The automotive industry uses a variety of sealants and adhesives within the car manufacturing process. These perform roles that vary from securing pieces together to ensuring seams stay put. One huge benefit of utilising sealants is cost and emissions reduction when compared to alternatives in some applications such as welding, which is a relatively costly and emissions-heavy process.

Sunstar Engineering works with automotive manufacturers worldwide. Its operations include a factory specialising in innovative lightweighting sealants and adhesives for the automotive market including special adhesives for electronic components. It says these components are helping automotive manufacturers create lighter, more durable, and efficient vehicles.

We spoke to Nicholas Huff, manager, new technology group, Sunstar Engineering Americas, R&D and Stephen Howe, senior director, technical operations, R&D, Sunstar Engineering Americas, to learn more about the benefits of adhesives as well as to discuss how they work with clients to achieve goals.

Just Auto (JA): Could you provide some background on the company?

Stephen Howe (SH): Engineering is a division of the general Sunstar company. Sunstar is a diversified company. We have business in oral care, health and beauty, chemicals, and motorcycle parts in construction.

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The chemical part and motorcycle and construction is in Sunstar engineering. Were about 35 to 40% of the of the business. Nick and I are in Sunstar Engineering Americas; most of our business is in automotive is supplying sealants and adhesives for OEMs. We also provide some materials to Tier 1 suppliers to the OEMs.

Nicholas Huff (NH): We are a very global company. We have our R&D facilities, sales, and manufacturing here in the US. We have similar set-ups in Europe and we have our Sunstar Engineering European group centred in Germany. We also have a very large group in Japan; our Sensor Engineering Japan group and manufacturing, sales, engineering over there, too. We also have a group in Thailand, and we have some offices in Singapore.

What benefits do adhesives bring to the automotive industry?

NH: Youll perhaps be surprised to learn that most automobiles now are really glued together, rather than just welded. That trend is increasing and it is being driven by changes in design to vehicles.

Lightweighting is a very critical area right now to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions. Increasing the fuel efficiency of vehicles is a big focus and of course, the lighter vehicle, the less energy is required to move it.

Lightweighting is a very critical area right now to improve efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

Automotive manufacturers are employing many strategies to reduce the weight of their vehicles. It includes making use of alternative substrates. Instead of largely fully steel vehicle structures, there is now significant use of aluminium. But aluminium and steel dont weld together very well, you have to incorporate adhesives and thats where our business is certainly growing.

Adhesives also play a role in dampening noise and vibration in a car. As far as road noise is concerned, we can reduce vibration and associated noise with things like mastic adhesives especially useful with structural pieces that have damping capability. Theres also a comfort aspect there as well, where adhesives can play an important role.

SH: If you go back to the original vehicle manufacturer, adhesives and sealants have always played a significant role it has been increasing. You have a lot of joints in the cars when youre manufacturing cars. If you look on the inside of your car door, theres an inner and outer section, for example. If you look closer at your vehicle body, youll see the same thing. There are a lot of seams, and those seams provide an area where moisture and salt can get in and cause corrosion.

A really big part of the role of the sealants we have, alongside adhesives, is to prevent corrosion. They also play a big role in being able to use dissimilar materials because you cant really weld them all together. They also aid in distributing stresses. A problem with welds is they focus the stresses right on those weld points. With time you get a phenomenon called fatiguing. By distributing those stresses, you can prevent that fatiguing process.

It also decreases the cost to the car manufacturer as well, and aids in making assembling much more efficient.

How do adhesives and sealants assist in reducing carbon emissions and low energy manufacturing?

NH: In the automotive manufacturing process, depending on the design of the factory, up to 90% of the energy consumption in the factory comes from the weld and paint shop processes.

The process goes from the stamping area where metal is cut and then stamped into shapes. The shapes are welded and glued together. Then it goes through an anti-corrosion bath where a coating is applied onto the vehicle structure. That coating has to be cured, and to cure it, it goes through a series of ovens; those ovens consume a lot of energy. Then after that, it goes to the paint shop where sealants and other coatings are applied in addition to the paint. Then the body must go through yet another series of ovens and so there is a tremendous amount of energy thats used in those ovens, which cost the OEMs quite a lot to use.

These ovens consume a lot of energy and depending on the energy sources, much of it is coming from fossil fuels, so a lot of carbon dioxide is emitted to the atmosphere from that whole process.

To meet all these regulations that have come into place over the past few years to reduce carbon consumption, as well as to reduce energy costs, and reduce the cost of manufacturing, OEMs are looking for ways to turn down those ovens. Or even eliminate those ovens if they can. Its very important research that were doing right now. Were looking at taking our adhesives, our sealants, and our coatings and being able to cure them at much lower temperatures, or potentially finding ways to cure them without a thermal input at all.

SH: Our OEMs all have targets. Many of them are similar, but theres differences in the timing of when they want to achieve a lot of these goals. Some of it depends on where they are, of course. Energy is more expensive or more sustainably generated in some areas of the world than in others.

How do you work with OEMS to achieve their goals?

NH: Theres a lot of back and forth that we do between our research groups and the OEM research groups at their design centres. We feel out what their targets are, what their goals are, and then we as the material experts provide them with solutions and options.

Therell be a degree of tailoring of how we put together our material for their applications. This is a process that can take months or even years depending on the project, but thats how we like to approach those situations. Its a partnership, its a joint development.

SH: The way we like to work with customers, typically they will have specifications, a list of requirements. There are strength requirements, adhesion requirements, there are some application requirements, long-term durability requirements. However, we dont really know everything from a requirement list.

One of the things that we do is go into the customers assembly line and understand the requirements that arent written on the specification. In terms of the manufacturing process, if youre bonding through oily, dirty metal, that is something that has to be considered, and you have to understand exactly what materials the OEM is using and be able to test and design for that.

Theres a whole series of baths that the car will go through detergents, rinses etc. In some cases, theyll take a car, and theyll rotate it through a big bath. Now you can imagine if you have an uncured adhesive, this adhesive has to be fluid enough, with low viscosity, to easily apply at a very high rate, hundreds of millimetres a second application rates. At the same time, youre effectively sending this thing through a carwash and expect the adhesives to stay in place!

So, understanding the rheological [flow behaviour] performance, and what properties it takes to really withstand the manufacturing process is one of the bigger challenges.

The other thing is the curing. There is a temperature cure, and they want to lower the temperature. But one of the difficult things sometimes to design for is that there are some large variations in the ovens and in the temperatures. So, they will give you a target temperature, but they also want it to able to withstand different heats for longer times, and on top of that they want it to be shelf-stable for six months. There are a lot of unwritten, non-spec items that we have to consider and be able to work through with the OEM.

What do you predict to see growing in the automotive space and when?

NH: I think electrification comes with very specific engineering challenges. How do you make battery packs foolproof and completely safe? Theres a lot of opportunity there because in the manufacturing of the battery packs, there is a lot of adhesive encoding type material.

There are two real big areas emerging: one is for the actual thermal management of the battery packs, to make sure that they stay cool and theres not a runaway reaction. The other big area is for recyclability, sustainability. We have to think about the end-of-life of these battery packs and how they have to be disassembled. Theres not an easy way to do that right now with the latest generation of battery packs.

I think electrification comes with very specific engineering challenges.

The lifespans are ten years or so, which means battery packs that were made ten years ago were not being assembled the way they are now. Recycling and disassembly can be a dangerous process. We were talking to some research professors at the University of Michigan at their EV technical centre, and they were explaining to us what a dangerous process it is to recycle these large battery packs.

So a big push is for adhesives that can de-bond on demand. You apply some sort of energy, heat or maybe something else that will effectively de-bond the battery. Then you can have a much easier way to disassemble and recycle the various components inside the battery packs. Theres opportunity there.

The biggest thing that were focused on right now is low-energy carrying materials. That is a very big high priority for us, as well as providing more adhesive solutions in general.

SH: We are looking at carbon neutrality for the entire chain of the materials were presenting. There really arent any consistent or agreed upon ways to fully measure carbon neutrality and the carbon targets. So, as we go forward, were trying to keep abreast of that.

In terms of our research, and the research of our customers, you will see a lot more use of modelling and simulation. This is an area were very interested in. We have a role in terms of standardising how adhesives are tested and how the data from those tests is incorporated into simulations and modelling.

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Talking sealants with Sunstar Engineering: Securing success - just-auto.com

Thems the breaks Taken at East Scenic, Wash., while waiting our turn on the Cascade Tunnel. F45 No. 6642 East on the morning of January 1980. This is the same spot in the story that we pulled up to for our dog catch crew to board. Believe it or not, we only had a 3 hour and 5 minute delay. Michael Sawyer

Late afternoon on Jan. 30, 2007, my conductor and I were called for the SSEALPC a stack train from Seattle to Logistics Park, Elwood, Ill., a suburb of Chicago. Our train that day was FURX No. 8117 as the lead unit of six, trailing us were 63 loads, zero empties, 5,924 tons and 5,729 feet. These trains were notorious for less than perfectly maintained power and one of the heavier trains without helpers or distributive power to travel east over Stevens Pass the BNSF Scenic Subdivision of the Northwest Division.

We started our trip by going on duty at Balmer Yard (ex-Great Northern) north of downtown Seattle and took a crew van to Stacy Street Yard (ex-Northern Pacific) just barely south of downtown. After I inspected the power, we backed onto the train. When the carman completed the air test, we doubled over and made our final brake pipe test. Stacy Street was by this time a stubbed yard, meaning everything departed south. However, there was a wye at Spokane Street, a half mile south from Stacy Street, we would take for our destination of Wenatchee and a crew change. We took the wye to head east. Just as we reached the main line, we got what I called a WOW this is where the power suddenly surges ahead due to a runout. It is not a comfortable feeling. We exchanged looks, I just shrugged, I had no clue what it was.

The trip was going nicely just rolling along then at Gold Bar we got another WOW. Again, we exchanged looks. I just silently shrugged as I still had no clue of the reason, though I was more concerned this time the first was at 10 mph, this second at 50 mph. Gold Bar is the start of the climb over the Cascades Mountains.

At Skykomish, we stopped to pick up my road foreman of engines. After our guest was on board and we reached the east end of Skykomish, we started up the 2.2% grade to Scenic and the Cascade Tunnels west end. There was fresh snow as we traveled up the hill.

Just after I took the clear (green) signal at West Scenic we got the final WOW with a POP as the train went into emergency braking.

My conductor started back to walk the train and find the problem, it didnt take long. We had broken in two just behind the power. At this point the road foreman got up, telling me to stay up front while he went in the back to help.

I was sitting there by myself stewing about what I had done wrong. At the time, a few engineers (including me) were using PalmPilots to help calculate the math on tonnage and horsepower versus grade. Another engineer had written the code, it was a great program. While my conductor was busy tying the train down about 20 minutes later I realized I had not heard from the road foreman. I stopped feeling sorry for myself and started to grow concerned about the road foreman. I walked back through the power and, leaning over the platform railing, asked him if he needed help. Oh yes, he said, I could use some help. Im trying to get this knuckle in, and it wont lock up.

The road foreman was using one hand to work the knuckle into place while holding up his pants with the other hand. His belt was holding up the cut lever. I offered to give him a break no pun intended while I tried. After few rounds of my own, I noticed the broken knuckle was a grade E, not a grade F like it should have been. Grade F couplers are stronger and better versions of Grade E. They are made so the parts are not interchangeable.

The broken knuckle was an E, according to the road foreman, which should have never happened. Someone somewhere got the wrong knuckle to lock up and it had failed. We had a little chat about it after we got the train back together and pulled up to the east end of Scenic to meet the dog catch crew.

My best guess was that with the wrong grade of knuckle on the last unit it was too much for a knuckle that already had a 50% break as a knuckle suffers from fatigue over time, a small fracture can start. This fracture will start to rust. In this case, the knuckle was 50% rusted, meaning it was failing before I got it. This would explain why I was getting WOWS and, of course, due to the law of railroading, it waited until the most inconvenient place to give up. I never heard anything more about it. I did fill out the proper paperwork. I didnt even have to mail it, I just handed it over to my road foreman, who had witnessed it all.

Like this column? Read the authors recent, An engineers life: What the heck are railroad fusees for?

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An engineer's life: Them's the breaks - Trains - TRAINS Magazine

KATHMANDU Nepals leading civil engineering and forestry institutions are collaborating to bridge the divide between the two disciplines in an effort to mitigate the impact of roads, railways and other infrastructure on forests and natural resources.

Educators from Tribhuvan Universitys Institute of Engineering (IoE) and Institute of Forestry (IoF) are for the first time developing a joint curriculum on linear infrastructure for undergraduate civil engineering students and postgraduate forestry students.

Previously, our graduates focused solely on core engineering skills, Sushil Bahadur Bajracharya, a professor at the IoE, told Mongabay. The new course will enable them to add the new perspective of biodiversity conservation to their work.

Following the end of Nepals decade-long Maoist insurgency in 2006 and the introduction of a new constitution in 2015, theres been a surge in infrastructure development throughout the country. These range from roads and irrigation canals, to railways, cable cars and power lines. While proponents of these projects hail them as markers of progress, observers say they also threaten Nepals forests, which cover nearly 45% of the country. The building spree has increased the likelihood of infrastructure projects impacting these areas, which are critical habitats for such iconic animals such as Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris) and greater one-horned rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis). Recent changes to conservation laws introduced by the government go even further by opening up protected areas to infrastructure such as power lines and cable cars.

Officials at the Ministry of Forest and Environment, primarily staffed by IoF graduates, often clash ideologically with their counterparts from the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, dominated by IoE graduates. Engineers prioritize efficiency and safety, while foresters hesitate to issue permits for infrastructure through sensitive areas. This tension has led to back-and-forth accusations: foresters label their infrastructure counterparts as anti-nature, while engineers hit back with claims of anti-development.

Regardless of the labels, research indicates that linear infrastructure can directly harm wildlife through road kills, drowning and electrocution, and indirectly by fragmenting species populations. Animals like red pandas (Ailurus fulgens), which need large home ranges, suffer as a result of their habitats being carved up. Although completely avoiding these impacts is impossible, mitigation measures can minimize them but this calls for interdisciplinary communication, researchers say.

Theres currently a communication gap between the two fields of study, said Shant Raj Jnawali, senior adviser for biodiversity conservation at WWF Nepal. This issue needs addressing at the grassroots level, where engineers and foresters learn their basics, he said.

High-level officials from both sectors have started dialogues after years of deliberation, leading to the introduction of guidelines for wildlife-friendly infrastructure in Nepal. These guidelines establish minimum requirements for safe wildlife passage during infrastructure development and operation, including the building of over- and underpasses to help animals avoid vehicle traffic and power lines. However, opportunities for such dialogues at the student level have long been lacking.

At this grassroots, implementation of safeguard measures falls on the shoulders of civil engineers, mostly fresh graduates, leading construction efforts in Nepal. If we want impactful changes, we must start with civil engineers, Bajracharya said. Of the 40,000 or so registered engineers in Nepal, most are civil engineers, highlighting the need for this initiative.

The IoF already incorporates infrastructure development and safeguard courses at the undergraduate level, according to Sony Baral, assistant dean at the IoF. We needed specialization courses at the masters level, she added.

Supported by the WWF project Asias Linear Infrastructure safeGuarding Nature, or ALIGN, educators and researchers from both institutions have engaged in dialogues, workshops and consultations to draft curricula addressing linear infrastructure safeguards. They developed courses titled Natural Resources Safeguard in Infrastructure for both engineering and forestry students. The courses, which involve both theory and practice, are to be rolled out in the coming semesters.

This initiative demonstrates that development and conservation can coexist in Nepal, where they are often seen as opposites, Bajracharya said.

In Nepal, most large-scale infrastructure projects, such as expansion of major highways and power lines, receive funding from two multilateral agencies: the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.

These donors are already integrating safeguards into projects, said Sandesh Hamal, chief of party at ALIGN, which is funded by USAID and operates in India, Nepal and Mongolia. Cross-disciplinary studies will create more opportunities for collaboration between employers and graduates.

However, the full impact on how infrastructure projects are rolled out remains uncertain, as students have yet to take up the new courses. Thakur P. Sharma, president of the Society of Consulting Architectural & Engineering Firms, said both institutions should monitor their students progress. They should periodically review and adjust the courses to meet the evolving market demands, he said.

Banner image: Greater one-horned rhinos in Chitwan, Nepal. Image by Aditya Pal via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Abhaya Raj Joshi is a staff writer for Nepal at Mongabay. Find him on @arj272.

Nepal govt bypasses parliament to allow commercial projects in protected areas

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Posted on: June 6, 2024; Updated on: June 6, 2024 By Gregory Hardy, ghardy@sc.edu

The University of South Carolina College of Engineering and Computing has a new name that reflects the vision and generosity of generations of the Molinaroli family.

The official name, the University of South Carolina Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing, was announced on Thursday (June 6) during a signage unveiling ceremony at the colleges Swearingen Engineering Center on Main Street.

The Molinaroli family boasts strong ties to South Carolina and a deep commitment to the future of the university and the Palmetto State. Seven family members have graduated from USC since the 1930s and another will begin this fall. Their engineering impact spans from the Charleston Navy Yard to the South Carolina Department of Transportation and Johnson Controls.

The $30 million investment initiated by 1983 alumnus Alex Molinaroli and his wife, Kristin Ihle Molinaroli, will be used to establish the college as a leading educational and research institution throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast and a driving force behind South Carolinas economic growth.

Among those expressing gratitude Thursday was USC President Michael Amiridis, who served as the dean of the College of Engineering and Computing from 2006 to 2009.

With this extraordinary gift from Alex and Kristin Molinaroli, we are embarking on a new era for the College of Engineering and Computing, Amiridis said. Their generous commitment will empower the college to enhance its academic stature and explore its fullest potential for exceptional education, research, workforce development and economic impact in South Carolina and beyond.

This marks the universitys fourth academic unit to be named for a donor. The Darla Moore School of Business was named for financial investor and alumna Darla Moore in 1998, and the Arnold School of Public Health was named in 2000 for business leader Norman J. Arnold. Most recently, the Joseph F. Rice School of Law was named in November 2023 for plaintiffs trial lawyer and alumnus Joe Rice.

"A degree from the University of South Carolina can change your life and be an enabler to provide generational change for your family," says Alex Molinaroli. "The University of South Carolina always was and still is a family affair. It is a privilege for my familys name to be associated with the College of Engineering and Computing as it becomes an incubator and foundation developer for the students who will be the next Fortune 100 CEOs and successful entrepreneurs."

The former CEO of Johnson Controls, Alex Molinaroli has been a strong advocate of his alma mater for many years. He has played a pivotal role, offering valuable insights and guidance to college leadership. His previous contributions helped spur innovation and provide opportunities for student advancement.

"The University of South Carolina always was and still is a family affair. It is a privilege for my familys name to be associated with the College of Engineering and Computing as it becomes an incubator and foundation developer for the students who will be the next Fortune 100 CEOs and successful entrepreneurs."

The current gift will support the creation of new, high-demand programs; student and faculty recruitment; facility and equipment enhancements; and research start-ups.

The generous gift honors multiple generations of the Molinaroli family, including Alexs father, Adrian (51), and uncle, Remo (34), who were both first-generation engineering students at USC; his aunt, Elenora (33); his brother, Raymond (91), who is a Lowcountry civil engineer; and two cousins, Charles (65) and Marion (69).

We are grateful for the Molinarolis extraordinary generosity and shared vision for our colleges role in shaping a better future for our state, region and nation, says Hossein Haj-Hariri, dean of the College of Engineering and Computing. Their gift will enable us to enhance our educational, research and partnership efforts to transform our state.

Founded in 1909, the Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing offers high-quality education through 40 degree programs, including the states only aerospace, biomedical and graduate nuclear engineering programs, as well as numerous computing and AI options.

Nearly 70 percent of students are South Carolinians, and a significant majority of alumni choose to apply their skills within our state's borders.

The colleges thriving academic and research excellence continue to drive economic growth and spur social mobility in the Palmetto State. Leading in energy systems, advanced manufacturing and intelligent infrastructure research, the college will set a university record in fiscal year 2024, receiving over $70 million in sponsored awards.

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Introducing USC's Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing - University of South Carolina

Bioengineering is revolutionizing cancer research, andMoffitt Cancer Centeris at the forefront of this transformative movement. Moffitt is the first National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center with a dedicated bioengineering department. This area of science integrates engineering and physical sciences with oncology to change how we understand and treat this complex disease. In anew commentary publishedinCancer Cell,W. Gregory Sawyer, Ph.D., andElsa R. Flores, Ph.D., share their visionary framework to accelerate cancer discovery and therapy breakthroughs through bioengineering.

Cancers complexity has been a formidable obstacle for researchers, said Sawyer, chair of MoffittsDepartment of Bioengineering. Traditional methods often struggle to capture the intricate interplay between cancer cells, the immune system and the surrounding environment. Cancer engineering offers a unique perspective by integrating these diverse fields, creating a powerful platform to develop next-generation solutions.

Cancer engineering blends 12 key fields, including system dynamics, nanomaterials, robotics, and biofabrication, to tackle cancer from all angles. This powerful platform could lead to advancements in early detection with microfluidic devices and advanced imaging techniques. Additionally, nanomaterials engineered on a microscopic level could revolutionize drug delivery by transporting medications directly to cancer cells with minimal impact on healthy tissues.

The potential doesnt stop there. 3D bioprinting technology offers the potential to create customized tumor models, allowing researchers to test drug efficacy and personalize treatment plans for individual patients. Sophisticated mathematical modeling, informed by engineering principles, could provide a deeper understanding of cancers intricate biological processes, paving the way for developing more effective therapies.

The possibilities unlocked by cancer engineering are truly exciting, said Flores, associate center director ofBasic Scienceat Moffitt. We envision more universities and cancer centers following Moffitts lead and creating dedicated cancer engineering programs to foster collaboration and accelerate progress in the fight against cancer.

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Engineering Cancer's End: Moffitt Scientists Say Bioengineering Will Change Our Ability To Research And Treat Cancer - Eurasia Review