The Mechanical Engineering Laboratory (LIM) at the Center for Research in Marine and Industrial Technologies (CITENI), part of the Industrial Campus of Ferrol at the University of A Coruña, has partnered with GKN Driveline Zumaia to revolutionize ePowertrain motor testing. Using advanced multibody dynamics simulation, they have developed a methodology to conduct essential motor tests without physical full-vehicle prototypes.

Overheating is a critical issue for ePowertrain motors, as excessive temperatures can cause irreversible damage. The traditional characterization of their response and their thermal dynamics when they are mounted on a particular vehicle would require extensive and costly test campaigns, which are time-consuming and expensive.

Together, LIM and GKN have created an innovative setup that interfaces the eMotor with a model-based multibody dynamics simulation of the vehicle. This can be driven by a human or an automatic driver, replicating a wide range of driving conditions.  The key benefits of this solution are:

•            Cost and time efficiency: Lab-based tests decrease the need for expensive and lengthy circuit campaigns.

•            Safety and replicability: Controlled lab environments reduce risks and ensure precise, repeatable conditions.

•            Versatility: Easily replaceable vehicle models allow for varied scenarios without multiple full-system prototypes.

•            Advanced sensor integration: Enables the use of sensors that are difficult to deploy in physical vehicles.

•            Integration with digital twins and visualization: The test bench can be combined with a digital twin of the tested motor to determine the thermal operation point of the device. An intuitive visualization tool provides real-time feedback to the test bench users.

This approach promises to streamline testing processes and set new standards for safety, efficiency, and precision in ePowertrain motor evaluation, potentially serving as a model for future electric vehicle technology research and development.

For more information, please contact the Mechanical Engineering Laboratory at CITENI, University of A Coruña:

E-mail: f.gonzalez@udc.es
www: https://lim.ii.udc.es/contact.es.html

The Multibody System Dynamics Outstanding PhD Thesis Prize, also denominated Lagrange Award to the best PhD research on Multibody Dynamics, was established in 2017 by the IFToMM Technical Committee for Multibody Dynamics with the aim of recognizing the outstanding achievements of a young researcher (under 35 years old) at the early stage of their scientific career..

The Lagrange Award is presented annually to recognize the most successful PhD thesis on Multibody Dynamics over the prior year as judged by the evaluation committee. The winner will receive a certificate and Springer books to the value of € 250, plus a 1-year subscription to Multibody System Dynamics. This year, the decision will be announced during MULTIBODY 2023, the 11th ECCOMAS Thematic Conference on Multibody Dynamics, which will be held in Lisbon on July 24-28, 2023.

The Lagrange Award – Multibody System Dynamics Outstanding PhD Thesis Prize  2023 is now open for applications. This award is presented annually by IFToMM’s Technical Committee for Multibody Dynamics and Springer’s journal Multibody System Dynamics to recognize successful PhD theses on Multibody Dynamics. 

The current edition of the Award accepts applications from doctors who defended their theses during 2023. The call for applications will be open until January 15, 2024. Please note that this is earlier than in previous editions.

Applicants must submit

- a copy of their PhD thesis (in English),
- a curriculum vitae, and
- a maximum of three publications related to the thesis content.

to the award coordinator, Prof. Francisco J. Gonzalez (f.gonzalez@udc.es).

The award coordinator will be happy to answer any questions that you may have regarding the Award.

Additional information can be found on the website:
http://lim.ii.udc.es/events/lagrangeAward/

Closing date for applications: January 15, 2024
Decision on the winner: tba

IFToMM is proud to announce that due to kind negotiations with Springer Nature, a first instance of Proceedings of IFToMM Conferences will be made available to individual IFToMM Members for free eBook access. These are Volumes 1 and 2 of the 11th IFToMM International Conference on Rotordynamics. If you are an individual member of an IFToMM Member Organization, Permanent Commission, Technical Committee, or Cross-Disciplinary Group, please send confirmation by your corresponding Chair to website-affairs@iftomm-world.org, and you will be provided access to the restricted area for free downloading of the papers of these Proceedings. Note that both the downloaded papers as well as the access link to them are for your personal use only and may not be distributed to any other persons or institutions, according to current legal Copyright provisions.

In the meantime, for temporary use, the following links can be used for direct access:

Volume 1: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-40455-9

Volume 2: https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-40459-7   

This a first of a series of targeted free-access Conference Proceedings within the IFToMM community, which we look forward will evolve to a many futher IFToMM Conference Proceedings for strong visibility and usability of IFToMM-patronaged conferences. We invite you to take part of this boosting of scientific interactivity and the further blossoming-up of this our beloved Federation.

Let’s join to make this Federation strong!

Your President

Andres Kecskemethy

The spread of COVID-19 has brought a huge impact on the whole world and on our normal life. PCR testing is currently the “gold standard” for diagnosing COVID-19 cases and one of the most important means of preventing and controlling the COVID-19 epidemic. However, swab sampling before PCR testing currently mainly relies on medical staff and manual operation, often facing serious problems such as insufficient personnel capacity and high-intensity work. In addition, medical staff needs to collect probes at close range during the collection process. In order to prevent cross-infection, a full set of protective equipment must be worn. The increase of labor intensity also affects the standardization of the operation, so that the overall sampling efficiency and accuracy cannot be guaranteed.

To solve the above problems, the Advanced Mechanism and Roboticized Equipment Lab from Tsinghua University and Yantai Tsingke+ Robotics Joint Research Institute Co., Ltd. jointly developed a throat swab sampling robot that is aimed at automatic swab sampling for large-scale 10-in-1 and 20-in-1 mixed PCR screening. Taking place of medical staff to complete throat swab sampling, virus collection tube recovery, virus disinfection and other functions, the sampling efficiency is as high as 42 seconds per person, and the sampling efficiency is 100%, providing a strong guarantee for scientifically and effectively responding to the risk of the spread of the COVID epidemic. It is worth noting that the robotic arm used in the swab sampling robot was designed and developed by Tsinghua University and Yantai Tsingke+ Institute with 22 patents filed.

We at IFToMM are starting through this blog a communication channel for coordinating Ukraine help initiatives from the IFToMM organs (Member Organizations, Permanent Commissions, Technical Committees, Cross Disciplinary Groups). This may involve financial aids or channels for hosting students and researchers searching for a place in peace to move forward on research and education. Currently, the IFToMM EC and also the Member Organization Turkey have started financial support for the Member Organization Poland to bolster the gigantic and unselfish efforts Polish people are doing to receive millions of refugees escaping from unjustified and traumatizing despair due to a cruel and needless war.  

In case you wish to share an initiative within IFToMM, please contact the responsible member of the IFToMM Executive Council for Coordination of Ukrainian Support:

Prof. John Michael McCarthy,  jm.mccarthy-ec@iftomm-world.org

We thank everyone who is approaching us with initiatives to help the Ukraine people and those helping them.

Sincerely

Andres Kecskemethy
IFToMM President
In the name of the IFToMM Executive Council
and the whole IFToMM Community

Actual information:
********************

(1) MO Turkey:

It is planned to provide the opportunity to work in the status of “contracted teaching staff with nationality” in the Research Universities listed in the attachment for the academicians of Republic of Ukraine who had to leave their academic and scientific studies at their universities due to the extraordinary conditions in Ukraine so that they can carry out their unfinished scientific and academic studies and not to leave the academic environment. Academicians who are Ukrainian citizens in this situation can apply to the e-mail address of our Presidency, together with their CVs, cohe@yok.gov.tr, or they can also apply directly to the e-mail addresses of the university they want to work with in the attached list.”