The paper describes the wear performance of zinc-aluminium ZA27 alloy, reinforced with silicon-carbide (SiC) and graphite (Gr) particles. The compo-casting technique produced the composite samples. The tested samples were: ZA27 alloy, ZA27/5%SiC composite, and ZA27/5%SiC/3%Gr hybrid composite. A block-on-disc tribometer was used during wear tests under the dry sliding conditions by varying the normal loads and sliding speeds. The sliding distance was constant during tests. The microstructure of the worn surfaces of the tested materials was analysed using the scanning electronic microscope (SEM) and the energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS).

A zero-dimensional, one zone model of engine cycle for steady-state regimes of engines and a simplified procedure for indicator diagrams analysis have been developed at the Laboratory for internal combustion engines, fuels and lubricants of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Kragujevac. In addition to experimental research, thermodynamic modeling of working process of diesel engine with direct injection has been presented in this paper. The simplified procedure for indicator diagrams analysis has been applied, also. The basic problem, a selection of shape parameters of double Vibe function used for modeling the engine operation process, has been solved. The influence of biodiesel fuel and engine working regimes on the start of combustion, combustion duration and shape parameter of double Vibe was determined by a least square fit of experimental heat release curve.

Knowing and understanding the parameters influencing the concentration of particles created by brake wear, as one of the main contributors to non-exhaust emissions from vehicles, is important for the further development of systems on vehicles to reduce the concentration of particles, and also for further research in the field of developing new friction pairs. In this research, a brake inertial dynamometer was used to measure brake particles, and four different brake pads were examined. Based on a previous review of the applied tests and driving cycles, the braking parameters were determined, i.e., the initial simulated speed of the vehicle, the load of one-quarter of the vehicle, and the brake pressure. The ambient temperature, air humidity, coefficient of friction between friction pairs, deceleration, and braking time can have an influence depending on the brake pad. Further, during the measurement, the temperatures of the brake pads were also measured, where the initial temperature of the brake pads was always the same. In order to process the data, several methods were used, including the presentation of the obtained results in a time domain, the application of the Taguchi design of the experiment with the analysis of the parameters, and a correlation analysis using the Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients. In this research, the authors concluded that the influences of the parameters primarily depend on the applied brake pads. The vehicle speed turned out to have a large influence in all cases, as did the load, i.e., the influence of the vehicle weight (indirectly through the kinetic energy of the vehicle). In this case, the pressure showed less influence on the particle concentration. An important braking parameter that has a significant impact on the concentrations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ particles is the final temperature of the brake pads.

Automotive ergonomics is a set of knowledge which has a task to design a vehicle to make the passengers feel comfortable. Interior packaging represents an important stage in the vehicle design process, in order to enable the driver to every important aspect of movement. During the process of driving, the driver performs various movements of arms and legs, leading to a certain fatigue. Each seating position in the vehicle, contain certain boundary conditions, and for that reason it was necessary to examine how the seating position affects the driver possibilities. In this paper, the pedal forces were determined by application of Ramsis human model. Different human populations were taken into account. Correlation between subjects' anthropometrics measures and the foot pedal force pedal was observed. Obtained results were significant input data for vehicle packaging.