<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
    <rss version="2.0">
      <channel xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/">
        <title>Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering | Engine and Automotive Engineering section | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/mechanical-engineering/sections/engine-and-automotive-engineering</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Engine and Automotive Engineering section in the Frontiers in Mechanical Engineering journal | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
        <generator>Frontiers Feed Generator,version:1</generator>
        <pubDate>2026-05-13T15:27:27.192+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1825484</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1825484</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A review of cell-to-body (CTB) battery-structure integration design for electric vehicles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-07T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Yingshuai Liu</author><author>Zhenming Yang</author><author>Xiaobo Huang</author><author>Jianwei Tan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation toward electrification, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) emerging as the dominant solution for sustainable transportation. Among the critical innovations driving this transition, Cell-to-Body (CTB) technology represents a paradigm shift in battery system architecture, fundamentally redefining the relationship between energy storage and vehicle structure. This review examines the structural design principles, mechanical performance characteristics, and engineering challenges associated with CTB integration. By analyzing recent developments from industry leaders including BYD’s Blade Battery CTB system and Tesla’s structural battery pack, this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the technological evolution from conventional Cell-to-Module (CTM) configurations toward full structural integration. The discussion encompasses topology optimization strategies, crash-worthiness considerations, thermal management integration, and manufacturing implications. Furthermore, this review identifies critical research gaps and future directions for advancing CTB technology in next-generation electric vehicles.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1740194</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1740194</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Numerical investigation of macroscopic and microscopic characteristics of an air-assisted spray from a multi-hole nozzle]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-15T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Lei Li</author><author>Jianlong Bu</author><author>Feixiang Chang</author><author>Qiang He</author><author>Aoshuang Ding</author><author>Lin Chen</author><author>Huiyu Sun</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To facilitate the transition of marine energy systems toward low-carbon and environmentally sustainable solutions, this study numerically investigates the medium-assisted atomization characteristics of a marine methanol tri-fuel boiler (methanol, diesel, and heavy fuel oil) under realistic operating conditions. A CFD-based VOF-DPM framework coupled with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) is employed, in which the VOF method captures the evolution and breakup of the continuous liquid phase, while the DPM tracks the dispersed droplets and their size characteristics, with AMR applied to both phases to ensure adequate spatial resolution. Key parameters analyzed include the evolution of co-current atomization for different fuels, velocity-field distribution, droplet-size distribution, and atomization angle. The results demonstrate that methanol, owing to its low viscosity and surface tension, generates fine and uniformly distributed droplets predominantly within the 0–10 μm range, with a maximum atomization angle of 25°–27° and a Sauter mean diameter (SMD) consistently below 100 μm. Diesel produces droplets concentrated mainly between 40 and 50 μm, accompanied by noticeable fluctuations in atomization uniformity, whereas heavy fuel oil exhibits pronounced primary fragmentation after saturated-steam-assisted atomization, yet its velocity decays rapidly. Distinct differences are observed among the three fuels in terms of spray-penetration distance and atomization angle: methanol shows the strongest lateral dispersion but the weakest axial penetration, heavy fuel oil displays the opposite trend, and diesel lies between the two. This study elucidates the effects of fuel properties and atomizing media on the spray performance of marine methanol-fired triple-fuel boilers, offering theoretical insights for nozzle optimization and the practical application of low-carbon fuels in marine energy systems.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1807233</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1807233</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Electromagnetic characteristic of a novel hybrid excitation generator for vehicles based on the field-and-circuit method]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-08T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jianwei Ma</author><author>Xianjun Zeng</author><author>Jun Liu</author><author>Kaikai Shao</author><author>Hao Huang</author><author>Xiaojia Zhang</author><author>Zengpu Xun</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe electro-magnetic generator commonly used in automobiles generally has high excitation loss leading to low efficiency. And it cannot effectively provide power for the vehicle, thus shortening battery life.In order to solve the issues, a parallel double-rotor hybrid excitation generator is proposed, consisting of a radial permanent magnet rotor and a claw-pole electro-magnetic rotor that share the same stator core.MethodsUsing the equivalent magnetic circuit method, the magnetic circuit models of the generator are established, and the computational formula of synthetic permeance, synthetic leakage permeance, effective flux, and leakage flux are derived. Taking advantage of the theory of a permanent magnet motor and electro-magnetic generator, the structural parameters are designed. Furthermore, a finite element model is established according to the structural parameters, the permanent magnet field is analyzed, and the parameters of the stator slots and claw poles are optimized according to the results of magnetic field analysis. Moreover, the mechanism of magnetic field synthesis and adjustment are verified. The influences of the claw-pole parameter on the output voltage waveform and air-gap flux density are analyzed, and the optimum value claw tip’s pole-arc coefficient is determined. Using the equivalent magnetic circuit and finite element methods, the magnetic flux density of the yoke of the permanent magnet rotor, the root of the paw-pole, and the flange and the excitation winding bracket are calculated.ResultsThe influence of exciting current on noload terminal voltage is further analyzed, demonstrating that the hybrid excitation generators have excellent voltage adjustment characteristics. It is verifying that the field-and-circuit method can improve the accuracy of electromagnetic analysis. Using the design and analysis results, the prototype is trial-produced. The voltage regulation characteristics, no-load characteristics, and external characteristics are obtained. The test results show that the novel hybrid excitation generator performs well.DiscussionThe method can be applied to the development of hybrid excitation generators for automobiles. However, the stability and environmental adaptability of the hybrid excitation generator need to be further studied to speed up its popularization and application.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1769645</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1769645</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Energy management strategies for new energy HEVs based on reinforcement learning]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Wei Song</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionIn order to solve the problems of low accuracy and multi-objective optimization imbalance in traditional hybrid electric vehicle energy management strategies under dynamic conditions.MethodsA study was conducted to design an improved reinforcement learning energy management strategy based on dual delay deep deterministic strategy gradient (TD3), aiming to improve fuel economy, extend battery life, and enhance strategy robustness. Firstly, a multi energy system dynamics model was constructed, which includes an engine, power battery, and electric motor. Secondly, in order to solve the problems of slow convergence and easy getting stuck in local optima in traditional reinforcement learning for multi-objective optimization, adaptive reward functions and priority experience replay mechanisms are introduced.ResultsThe results indicate that the initial value of the state of charge for all three strategies is 0.5, and the research strategy maintains it at 0.5.DiscussionITD3 can more accurately control the state of charge, making it close to the initial value and reducing excessive energy consumption; Overall, compared with traditional strategies, this research strategy exhibits better battery state of charge retention ability under two typical operating conditions. This strategy can achieve precise energy management, effectively reduce costs, improve energy utilization efficiency, support environmental sustainability, and provide better solutions for energy management of new energy hybrid vehicles.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1734270</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1734270</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Study on the impact of injection timing advance on the performance and emissions of a diesel engine fueled with a gasoline–diesel blend]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Luisa Fernanda Mónico Muñoz</author><author>Oscar Hernando Venegas Pereira</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Environmental concerns have increasingly driven industries worldwide, particularly the automotive sector, to address the challenges posed by pollutant emissions from internal combustion engines. Diesel engines, for instance, offer higher thermal efficiency than gasoline engines but remain major contributors to atmospheric pollution. Their emission characteristics are also strongly influenced by fuel properties. One promising approach to mitigating these emissions is the use of gasoline–diesel fuel blends. Due to their higher volatility and improved vaporization behavior, these blends promote more homogeneous air–fuel mixture formation, making them suitable for compression ignition engines. In addition, modifying key combustion parameters, most notably injection timing, has proven effective in influencing both emissions and combustion dynamics. Alongside injection pressure and intake oxygen concentration, injection timing plays a critical role in determining pollutant formation and the acoustic characteristics of the combustion process. This study examines the impact of a gasoline–diesel blend (G10) on the performance and emission characteristics of a diesel engine, with particular emphasis on the effects of varying injection timing. The aim is to experimentally evaluate how combining this blend with injection timing adjustments influences engine efficiency and emission output. The experimental results show that advancing injection timing improves torque, power output, and thermal efficiency while maintaining relatively low fuel consumption. Conversely, retarding injection timing is more effective in reducing pollutant emissions. The most effective strategy is delaying injection at 80% load and 3,500 rpm, which results in reductions of smoke density, NOX, and CO2 by 77.34%, 34.45%, and 11.34%, respectively. Performance also improves, with torque increasing by 26.25%, power by 14.52%, and specific fuel consumption decreasing by 9.76%. Although a trade-off exists between optimizing performance and minimizing emissions, the findings indicate that strategic calibration of injection parameters can achieve a balanced compromise between both goals. In conclusion, adjusting injection timing emerges as a viable technique for reducing pollutant emissions without significantly compromising—and potentially even enhancing—engine performance.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1731461</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1731461</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Disturbance observer-based HEV dynamic coordination control strategy from EV mode to engine-driving mode]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yao Fang</author><author>Chunlan Yang</author><author>Yanchun Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To mitigate torque fluctuations arising from clutch engagement and multi-power-source coupling during the mode transition from electric vehicle (EV) mode to engine-driving mode in a single-axle parallel hybrid electric vehicle (SPHEV), this paper proposes a disturbance observer-based dynamic coordination control strategy (DOBDCCS). Its novelty lies in treating engine and clutch output torques as stage-specific system load disturbances, designing observers addressing parameter perturbations and model uncertainties. Specifically, the transition process is divided into four stages: engine start-up stage, engine acceleration stage, speed synchronization stage, and torque coordination stage. For each stage, dynamic models of the hybrid powertrain are established, incorporating considerations of parameter perturbations and model uncertainties. Dedicated disturbance observers are designed to treat engine and clutch output torques as system load disturbances. These observers accurately estimate both parameter perturbations and load disturbances and provide first-order filtering to suppress high-frequency torque fluctuations. A motor torque compensation strategy based on feedback compensation is further developed to ensure smooth power coupling leveraging the motor’s fast torque response. A simulation model built in Matlab is used to validate the effectiveness of DOBDCCS under preset driving cycle, a preset driving cycle with parameter perturbations, and standard driving cycles (UDDS and WLTC). Statistical results demonstrate that the proposed DOBDCCS significantly improves ride comfort by keeping the maximum vehicle jerk consistently below 8 m/s3, which is well below China’s recommended threshold, and achieving notably lower jerk values.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1755786</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1755786</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Development of a hydrostatic test bench to characterize mechanical losses of low power internal combustion engines under controlled lubricant and coolant temperature conditions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Juan D. Ramírez</author><author>Carlos A. Romero</author><author>Wilson Pérez</author><author>Edison Henao</author><author>Mauricio Monroy</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Experimental testing of internal combustion engines is essential for evaluating mechanical performance, developing engine components, assessing surface coatings, formulating lubricants and friction modifiers, and validating predictive friction models. This work presents the development and integration of a test bench for low-power engines, based on a hydrostatic loading system, to characterize mechanical losses under controlled conditions of engine speed, load, lubricant temperature, and coolant temperature. The tested engine is a liquid-cooled single-cylinder spark-ignition motorcycle engine, whose design couples a five-speed gearbox to the engine crankshaft by means of a multi-disc clutch. The test bed is equipped with two independent thermal management circuits: one for heating, cooling, and circulating the lubricant, and another for supplying cold coolant to the engine. The instrumentation and data acquisition system are described in detail. Initial results from the test bench are presented, including instantaneous curves and three-dimensional maps of mean effective and indicated parameters, mechanical losses, and pumping losses.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1768746</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1768746</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Analysis of damping impact vibration performance of air spring with negative stiffness]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-03-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Zhongyi Xu</author><author>Bao Zhang</author><author>Yuanshao Wang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Conventional air springs exhibit inadequate impact isolation performance under transient shock conditions due to inherent dynamic hysteresis in stiffness regulation, which leads to significant lag in stiffness response. To overcome the inherent limitations of the existing two paradigms—namely “structure-dictated-function” and “control-augmented-structure”—this paper presents a novel integrated negative-stiffness air spring architecture. Its key innovation lies in the incorporation of a controllable auxiliary chamber inside the main air chamber, eliminating the need for external complex mechanisms or high-bandwidth active control. By establishing a dynamic gas-coupling interaction between the main and auxiliary chambers, the system is designed to actively induce an internal negative-stiffness effect instantaneously upon impact, thereby counteracting the abrupt increase in primary stiffness and smoothing the shock load at the source. Through an integrated methodology combining theoretical modeling and experimental bench tests, this study systematically elucidates the regulatory effects of two critical design parameters—auxiliary chamber volume and valve opening—on the dynamic characteristics of the system. Results demonstrate that both the dynamic stiffness and the impact stiffness decrease monotonically with increasing auxiliary chamber volume and valve opening. The proposed configuration effectively achieves the intended internal negative-stiffness behavior, significantly attenuates impact-induced vibration, and mitigates stiffness hysteresis. This work verifies the feasibility of realizing transient negative stiffness via internal chamber coupling for shock suppression, offering a new design paradigm and practical guidelines for developing high-performance suspension systems with compact layout and fast response.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1787696</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1787696</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A review of the lightweight and smart McPherson suspension for new-energy vehicles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Yingshuai Liu</author><author>Shufang Wang</author><author>Jianwei Tan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The rapid proliferation of new energy vehicles (NEVs), including battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), has fundamentally transformed automotive chassis design paradigms. The McPherson strut suspension, renowned for its compact architecture and cost-effectiveness, has emerged as a predominant configuration for NEV front axles. This review systematically examines the adaptation, optimization, and challenges of McPherson suspension systems in the context of electrified powertrains. We analyze the unique requirements imposed by NEV weight distributions, battery integration, and noise vibration harshness (NVH) characteristics, synthesizing recent advances in lightweight design, multi objective optimization algorithms, and active control integration. Key discussion areas include kinematic performance optimization through genetic algorithms and AI-driven methods, material innovations enabling mass reduction, NVH mitigation strategies, and the evolution toward semi active and energy-regenerative variants. Through critical analysis of over 30 representative studies and industrial applications, this review identifies that while McPherson suspension remains viable for NEVs, its successful implementation necessitates sophisticated parameter optimization, advanced materials, and intelligent control systems to address inherent limitations in roll stiffness and camber control. Future trajectories emphasize synergy with autonomous driving architectures and electromagnetic energy-harvesting technologies, positioning McPherson-derived systems as foundational components of next-generation intelligent electric chassis.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1743715</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1743715</link>
        <title><![CDATA[CFD analysis of directional airflow and internal baffles for improving thermal uniformity in a 4 × 6 li-ion battery module]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-02-03T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Minhhieu Pham</author><author>Tzi-Chi Chan</author><author>Duc Hung Chu</author><author>Huu Tinh Ngo</author><author>Van Tuan Do</author><author>Ngoc Anh Dinh</author><author>Hong An Pham</author><author>Duc Trong Nguyen</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Effective thermal management for lithium-ion batteries is a key factor in preventing overheating, maintaining even heat distribution, and extending battery life. Air cooling systems are considered a simple, low-cost, and easy-to-implement solution. However, poor heat transfer efficiency and uneven airflow remain major challenges. This study investigates the impact of airflow direction and internal partitions on the thermal performance of a 4 × 6-cell lithium-ion battery module using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations with ANSYS Fluent software. Five cooling configurations were investigated. The results showed that the novel combination of counter-flow air with internal partitions provided the most optimal cooling performance. This synergy significantly enhanced thermal uniformity and helped maintain safer operating temperatures. Specifically, the maximum temperature Tmax decreased from 346.852 K to 314.768 K, and the temperature difference between cells ΔTmax decreased sharply from 39.7 K to only 2.9 K. The partition enhanced convection and effectively prevented airflow from short-circuiting. Nevertheless, this design also increased pressure loss and fan power consumption by approximately 10%-12% compared to the base configuration. Simulation results demonstrated the superior effectiveness of the combined counterflow and baffle design in air cooling solutions, while providing a technical basis for optimizing a low-cost, high-efficiency, and easily deployable Battery Thermal Management System (BTMS) in practice.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1745639</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2026.1745639</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Electric drive axle systems in new energy vehicles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-27T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Mini Review</category>
        <author>Yingshuai Liu</author><author>Jingsong Tan</author><author>Shuo Shi</author><author>Jianwei Tan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study set out to benchmark how far recent advances in motor–gearbox integration, thermal management and control algorithms could jointly raise the efficiency of electric-drive axles for new-energy vehicles. The different schools of thought regarding the integration of electric motors and gearboxes were discussed and distilled into a single framework before quantitative analysis began. A 2020–2025 literature synthesis then revealed that, relative to single-speed hardware, two-speed gearboxes increased motorway-cycle motor efficiency by 5%–7% without raising urban energy demand; oil–water hybrid cooling restricted the motor-and-gearbox temperature band to ±3 °C and lifted heat-transfer efficiency by 25%; while model-predictive control with road-slope preview curbed hilly-route consumption by 8%–10% and cut torque-response latency by ∼30%. CFRP housings, titanium-matrix rotors and topology-optimised planetary trains further lowered axle mass by 15%–20% and gear-mesh noise by 8–10 dB, offsetting the added mechanical complexity. Collectively, these refinements yielded a ∼10% net energy saving and 30% faster transient response, proving that concurrent hardware–thermal–software optimisation extended vehicle range without battery upsizing. Standardised extreme-temperature durability protocols, low-cost stamped micro-channel coolers and digital-twin-based predictive maintenance were identified as the next steps to accelerate commercial deployment.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1708579</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1708579</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Automatic identification of high-speed railway wheelset defects by integrating PointNet++ and Swin Transformer]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-09T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jun Ma</author><author>Xu Xue</author><author>Bingzhi Chen</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In order to address the technical challenges of detecting defects in high-speed railway wheelsets under complex conditions such as dynamic lighting, foreign object occlusion, and microscale anomalies, this paper proposes a dual-mode deep learning framework that integrates PointNet++ and Swin Transformer. This paper enhances defect recognition through cross modal feature collaboration, and combines cross modal attention (CMA) mechanism for dynamic feature alignment and geometric guidance suppression strategy for reducing occlusion noise. The experimental results showed an accuracy of 0.985, an F1 value of 0.982, and a recognition rate of 0.938 for defects smaller than 1 millimeter. Research has shown that the model maintains robust accuracy under different lighting conditions (strong/weak/reflective) and up to 40% occlusion, while optimized deployment on edge devices can achieve 23FPS with only 12M parameters. This work significantly improves the intelligence and reliability of the high-speed railway wheelset detection system.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1732819</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1732819</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Enhancing risk-based engineering design: a hybrid fuzzy failure analysis with empirical validation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-01-06T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ali Aghazadeh Ardebili</author><author>Alieh Sadeghpour Roshany</author><author>Mahdad Pourmadadkar</author><author>Mostafa Ghodsi</author><author>Elio Padoano</author><author>Marco Boscolo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionPrecise risk-based design is essential for accurately identifying and assessing threats, improving reliability, and ensuring the overall safety of safety-critical systems. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a widely employed technique for the evaluation of risk of components, systems, services, and processes. To address subjectivity and ambiguity in decision-makers’ judgments in traditional FMEA, several methodological improvements have been proposed; however, a state-of-the-art review shows that several research avenues are still open in this domain. Reducing the variation in priority ranking within failure analysis remains a mostly underexplored area. This significant gap serves as the main motivation for investigating whether the synergy between different aggregation methods and normalization techniques, when combined with a fuzzy reference-based approach, can effectively decrease the distinct rankings.MethodologyThis study proposes an improved FMEA methodology that combines the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy AHP), Fuzzy Elimination Et Choix Traduisant la REalité (Fuzzy ELECTRE III), and Entropy methods to derive a logical ranking of FMEA failure modes, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of FMEA. The proposed approach employs linguistic variables to set S, O, and D weights, FMEA using the Entropy and Fuzzy AHP methods, integrates these weights using Fuzzy ELECTRE III, and finally analyzes the priority of the options. To validate the practical applicability of the proposed framework, a real-world case study on a safety-critical machine component, the clutch system, which is a suitable case for risk-based engineering design, is conducted.Results and discussionThe results are compared with those obtained by the integration of TOPSIS and VIKOR with FMEA, showing that the proposed method provides fewer priority rankings while delivering more effective results. Such clustering provides a more realistic representation of risk, acknowledging that minor distinctions between failure modes are often statistically insignificant. This ensures that resources are not diverted to minor issues at the expense of catastrophic but rare failure modes.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1736852</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1736852</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The influence of diesel pilot injection timing on the combustion and emission characteristics of a natural gas-diesel dual-fuel engine]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yue Wu</author><author>Tao Qiu</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study investigated the effects of varying diesel pilot injection timings (19°–25° BTDC) on the thermal efficiency, combustion, and emission characteristics of an engine operating under different load ranges (25%–100%) using a modified single-cylinder natural gas-diesel dual-fuel (NDDF) engine. The results indicate that advancing the injection timing can significantly improve brake thermal efficiency (BTE) under partial loads (25%–75%), but efficiency decreases at 100% load. Specifically, advancing the timing to 25° BTDC results in a reduction in BTE compared to 23° BTDC. This suggests that the negative compression work generated by excessively early combustion exceeds the benefits from improved combustion, thereby establishing a physical limit for advanced injection under high-load conditions. Combustion analysis identified a distinct “combustion phase shift” phenomenon. The results show that although advanced injection shifts the combustion phase closer to the favorable high-temperature region near top dead center (TDC), there is only a slight change in combustion duration. This is mechanically attributed to the over-leaning of the pilot diesel spray during prolonged ignition delay. The consequent formation of weak combustion cores slows initial flame propagation, counteracting the accelerating effects of improved thermodynamics. Emission analysis reveals a trade-off: advanced injection reduces smoke emissions by up to 4.2% but substantially increases nitrogen oxides (NOx). Concurrent increases in carbon monoxide (CO) with advanced timing suggest local quenching and over-leaning effects. Additionally, a dynamic fuel substitution strategy was employed to optimize the NDDF engine, successfully maintaining efficiency while mitigating detonation. This study provides a validated experimental basis for the precise calibration of dual-fuel engines across the load range.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1702693</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1702693</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Power parameter allocation of electric vehicles by integrating optimized AFSA and system parameter classification]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-12T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yang Liu</author><author>Zhijun Guo</author><author>Huijun Yao</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionTraditional methods for allocating power parameters in electric vehicles are prone to becoming trapped in local optima, which hinders their ability to meet rising performance demands. To enhance the accuracy of this allocation, this study proposes a novel power parameter allocation method for new energy vehicles.MethodsThe proposed method integrates an optimized Artificial Fish Swarm Algorithm (AFSA) with system parameter classification. First, a parameter classification model is constructed based on sensitivity analysis. Subsequently, the improved AFSA is employed to perform the parameter optimization.ResultsThe parameter allocation based on sensitivity analysis demonstrated strong performance. Specifically, with a main reduction ratio of 11:1, the high-speed re-acceleration time was 5.7 s. When the coolant flow rate was set to 7 L/min, the peak power duration reached 30.1 s. Compared to other methods, the comprehensive energy consumption achieved by the improved AFSA was the lowest, recording 13.8 kWh/100 km with a battery capacity of 80 kWh.DiscussionThe developed method effectively overcomes the tendency of traditional approaches to fall into local optima. It significantly improves both the dynamic performance and energy efficiency of electric vehicles, offering a more effective solution for power parameter allocation.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1729318</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1729318</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Inertially-enhanced damping energy sink for synergistic vibration-lightweight optimization in half-car suspensions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-04T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yuanyuan Zhang</author><author>Ronglin Yan</author><author>Weifeng Yang</author>
        <description><![CDATA[When applying Nonlinear Energy Sinks (NES) to vehicle suspension systems, these systems exhibit frequency sensitivity, and effective vibration reduction typically requires a relatively large mass. To address these limitations, this paper proposes an Inertially-Enhanced Damping Energy Sink (IDES). The study begins by establishing a single-degree-of-freedom vibration model to investigate the optimal configuration of the IDES. Subsequently, the effective IDES structure is applied to a half-vehicle model, and its dynamic response is solved using the Harmonic Balance Method (HBM) and the Pseudo-Arc Length Method (PALM). Under both harmonic and random excitations, the results demonstrate that the IDES significantly suppresses the resonance peak and reduces the vehicle’s vertical acceleration, as well as the dynamic deflections of the front and rear suspensions and the dynamic loads on the front and rear tires. To optimize the vehicle’s vertical and pitch angular accelerations, a genetic algorithm was employed to determine the optimal structural parameters of the IDES within the half-vehicle system. The results indicate that, compared to the NES system, the vibration reduction system with optimized IDES parameters reduces the RMS values of the vertical body acceleration by 5.56%, the front and rear suspension dynamic deflections by 9.20% and 15.56%, and the front and rear tire dynamic loads by 11.37% and 12.15%, respectively, while maintaining the pitch angular acceleration within an allowable range. Leveraging nonlinear damping and inertial mass amplification, the IDES structure overcomes the traditional NES’s dependence on cubic stiffness, offering advantages in both wide-band vibration reduction and lightweight design for vehicle suspension systems. The optimization of IDES parameters using a genetic algorithm further enhances the performance of this new damping structure. The proposed IDES structure and optimization strategy can serve as a valuable reference for the development of novel vibration damping devices in vehicles.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1723780</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1723780</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Optimization and analysis of permanent magnet assisted reluctance generator with interior rare - Earth - Less combined magnetic poles for extended range electric vehicles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-12-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Xianjun Zeng</author><author>Bingquan Tao</author><author>Xiuqian Sun</author><author>Jianwei Ma</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To address the issues of large cogging torque and poor sinusoidal waveform of induced electromotive force in traditional pure rare earth permanent magnet generators for extended-range electric vehicles, a novel permanent magnet-assisted reluctance generator with hybrid magnetic poles formed by rare-earth and non-rare-earth permanent magnets for series excitation is proposed. The topological structure and operating principle of the generator are introduced. Based on this, an equivalent magnetic circuit model is established, and the analytical expressions of the cogging torque and induced electromotive force of the permanent magnet generator are derived to analyze their main influencing factors. A finite element model of a three-phase 8-pole 36-slot interior dual radial combined magnetic pole permanent magnet generator is established. Sensitivity hierarchical optimization is carried out on the relevant parameters such as the size and position angle of the combined magnetic poles and their corresponding magnetic barriers, so as to obtain the structural parameters affecting the generator’s cogging torque, the amplitude of the induced electromotive force, and the total harmonic distortion (THD) of the induced electromotive force waveform. Then, the data is normalized and a weighted evaluation index is used to obtain the optimal solution combination. Finally, the feasibility of this method is verified through finite element simulation analysis. The results indicate that the amplitude of the no-load induced electromotive force of the generator increased by 6.97%, the THD decreased by 16.2%, and the cogging torque was weakened by 43.8%, effectively improving the output performance of the generator.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1697447</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1697447</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Control strategy of electric vehicle regenerative braking integrating fuzzy control and PSO]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-11-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Jianping Zuo</author><author>Qingqing Chai</author><author>Jiahe Zuo</author><author>Guiyan Li</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe long charging cycle, limited energy storage system, and short range of traditional batteries have constrained the further development of electric vehicles.MethodsGiven this, the paper constructs a regenerative braking control strategy for electric vehicles based on hierarchical fuzzy control, and optimizes it using an improved Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. The study aims to improve the energy recovery efficiency of electric vehicles while ensuring the safety and stability of vehicle braking by reasonably allocating motor and hydraulic braking forces.ResultsThe results showed that the improved PSO exhibited faster convergence speed and higher accuracy in the optimization process, with the smallest difference in optimal solutions and the lowest loss function value of 10−5. In terms of regenerative braking control effect of electric vehicles, the control strategy built on improved PSO achieved an energy recovery rate of 16.8% and increased the contribution of driving range by 35 km. Its braking response time has been shortened to 0.71 s, the braking stability index has reached 95, and the energy consumption rate has been reduced to 150 Wh/km.DiscussionThe proposed hierarchical fuzzy control strategy based on improved PSO provides an efficient and stable solution for the design and optimization of regenerative braking systems in electric vehicles. This optimization scheme can enhance the energy utilization efficiency and endurance of electric vehicles, which is of great significance for promoting the development of electric vehicle technology.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1715592</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1715592</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Vehicle lateral tracking control optimization based on fuzzy preview time and ant lion algorithm]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-11-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Liang Yanjie</author><author>Gong Xiaoyu</author><author>Liang Yuxiao</author><author>Liu Zhenghua</author>
        <description><![CDATA[To enhance the path tracking performance of intelligent vehicles, this paper conducts optimization research on the classical Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) controller based on a 2-degrees-of-freedom (2-DOF) vehicle dynamics lateral tracking error model. Aiming at the insufficient adaptability of the LQR controller with fixed weight coefficients at varying vehicle speeds, the Ant Lion Optimizer (ALO) is introduced to dynamically adjust the matrix weight coefficients, and a preview feed-forward steering angle compensation strategy is integrated to improve the lateral path-tracking capability. Furthermore, to address the reduced steering stability of the feed-forward LQR controller caused by model linearization, an adaptive prediction mechanism based on fuzzy control is designed. This mechanism integrates parameters such as vehicle speed, path curvature, and its rate of change. By utilizing a dual-fuzzy controller, a hybrid control strategy that combines dynamic prediction time and fixed preview time is constructed. Simulation verification is conducted via MATLAB/Simulink and CarSim co-simulation. Results show the proposed lateral control method balances tracking accuracy and system stability, with good robustness across speeds—simulation at double lane change 95.66% lower than traditional LQR at 15 m/s , and only 39.74% of traditional LQR's average deviation at 25 m/s. This study offers an efficient solution for intelligent vehicle lateral tracking, addressing fixed-weight LQR and fixed preview time limitations in complex roads.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1728890</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmech.2025.1728890</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Dynamic characteristics of negative stiffness structure with high static and low dynamic stiffness]]></title>
        <pubdate>2025-11-20T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Yuanshao Wang</author><author>Bao Zhang</author><author>Xiaoping Su</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Negative stiffness (NS) structures have obvious advantages in attenuating low-frequency vibration. Although most existing NS structures exhibit good damping effects, their stability is poor, limiting their application in complex mechanical systems. To improve their damping and stability, a negative stiffness structure composed of rubber spring and elastic beam (NSS-RB) is proposed. Its elastic properties are studied via numerical modeling. Numerical and experimental results show NSS-RB has high static and low dynamic stiffness, achieving good damping and stability. Applied to a power battery package damping system, NSS-RB outperforms the rubber spring (RS) system in vibration reduction: the low-frequency vibration attenuation rate exceeds 90%, with good ride comfort and no instability.]]></description>
      </item>
      </channel>
    </rss>