Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, can be defined as the process of manufacturing an object in three dimensions through the layer-by-layer deposition of building materials with the help of a computer-guided printer jet. The process allows for simulation and rapid prototyping with multiple itera...

The powertrain system in a vehicle comprises the engine and transmission systems. The engine system generates power and torque through combustion of fuel, while the transmission system uses the power or torque of the engine to move the vehicle at desired speeds through a combination of the gear and ...

Lightweighting, or "right-weighting" (as called in some sectors), is the global push across industries to develop material solutions that perfectly balance cost and performance factors. Focusing on using the right material at the right place and in the perfect amount is tantamount to achieving the r...

The development of new materials for automotive solutions across component areas was historically driven by the cost-versus-personal-feel factors and not with a direct intention of reducing the total weight of the vehicle. As a result, new material developments were gradual and not at a disruptive o...

Analogous to the skeleton of a body, the chassis acts as the base to all the other component areas, and it prevents any torsional deflection in the vehicle. The chassis supports sprung and unsprung mass, dynamic and static loadings, movements and stoppages—in short, a wide variety of critical vehi...

The requirements for tighter emission standards and higher fuel economy have traditionally troubled OEMs across the world and led to lightweighting being adopted as one of the strategic options. Compared with the other options available, such as engine design change as well as vehicle parasitics cha...

The exterior component system of a car is, quite simply put, the design feature and language of the car. It not only provides for the vehicle’s external aesthetics but also has a critical functionality in terms of the passive safety it provides by forming a closure across the passenger cell throug...

The powertrain system in a vehicle basically comprises the engine and transmission systems. The engine system is responsible for generating power and torque through the combustion of fuel while the transmission system uses the power/torque of the engine to move the vehicle at different desired speed...

Interiors component area The components and subcomponents in a car can be broadly differentiated into five component areas, namely powertrain, body-in-white (BIW), chassis, interiors, and exteriors. This categorization helps in grouping the components by function and technology, and allows for a ...

Once considered to be the epitome of in-cabin luxury and accessible to only a handful of affluent car buyers, leather has come a long way as an upholstery material of choice in today’s automotive interiors. Owing to commercialization and advancement in the leather-making process, the global footpr...