Hydropower generators withstand multiple forces from diverse sources during operation. To ensure their stability and safe performance, numerical tools are developed to characterize their dynamic properties. Traditionally, generators are assumed to be rigid in rotordynamic analyses. However, the measurements in power stations challenge this assumption. This article proposes a novel approach to modeling hydropower generators with floating rotor rims using a three-dimensional (3-D) Finite Element Method, aiming to study their dynamic performance and properties, including natural frequencies, the modes of vibrations, and expansion due to centrifugal and electromagnetic forces, with the goal of improving the reliability of modern designs. Both this approach and employing a two-dimensional (2-D) model using curved beams result in similar in-plane natural frequencies and the expansion of the rotor rim due to centrifugal forces. However, the 3-D model can be used to calculate the out-of-plane natural frequencies and modes, to model the dynamics of complex geometries, and to perform stress evaluation and fatigue analysis.

For rotordynamic analysis of hydropower units, the generator is treated as a rotating rigid body. However, previous studies have confirmed that certain designs of generators are elastic, so the complex geometry of generators cannot be considered rigid. This work produced a model of hydropower generators with floating rotor rims, consisting of a rigid hub and a flexible rotor rim coupled with flexible connections. The model takes into account the influence of centrifugal and Coriolis effects, and the electromagnetic interaction between rotor and stator. The model also reproduces the dynamics of the generator with static and dynamic eccentricities. A generator prototype was employed to test the model, showing its different applications. Once validated by empirical data, this model could be used when designing generators.

New business models and more integrated product development processes require designers to make use of knowledge more efficiently. Capture and reuse are means of coping, but support, techniques, and mechanisms have yet to be sufficiently addressed. This paper consequently explores how computer-aided technologies (CAx) and a computer-aided design (CAD) model-oriented approach can be used to improve the efficiency of design module capture and representation for product family reuse. The first contribution of this paper is the investigation performed at a Swedish manufacturing company and a set of identified challenges related to design capture and representation for reuse in product family development. The second contribution is a demonstrated and evaluated set of systems and tools, which exemplifies how these challenges can be approached. Efficient design capture is achieved by a combination of automated and simplified design capture, derived from the design implementation (CAD model definition) to the extent possible. Different design representations can then be accessed by the designer using the CAD-internal tool interface. A web application is an example of more generalpurpose representation to tailor design content, all of which is managed by a product lifecycle management (PLM) system. Design capture is based on a modular view block definition, stored in formal information models, management by a PLM system, for consistent and reliable design content. It was, however, introduced to support the rich and expressive forms of capture and representation required to facilitate understanding, use, and reuse of varied and increasingly complex designs. A key element in being able to describe a complex design and its implementation has been capture and representation of a set of design states. The solution has been demonstrated to effectively be able to capture and represent significant portions of a step-by-step design training material and the implementation of complex design module through a set of design decisions taken. The validity and relevance of the proposed solution is strengthened by the level of acceptance and perceived value from experienced users, together with the fact that the company is implementing parts of it today.

During road travel, obstacles can impede productivity or durability for many different vehicles and render discomfort or injuries for the people within. Using remote sensing techniques, information from the surroundings can be acquired and analysed to identify obstacles ahead. The subsequent analysis can create a decision support for how the vehicle or driver should act upon encountered obstacles, through either autonomous control, guidance to the driver or a combination of both. In this paper, an experimental setup was created to mimic an obstacle in the shape of a speed bump on a flat road. An RGB-D camera was used to acquire information while travelling towards the speed bump. Afterwards, the acquired information was analysed by an estimation of the normal vector for each point in a 2D depth map. The resulting data from the experiments had sufficient resolution, speed and quality to retrieve proper identify obstacles or targets indoors with an accuracy of 2%. Obstacles were measured and identified in less than 20~ms where processing time mainly comprised data transfer from the USB-bus. The obstacle identification can be used to e.g. actively control the vehicle suspension, send feedback to the driver about obstacles ahead or optimise speed and direction for autonomous vehicles.

This paper features the implementation and evaluation of a proposed approach for information capture and representation integrated into the existing design environments at two manufacturing companies. A tool has been developed that automatically derives information from the CAD system during design and provides users with the means to capture product information that has previously been documented outside of the CAD system. Product information is managed in a PLM data model and becomes, once stored, the foundation for providing tailored views of information.Feedback from the evaluation shows that the prescribed approach was preferred to the current one and that it would likely provide value to users, both authors and consumers, of product information. This approach can reduce the time required to capture the pertinent product information. However, the primary savings are likely to be indirect as a result of increased consistency, understanding, and the potential (re)use of product information.The approach and tools presented constitute another step toward providing each stakeholder with more efficient, intuitive, contextual, and purposeful support for information capture and representation in computer-aided product development.

Providing not only products but a combination of products and services can help add value and enable competitiveness for both the providers and their customers. Research has suggested Functional Products (FP) as one concept to achieving this combination of products and services.Traditionally, when a product is sold the ownership of the product is transferred to the customer, making it difficult for the provider to access information from the products use phase. In the case of FP, the ownership of the product is retained by the provider, and access to use phase information is essential to provide the function at a guaranteed level of availability. This information access also allows feedback to earlier life cycle phases. This paper explores how information generated in the use phase of FP can be integrated with the virtual product representation in a Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system.A concept was developed for capturing use phase information from a potential FP. The concept utilizes wireless sensors that makes the information available through networks. WebSockets are used for providing real-time access and visualisation of the information. Both real-time and historical information can be accessed in a dashboard by any device that supports HTML5. A PLM system connects relevant information from the FP in use with the virtual representation of the FP.The concept was implemented in a case at a producer of automotive parts. A unified solution for information management of both use and development of FP was achieved by integrating use phase information and the virtual product representation

Ride comfort is an important aspect of any passenger vehicle. The challenge is to provide a comfortable, yet safe, ride for the driver and the passengers and there is often a trade-off between ride comfort and safety performance.In the case of small wheelchair-accessible vehicles the challenge increases. The weight of a wheelchair with person may span from 50 kg to 500 kg, which means that the suspension must be tuned to have a broad working range. Also, a wheelchair-accessible vehicle has many restrictions on design space and tuning possibilities due to, e.g., the space needed for the wheelchair passenger to get in and out of the vehicle. Hence, there is an additional need to evalute ride comfort and performance before the vehicle is built in order to find the optimal design. Traditionally, this is done by computer simulations of vehicle handling complemented with testing followed by chassis tuning prior to production. However, some performance parameters regarding comfort, especially in the case of wheelchair passengers, are still not well investigated and documented, and there is a need to subjectively evaluate the ride comfort in early design phases.In this paper we investigate the use of a motionbase simulator as a platform for evaluating ride comfort with different suspension setups. We are using a reversible sleeve air suspension bellow equipped with an adaptor cylinder giving the spring characteristics. The characteristics of four different adaptors have been measured in a universal test machine. The force-compression characteristics are imported into the simulation. The simulation model used is a half-car, two-degree of freedom producing bounce and pitch movement data for either the driver or the passenger positions. The data from the simulations are used as input to a motionbase simulator for subjective assessment of the ride comfort.The primary results indicate that a motionbase simulator can be a useful tool when designing/developing suspension systems. Also, the results indicate that a motionbase simulator is useful for investigation of comfort parameters in order to determine objective assessment of subjective parameters.