Modern drivers expect vehicles that can do it all: towing heavy loads, cruising at highway speeds, and handling city traffic smoothly. But as sustainability becomes a bigger trend, more and more drivers are expecting their vehicles to do all this while using less fuel and producing fewer emissions.
Tackling this increasingly important issue are experts like Vikrant Rayate, a powertrain design release engineer at a multinational automotive corporation. To him, achieving this balance means designing engines that deliver power and efficiency while cutting waste and lowering costs 바카라 a challenge he바카라s built his career around solving.
Learn how his designs are making engines cleaner, tougher, and more cost-effective for manufacturers and drivers alike.
Building a Foundation in Sustainable Engineering
Vikrant attributes much of his success to his time at Clemson University, where he earned a master바카라s in mechanical engineering. During his graduate studies, a key project would set the stage for his career: He was tasked with designing products that were not only efficient to manufacture but also considerate of their 바카라end-of-life바카라 impact 바카라 basically, creating components that could be recycled, reused, or safely disposed of once they were no longer in use.
바카라I learned that building high-performing engines is only part of the puzzle,바카라 Vikrant explains. 바카라Designing sustainably is just as important. It바카라s not just about speed or power but about creating something that lasts and leaves a smaller footprint when it needs to be replaced.바카라
Since then, Vikrant has spent over a decade designing and improving powertrain systems (the parts that make a car move, like the engine and transmission) for major automotive manufacturers. This means sketching out designs for critical engine components, testing prototypes, and working closely with manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the final product meets high standards for performance and sustainability.
He now works at a global company responsible for manufacturing some of the well-known cars in the U.S. There, he바카라s tackling some of the most complex challenges in powertrain engineering.
Vikrant Rayate바카라s Contributions to the Automotive Industry
Reducing Oil Consumption in Heavy-Duty Engines
Vikrant바카라s employer was facing a significant issue with its 6.4L heavy-duty engine, which is used in vehicles built for towing, hauling, and other demanding jobs. Drivers reported high oil consumption, especially during stop-and-go urban driving, which hurt efficiency and didn바카라t meet industry standards. Oil consumption during city cycles had reached a concerning 5,000 to 6,000 miles per quart, falling significantly short of the company바카라s performance targets.
To address this, Vikrant led a root cause analysis to uncover the underlying factors responsible for the high oil consumption.
바카라We found that bore distortion and specific operating modes like cylinder deactivation were key contributors,바카라 Vikrant explains.
Bore distortion, which is when an engine바카라s cylinder walls lose their shape under heat and pressure, causes piston rings to leak oil. Cylinder deactivation, a fuel-saving feature that shuts off certain cylinders during low-demand driving, made the problem worse by unevenly distributing heat and pressure.
To tackle this problem, Vikrant and his team used a Design for Six Sigma approach 바카라 a hands-on process used to create new products or improve existing ones to make sure they meet high standards for performance, efficiency, and reliability.
The result of this methodology was a reshaping of the piston rings to improve oil flow within the cylinders. His team also optimized ring tensions to enhance overall engine efficiency. The result was a 50% reduction in oil consumption, better performance, and a step forward in making engines more reliable and environmentally friendly.
Eliminating 바카라Pin Tick바카라 While Saving $0.7 Million a Year
In another project, Vikrant tackled a problem called 바카라pin tick.바카라 This is an annoying tapping noise caused by excessive wear in the rod and pin assembly 바카라 the parts that connect the pistons to the crankshaft and transfer power to the wheels.
바카라The wear created too much play between components, making the noise more noticeable in vehicles used for heavy-duty tasks,바카라 Vikrant explains.
Previous attempts to fix the issue, like adjusting the roundness of certain parts, weren바카라t enough. Through detailed noise, vibration, and harshness testing, Vikrant and his team identified poor lubrication as the main cause.
바카라We came up with a chevron-grooved bushing 바카라 a part with a specific pattern of grooves that helped oil move more smoothly across the surface,바카라 he says. 바카라This better lubrication reduced friction and wear between the parts, making them last longer.바카라
After rigorous testing that included extensive durability trials, the new design proved to be a success. 바카라The fix used a steel-bronze material 바카라 steel for strength and bronze to reduce friction,바카라 Vikrant explains. 바카라I also developed a non-DLC piston pin, which is a simpler, cheaper option without the typical diamond-like carbon coating.바카라
These changes solved the noise issue, made the components last longer, and saved the automotive company $0.7 million a year.
Developing Engines with Local Supplies
Finally, Vikrant also led a project to develop a 4-cylinder 1.6L engine for a compact SUV, designing and building key engine components like pistons, rings, pins, and connecting rods.
But another major aspect of this project was the sourcing of materials from local suppliers. Vikrant worked to get materials locally within the United States, Mexico, and Canada, leading technical reviews to ensure that each supplier met the program's technical requirements and demonstrated the necessary capabilities. His efforts did more than just keep his supplies local 바카라 they helped streamline the supply chain, cut down on costs, and strengthened community support for domestic manufacturing.
Guiding the Future of Sustainable Engineering
Beyond his day-to-day work, Vikrant works to advance engineering through research and mentorship.
As a peer reviewer for journals like Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Structures, he promotes quality and innovation in automotive research. He also served as a judge for the SMASIS 2024 Best Student Paper Award, supporting and inspiring the next generation of engineers.
Mentorship is also a key part of building a sustainable engineering future, and Vikrant takes pride in guiding young engineers as they tackle their first design challenges. As he puts it, 바카라Engineering isn바카라t just about solving problems; it바카라s about learning to love the process of figuring them out."
Through his work, has proven that engines can cut fuel use and reduce waste without sacrificing performance or reliability 바카라 while saving his employers nearly a million dollars a year.
