MECH-3430: Automotive

Engineering Fundamentals
Course Introduction & Auto
Engineering History
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Mechanical, Automotive and Materials
Engineering

Prof. Nick Eaves

 Why are you here?
•Think Pair Share
– Think about the question for 2 mins
– Pair with a someone and discuss for 2 mins
– Share with entire class

•Ex: Interest in topic, need it for auto option, not

really sure
•What topics do you want discussed in this
class?
 MECH-3430: Automotive
Engineering Fundamentals
• Instructor: Prof. Nick Eaves
• CEI 2142, tel: 253-3000 x.5924,
nickolas.eaves@uwindsor.ca (note email
instructions! Use “MECH-3430” in subject line)

• Office Hours: See syllabus

• GAs: TBD (will be in syllabus)
 MECH-3430: Automotive
Engineering Fundamentals

• What is the purpose of this course? How

does it fit in with the automotive option?
– Understand basic terminology and design options

– Experience with complex mechanical device

 MECH-3430: Automotive
Engineering Fundamentals

Main Textbook: Vehicle and Engine Technology

Engines, 2nd edition, by Heisler

Alternative Textbook: Automotive Engineering

Fundamentals, 1st edition, by Stone

SAE Technical Paper Series

 MECH-3430: Automotive
Engineering Fundamentals

Course evaluation:
Special Topics Project 10 %
Labs/Assignments 20 %
Midterm Exam 30 %
Final Examination 40 %

• Expectations
• Special Topics Project
• Engine lab report
• Geartrain design lab report
• Mid-term/final
• Impact of COVID-19
Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•The Beginning
• Opposition to the automobile and
“crazy” regulations

• Autocar magazine and British

autoshow (1985)

• Europe first real success with internal

combustion engines (1880s), France
vehicle manufacturing lead (1890s)
• US a decade later

• First drive by Duryea brothers in

vehicle with single cylinder engine in
Springfield, MA
Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•The Beginning
• First US manufactuer debated
• In 1897 ther were
• Pope Electrics
• Duryea
• Stanley Steamers
• Winton

• Early vehicles could be electric,

steam, or hydrocarbons (gasoline)

• Other options
• Air or water cooled
• Four or two stroke
• Electric, friction, or chain
transmission
Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•The Beginning of ICE Vehicle Electronics

• 1900 to WW1 = rapid change
in automobile design and
manufacturing

• Charles Kettering
• Engineer for Cadillac
• Breaker point ignition
• Electric starter
Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•Manufacturing Improvements
• Mass production

• Henry Ford brought

assembly line to
automotive manufacturing

• Started with Magnetos

(from 20mins to 5mins)

• Full Model T in 3 hours,

reduced to 93 mins

• Built for rough terrain

Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•Automobiles for the Masses

• Ford increased wages = middle
class = market for his cars
• Ford reduced shift times = 3 8hour
shifts per day = 24 hour
manufacturing
• William Durant formed General
Motors, combining Buick Motor
Company, Olds (Oldsmobile), and
Cadillac (known for precision
manufacturing). Tired to get Ford,
failed, and fired
• Durant + Louis Chevrolet =
Chevrolet
• Merged with GM = Durant leading
GM again
 Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•Growth and Refinement

• 1920’s = performance
(V8s, straight 8)
• Turbulent combustion
chamber by Harry
Ricardo = more
compression with poor
fuels
• All vehicle systems
benefited from R&D
• Shift towards closed top
= more sales
• Fabric over wooden
frame followed by steel
= more safety and
comfort
 Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•Growth and Refinement

• Steel roofs & improved
structural design =
marketing safety (GM
started it)

• GM started crash
testing (only observe)

• 1930s Great
Depression = lower
auto sales and
bankrupt companies
 Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•US Auto Boom

• WW2 = auto companies
move to war manufacturing

• After WW2, Europe was

destroyed, thus US auto
industry boomed

• Lots of chrome and large

tailfins

• Performance proportional to
price until small block
Chevrolet V8
 Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•1960 Muscle Cars & Safety

• 1960s = horsepower race
(muscle cars)
• Society of American
Engineers (SAE)
developed testing
standards

• Many safety improvements

• GM developed high speed
impact sled and head injury
criteria (HIC)
• National Traffic and Motor
Vehicle Safety Act (1967)
 Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•1970s Energy Crisis

• 1970s = oil supply shortages = US car manufacturing problems
(luxury, big, powerful)
• Surge in import sales due to smaller more fuel efficient designs
• Design differences due to infrastructure when vehicles arrived
• In Europe, roads are winding/narrow due to being used by
horse/buggy for hundreds of years = small agile cars that handle
well (instead of big dragstrip muscle cars)
• In North America, roads developed when automobile arrived = more
straight-lines
Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•1970s Rise of Lean Manufacturing

• Mass production became an issue
• Idea is constantly moving line, thus if part defective, install and move
on and have rework team fix it later
• Also required large stockpiles or parts and inventory
storage/overhead
• Japanese thought this was wasteful, lead to lean manufacturing or
“just-in-time” manufacturing
• Workers could stop line to have problems fixed immediately
• More focus on solving problems at the source (5 why’s etc) and
having team (operator, engineer, manager) develop solutions that
work for all
Winter 2021
Course Introduction

•Modern Developments
• 1970s Emission limits for UHC, NOx, and CO
• Reduction in compression ratio = less performance
• Also need for catalytic converters, EGR, and
unleaded fuel
• 1980s main efforts in safety, fuel efficiency, and
emission reduction (similar to today)
• Carburetors replaced with electronic fuel injectors
and increase in digital control (similar to today)
• Computer Aided Design (CAD), Finite Element
Method (FEM), Computational Fluid Dynamics
(CFD) all play large role in design
• Push towards zero emission (electric, fuel cell, ultra
clean combustion) and driver assistance features
(even pure autonomous)