Following the success of Ford Escape Hybrid Technology Clinic in the city of Portland, Ford Motor Company will soon be traveling hundreds of miles to the south to conduct the same event which will take place at the capital city of California. Just as the technology clinic conducted in Portland a few days ago, hybrid engineers of Ford Motor Company along with the representatives from the City of Sacramento will also host a technology clinic for the Ford Escape Hybrid that will showcase the benefits of automotive hybrid technology. They would also most especially show off the technological advantages and economical benefits of the Ford Escape Hybrid.

The Ford Escape Hybrid will be the main attraction in the technology clinic because Ford fanatics in the City of Sacramento will have a chance to share their concerns and ask some questions about the Escape Hybrid. Although Ford Escape parts will not be featured in the said event, the technology clinic will feature the economic and environmental benefits produced by hybrid vehicles like the Ford Escape Hybrid. Some of these benefits of the Escape Hybrid were first demonstrated in some areas in the United States when these hybrids were used for various purposes such as the taxicabs in New York City and San Francisco. According to the drivers and passengers, the Ford Escape Hybrid offers a huge passenger and cargo volume capacity making it a truly reliable vehicle.

Other benefits of the Escape hybrid include clean exhaust emission, improved fuel economy, and an extended gas mileage. The Ford Motor Company describes the Escape Hybrid as the very first vehicle that combines the excellent ability of an SUV and the outstanding fuel economy and environmental benefits of hybrid vehicles.

The second Ford Escape Hybrid Technology Clinic will take place at the Marriott Hotel off Sunrise Blvd., Rancho Cordova, Sacramento, CA on Wednesday, August 2, 2006. The event will start at 10:00 AM. Another related event, which is the Ford Escape Hybrid owner clinic, will start from 6:00 down to 8:00 PM on the same location.

Although hybrid cars are the rage, and there are all kinds of alternative energy sources on the horizon, hybrids are cost prohibitive, usually ranging $3000 to $7000 more than the gas only version of that model. However, instead of changing fuel sources, some automotive companies have been using a new type of transmission to improve fuel economy, lower emissions, and actually make vehicles faster without adding to the sticker price.

These companies are using a continuously variable transmission (CVT) and instead of having set gear ratios (or gears), it constantly varies the gear ratios, as well as engine performance, so that they both operate at their most efficient level in any driving scenario.

Because these key components of the power train are at their peak performance at all times, fuel economy is improved by 6-8% and carbon dioxide emissions are reduced by 10%.

Although these figures may not sound impressive, the gas savings increase the highway mileage of most vehicles by 4 to 6 mpg, which adds up pretty quickly at $3/gallon.

The CVT?s potential for reducing emissions is also significant. As Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Nissan Motor Company, said, achieving his goal of selling one million CVT equipped vehicles by the end of 2007 will have ?the same effect in terms of reducing CO2 emissions as selling 200,000 hybrid electric vehicles.?

Since there is no shifting between fixed gears, there is no ?shift shock? or jerking sensation, which makes them exceptionally smooth to drive. CVTs also do well in hilly terrain since there is no ?gear hunting? or bogging down on a hill, followed by a loud, violent downshift, which also contributes to its superior acceleration.

You may be wondering why this isn?t in every car if it is so great. Well, every year, more vehicles in the American market add CVTs as an option, though it has happened quietly, as many people are leery of new technology, especially in cars.

The CVT is actually quite old although it is new to American automobiles. The concept was developed by Leonardo DaVinci and was first patented in the late 1800?s for industrial applications. The CVT has been used in Asian and European vehicles since the 1950?s, but until recently CVTs could not handle the power that American drivers demand from their cars. However, CVTs have seen widespread use in snowmobiles and Formula 500 racing where they have a reputation for extending engine life and being much easier to rebuild than either a manual or automatic step transmission.

So where can you test drive a CVT-equipped vehicle? Well you can go to dealerships selling Ford, Dodge, Audi, or Mini-Cooper, to name a few, although a Nissan dealership may be the best place to go. In order to hit their goal of one million CVT sales in 2007, they have installed CVTs in nearly every sedan in their lineup, including the best selling Altima, Maxima, and economical Versa (as a side note, Nissan has also made side curtain airbags standard in these models, improving safety and reducing insurance costs).

Although you may not have the budget for a hybrid vehicle or cannot wait for that miracle fuel to hit the market, you can take it easy on the environment, as well as your checkbook, by checking out a few cars with a CVT.

The Ford Motor Company began as a dream of one man to bridge people with advanced transport technology. It was an ambitious dream, but one that answered the needs of a society on the brink of high-gear industrialization.

It didn?t come easy, however, as the company?s first series of automobiles endured bouts of indifference from the market. Not losing faith, the company relentlessly continued on engineering various motor cars, until one unit, the Ford Model T, finally captured the full interest and esteem of the public. Fast track to 19 years and 15 million Model Ts later, and the Ford Motor Company has already catapulted itself into a giant enterprise in the automotive industry. And at present, after more than a hundred years of continuous hard work and pure determination in the industry, the visions of one Henry Ford are still paying off as his founding company has now become one of the most successful brands in the world.

To date, Ford Motor Company has now evolved into a family of superior automobile brands, which comprises of: Ford, Jaguar, Mazda, Mercury, Lincoln, Land Rover, and Volvo. Nevertheless, Ford has not lose sight of the vision to create top-quality and state-of-the-art vehicles. And relative to these are the corresponding top-quality and state-of-the-art components that function simultaneously. These Ford auto parts are uniquely engineered especially for Ford models to complement performance and sophisticated style that the brand is famous for. Such parts can be categorized as performance devices, exterior parts, and the interior line. Ford performance parts would include a multi-point injection fuel system, updated front and rear suspension systems that yield smoother and quieter rides, heavy-duty alternator and battery, quality four disk brakes with the equivalent ventilated discs, as well as the engine system in which case Ford is known to use powerful V6 or V8 engine concoctions. On the other hand, Ford interior and exterior parts may consist of but not limited to: chrome-finished bumpers, driver and passenger airbags, customized hubcaps, sturdy cargo liners, high-tech audio system, and power windows and locks.

As it is, all possible Ford Auto parts have been made available in the market. Said parts may be sold and provided in general terms or in a more specialized method that is relative to the Ford model, such as Ford F250 parts, Ford Focus parts, among others. The easy accessibility of these Ford Auto parts is to ensure the lifelong commitment and service that Ford provides its consumers.

Volvo cars is continuously advancing its position as it tries to meet up with its commitment to sustainable mobility, investing considerably in environmental technology over the years. Volvo is also going to open a new hybrid technology center in G

With the coming of engineering in the 21st century, reality television has made the front seat. As more and more proficiencies are formulated to make TV more interactional and advanced, sporting events are not left far behind. Nascar has started the race F/X technology, which has enhanced the interest further amongst TV audiences. Well, the technology was primitively started by FOX, which started trailing the hockey puck on national television. The trick was hot, and it became an instant hit.

Nascar brought in a synonymous technology to track their cars. But tracking a puck on a hockey field and tracking a car moving at 200 mph on a racing circuit are two different matters entirely. In Nascar, the commentators talk about a car and then the car is spotlighted with a glowing halo around it. It looks incredibly cool on television. The statistical information about the car is also presented just above the car.

The Technology Behind The Trick

Race F/X uses a wide range of parameters to showcase their final product. GPS orbiters form an integral component of the Race F/X technology. They are used to dig up the cars as they move around the circuit. They work in tandem with an earth-based navigation system. The tracking is so accurate that the car is tracked up to 20 millimeters distance from its real position.

In-car sensing elements in the cars also play a important part in enhancing the telecasted event. They help the GPS locate the cars and also help the networks to collect as much statistical data about the car as possible. The info is highly detailed and contains minute contingents like RPM, acceleration, speed, fuel consumption, and even braking. This information is gathered at the speed of ten times a second. So you can rest assured that it is most recent information that you see on top of your favorite Nascar cars.

You Will Be In It

The day is not very far when you will be able to control the Nascar cars race F/X technology and you will be able to select and highlight the car that you want to follow. This will be done with the help of a set top box, Nascar says. A video game variation of Nascar is also on the advent. This will enable you to race your own virtual car on the racing circuit with the greats of racing. So the days are not far when your own car will be racing beside Jeff Gordon and you will be in your living room all the time. Now isn’t that cool?

This will propel Nascar racing into a entirely different realm altogether. So, get ready, get set, GO!

Advanced Technology Solutions for Automotive & Semi Conductor Industries

An ever-increasing range of leading-edge technologies emerging into the manufacturing, more so in the automotive & semi-conductor sectors, make them two of the most exciting and dynamic manufacturing sectors in the world.

Automotive & Semi-conductor industries are facing an extremely challenging business environment today with increase in product heterogeneousness, higher dependence on outsourcing, and a growing need to collaborate with an unending list of business partners. Moreover, with the automotive electronics market exploding and semiconductor consumption booming worldwide, the tremendous opportunity for semiconductor companies brings with it the increasing pressure to keep pace with the shortening development cycles and the need for newer and more innovative products. However not all the products that hit the market are successful since the consumer today is extremely particular about price and performance, leaving semiconductor companies to grapple with the triple challenges of increasing complexity, shorter timelines and increasing risk. In fact the need to excel by improving quality, creating product differentiation while meeting safety and other regulations has kept both the industries on their toes.

This kind of situation has given impetus to Advanced Technology Solutions, solutions that enable the automotive as well as semi-conductor industries to attain performance advancements and improved efficiency. Partnering with an organization offering industry specific advanced technology solutions in the focused areas of Automotive Electronics, Engineering Design, Product Engineering, Auto Infotainment & Telematics, Instrument clusters, Industrial automation, Powertrain, Chip design, Embedded software, Analog mixed signal design, Electronic design, Physical design, Semiconductor design outsourcing, ASIC/SoC development, Vlsi design, FPGA design solutions, and support services such as Verification & Validation, Offshore testing and Automotive embedded software, is a viable option that can leverage the technology expertise in automotive electronics & semi-conductor solutions. It further helps in accelerating product development cycles and push the envelope of innovation.

Utilizing these Advanced Technology Solutions, the automotive & semi-conductor industries can collaborate with a vast array of business partners and suppliers working in tandem to design and manufacture vehicles and focus on providing innovative silicon chip design and embedded software support.

The design of Flowmaster mufflers may look simple. But what most people do not know is that it has taken years of hard scientific research at Flow master to develop this patented technology.

By using the pressure and sound energy released from an engine’s combustion chamber, Flow master designs use the energy to get or pull utilized gases out of each cylinder more efficiently than even an open pipe system. This improved removal of exhaust gases out of the cylinders delivers a more efficient charge of unburned fuel and air to fill the cylinder for the next cycle. The results are improved power, a purer mixture to burn in the engine has, and improved fuel economy as less fuel is now required to achieve the same level of performance.

It is not just the performance gains that make Flow master mufflers unique; it’s the sound they produce. Their rich exhaust sound is created by Flow master?s patented noise cancellation system. Here, exhaust sound energy is split and directed through slightly different paths or tubes. Where the paths merge, the two parts of the sound energy are out of phase canceling the noise, much as two ripples colliding in a pond absorbing each others energy.

You may probably ask the difference between a ?straight-through” muffler and a Flow master muffler.

The technology of ?Straight-through? muffler designs utilizes a packing material wrapped around a piece of perforated tubing to absorb sound as it travels along the muffler. This internal tubing is generally reduced as it enters the inlet of the muffler to help attain a further reduction of sound as it is exiting the muffler. Smaller hole means less sound. At the same time this creates a further restriction for hot exhaust gases traveling through the mufflers.

A Flow master muffler, on the other hand, uses sound energy cancellation technology. So, “packing material” deterioration is avoided. It also does not get louder after as little as a few months.

The interior case volume of the inside of a Flow master muffler is far superior to that of a “straight-pipe” or “straight-through” muffler design.

The deflector in a Flow master muffler acts as a one way check valve eliminating reversion back to the engine. It creates a low pressure area to help pull the exhaust.

Flow masters? unique style of H-Chamber designs help control interior sounding or echo inside the cab area of your vehicles. A thing that a “Straight-through” muffler designs cannot do.

And last but not the least, Flow masters use fully welded construction for added strength and durability to last even when installed on high horsepower engines.

I am interested in learning High performance Engine Building and Chassis Fabrication. I have only been able to find two which appear to have what I’m looking for.
One is UTI (www.uti.edu) and the other is Wyotech (www.wyotech.edu).
Please suggest if there is another option out there?
Thanking you