more effort will be put on reducing the amounts of wastes disposed to land fills. Manufacturers of the new design of the modern car will be required to provide dismantling information for each type of vehicle manufactured within six months of marketing the vehicle. The information will be regularly updated and distributed to the right dismantling networks. 5. Energy efficiency of operation of the car Fuel efficiency will be reduced by use of advanced design, materials and technologies which ensure less amount of fuel is used. For instance, the advanced technology of hybrid car will be used in the design of the car so that it will be possible to store energy from braking and use of the stored energy for power in later periods (Flanders, 2010). In addition, the amount of fuel consumed by the car will be reduced by designing the components of the car with less denser materials that result into reduced weight of the car. Furthermore, aerodynamic resistance of the car will be reduced by designing the car with better shape such as streamlined shape that ensures resistance to motion is reduced as much as possible. In addition, operating practices will be developed which ensures fuel consumption is reduced as much as possible and the vehicle is maintained. These will include sensible driving and avoidance of rapid acceleration and braking as well as ensuring speed limits are not exceeded. In addition, during operation, engine idling will be reduced as much as possible. 6. Environmental impact of operation of the car During the manufacture of the car, it will be designed to accommodate less toxic materials and ensure wear is minimized on breaks and tires. More considerations will be put on sliding speed, temperature, pressure on breaks. The discharge of hazardous materials to the environment during painting of the car can be reduced by “in-mold painting” to reduce the discharge of substances such as nickel, copper and hexavalent materials into the atmosphere. In addition, the weight of the vehicle will be reduced for the purpose of reducing the overall greenhouse gases emissions (Happian-Smith, 2001). When less weight are used during the construction of the car, less resistance will be experienced during application of break pressure and this will result into less debris from brakes and tire particles that get released into the atmosphere and the surrounding soils. Furthermore, the life-cycle analyses must determine the materials and toxicity benefits that result from some uses of steels and metals during construction of the car. This can be achieved through toxicity and materials impact of the use of steel body panels with respect to their weighted potential for toxic releases when they are disposed. The lead-acid batteries of automobiles can be returned to manufacturers to recover the lead content. During automobile dismantling and recycling process, it will be necessary to remove properly and handle lead acid batteries from unwanted vehicles. When the vehicle is stripped off its economically recoverable components and then shredded, auto-shredder residues are produced and include rubber, foam, plastic and cloth contaminated with lead mercury, chrome and other products. These materials can be used in kilns to provide fuels for operations. 7. Conclusion This paper shows that the manufacture of the new design for the car needs to account for material properties that ensure durability of the car while ensuring available materials can be used. In addition, it will be necessary to ensure mechanical properties of materials used to make the car results into a durable outcome and also at low cost. Furthermore, safety during operation of the car has to be ensured by creating a crumple zone which protects the occupants and the engine during operation of the car. The frame and body of the car need to be constructed using lighter materials that ensure the car operates with low fuel consumption rates. The interior sections of the car need to be designed in a manner that results into comfort and pleasant experience to occupants of the car. This can be achieved by use of the right fabric and upholstery materials such as those that are durable and resistant to heat and wear. Possibility of production of high amounts of carbon dioxide should be prevented during design by making the car a hybrid type while the use of renewable forms of energy should be encouraged during operation of the car. Life cycle costs will also need to be reduced by maintaining the car and ensuring most parts used during in its construction are recycled to make other products of cars. This should also account for ensuring landfills from waste products from cars are considerably reduced. Environmental impact of the car will be monitored by ensuring any harmful materials that can be produced by the car is safely disposed and does not result into any impact on the environment. Metallic components of the new car will be safely disposed or recycled to prevent impact of polluting the environment. The above targets will ensure the new car design attains a modern car status. It is recommended that any car manufacturer who intends to ensure the cars attain modern car status must account for the above conditions during the design of the car. 8. References Bell, J. (2003). Concept car design: Driving the dream. Switzerland: RotoVision. Brooke, A. L. (2008). Ford model T: The car that put the world on wheels. St. Paul: Motorbooks. Flanders, R. (2010). Design, construction and manufacture of automobiles. Bremen: Salzwasser-Verl. Happian-Smith, J. (2001). An introduction to modern vehicle design. Oxford [u.a.: Butterworth-Heinemann. Wei, G. (2012). Industrial design law in Singapore. Read More